Ukulele · Level 5 · Intermediate
The I–vi–ii–V turnaround in A major on Ukulele
Don’t just read about The I–vi–ii–V turnaround in A major. Play it.
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The turnaround circles through four chords, two beats each, to lead back to the start of a tune. It trains faster chord changes inside a bar.
Amaj7
Notes: A · C♯ · E · G♯
F♯m7
Notes: F♯ · A · C♯ · E
Bm7
Notes: B · D · F♯ · A
E7
Notes: E · G♯ · B · D
HOW TO PRACTISE IT
Six steps to a clean loop.
- Play each chord on its own: Amaj7, F♯m7, Bm7 and E7. Press play on the chord card, then match the sound.
- Use light pressure; the ukulele's nylon strings need far less force than steel.
- Set the tempo to 60 BPM and play the progression with one chord per bar. Change on beats one and three; keep the hands moving on beat four.
- Strum down on every beat, then add an up-strum between beats with a loose wrist.
- Raise the tempo to 80 BPM once you can play the loop three times without stopping.
- Record one take, listen back and check for two even chord changes per bar.
Listen for
Aim for two even chord changes per bar. A common mistake is letting the second chord in the bar arrive late.
Why it works
Each root falls a fifth (or rises a fourth) to the next — the circle of fifths in miniature.
A major has 3 sharps; its relative minor key is F♯ minor.
Questions
What are the chords in Imaj7–vi7–ii7–V7 in A major?
In A major the progression is Amaj7 F♯m7 | Bm7 E7 | Amaj7 F♯m7 | Bm7 E7.
What is the key signature of A major?
A major has 3 sharps. Its relative minor is F♯ minor.
Is this lesson right for my level?
This is a level 5 lesson (intermediate). If it feels too hard, start with “A descending bass line”.
Your hands learn faster than your eyes.
Reading a chord chart is step one. Play it to a metronome, record it, and hear yourself get better, all in one app.
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