Ukulele · Level 5 · Intermediate
The I–vi–ii–V turnaround in G major on Ukulele
Don’t just read about The I–vi–ii–V turnaround in G 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.
Gmaj7
Notes: G · B · D · F♯
Em7
Notes: E · G · B · D
Am7
Notes: A · C · E · G
D7
Notes: D · F♯ · A · C
HOW TO PRACTISE IT
Six steps to a clean loop.
- Play each chord on its own: Gmaj7, Em7, Am7 and D7. 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.
G major has 1 sharp; its relative minor key is E minor.
Questions
What are the chords in Imaj7–vi7–ii7–V7 in G major?
In G major the progression is Gmaj7 Em7 | Am7 D7 | Gmaj7 Em7 | Am7 D7.
What is the key signature of G major?
G major has 1 sharp. Its relative minor is E 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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