Pop Axis Progression in A Major for Banjo

The A Major scale on banjo: the Pop Axis progression in its chords, with tab you can play along to in the interactive lesson.

Notes: A B C# D E F# G#

Tuning: Standard (G D G B D)

Scale

Scale shapes

3NPS - First Position

D|--7---9--11--12--14-|
B|--7---9--11---------|
G|--7---9--11---------|
D|--9--10--12---------|
G|-11--12--14---------|

Basic Chords

Chords

DegreeChordNotesFingering (low to high)
IAA C# Ex x 2 2 2
IAA C# Ex x x 2 2
IAA C# Ex 2 2 2 2
IAA C# Ex 2 2 2 x
IIBmB D F#9 9 7 7 0
IIBmB D F#9 0 4 0 4
IIBmB D F#9 9 7 7 9
IIIC#mC# E G#11 11 9 9 11
IVDD F# A7 0 2 3 4
IVDD F# A7 7 7 7 7
VEE G# B9 9 9 9 9
VIF#mF# A C#x x 2 2 x
VIF#mF# A C#x 4 2 2 4
VIF#mF# A C#x 4 2 2 x
VIF#mF# A C#x x 2 2 4
VIIG#dimG# B Dx x x 0 0
VIIG#dimG# B Dx x 1 0 0
VIIG#dimG# B Dx 0 1 0 0
VIIG#dimG# B Dx 0 1 0 x

Pop Axis (I–V–vi–IV)

Chords: A – E – F#m – D

D|2-----------6---7---2-----------6---7---2-----------6---7---2---|9-------------------12--16--9-------------------12--16--9-------|
B|2-------5-----------2-------5-----------2-------5-----------2---|9-----------10--12----------9-----------10--12----------9-------|
G|2---6---------------2---6---------------2---6---------------2---|9-------11------------------9-------11------------------9-------|
D|----------------------------------------------------------------|9---12----------------------9---12----------------------9---12--|
G|----------------------------------------------------------------|9---------------------------9---------------------------9-------|

D|------------6---7---------------6---7---------------6---7-------|4-------------------6---9---4-------------------6---9---4-------|
B|2-------5-----------2-------5-----------2-------5-----------2---|3-----------3---5-----------3-----------3---5-----------3-------|
G|2---6---------------2---6---------------2---6---------------2---|2-------4-------------------2-------4-------------------2-------|
D|----------------------------------------------------------------|0---6-----------------------0---6-----------------------0---6---|
G|----------------------------------------------------------------|7---------------------------7---------------------------7-------|

Seventh Chords

Chords

DegreeChordNotesFingering (low to high)
IAmaj7A C# E G#x 2 1 2 2
IAmaj7A C# E G#x 2 1 2 x
IAmaj7A C# E G#x x 1 2 2
IAmaj7A C# E G#6 2 1 2 2
IIBm7B D F# Ax 0 2 0 0
IIBm7B D F# Ax 0 2 0 x
IIBm7B D F# Ax x 2 0 0
IIBm7B D F# Ax 0 2 0 4
IIIC#m7C# E G# Bx 2 1 0 2
IIIC#m7C# E G# Bx 2 1 0 x
IIIC#m7C# E G# Bx x 1 0 2
IIIC#m7C# E G# Bx 2 4 2 2
IVDmaj7D F# A C#x 0 2 2 0
IVDmaj7D F# A C#x 0 2 2 x
IVDmaj7D F# A C#x x 2 2 0
IVDmaj7D F# A C#x 0 2 2 4
VE7E G# B Dx x 1 0 0
VE7E G# B Dx 0 1 0 0
VE7E G# B Dx 0 1 0 x
VE7E G# B Dx 2 1 0 0
VIF#m7F# A C# Ex x 2 2 2
VIF#m7F# A C# Ex 2 2 2 2
VIF#m7F# A C# Ex 2 2 2 x
VIF#m7F# A C# Ex 4 2 2 2
VIIG#m7b5G# B D F#x x 1 0 4
VIIG#m7b5G# B D F#x 0 1 0 4
VIIG#m7b5G# B D F#x 0 1 3 4
VIIG#m7b5G# B D F#x 0 4 0 4

Pop Axis (I–V–vi–IV)

Chords: Amaj7 – E7 – F#m7 – Dmaj7

D|2-------------------6---2-------------------6---2---------------|0-----------4---6---0-----------4---6---0-----------4---6---0---|
B|2-----------3---5-------2-----------3---5-------2-----------3---|0-------3-----------0-------3-----------0-------3-----------0---|
G|1---1---4---------------1---1---4---------------1---1---4-------|1---4---------------1---4---------------1---4---------------1---|
D|2-----------------------2-----------------------2---------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|

D|2-----------6---7---2-----------6---7---2-----------6---7---2---|0-------------------4---7---0-------------------4---7---0-------|
B|2-------5-----------2-------5-----------2-------5-----------2---|2-----------2---3-----------2-----------2---3-----------2-------|
G|2---6---------------2---6---------------2---6---------------2---|2-------2-------------------2-------2-------------------2-------|
D|----------------------------------------------------------------|0---4-----------------------0---4-----------------------0---4---|
G|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|

Ninth Chords

Chords

DegreeChordNotesFingering (low to high)
IAmaj9A C# E G# Bx x 2 0 2
IAmaj9A C# E G# Bx 2 1 0 x
IAmaj9A C# E G# Bx 2 2 0 x
IAmaj9A C# E G# Bx x 1 0 2
IIBm9B D F# A C#x 0 2 2 x
IIBm9B D F# A C#x x 2 2 0
IIBm9B D F# A C#x x 4 2 0
IIBm9B D F# A C#x 0 2 2 4
IIIC#m7b9C# E G# B Dx x 1 0 0
IIIC#m7b9C# E G# B Dx 0 1 0 x
IIIC#m7b9C# E G# B Dx 2 1 0 0
IIIC#m7b9C# E G# B Dx x 1 2 0
IVDmaj9D F# A C# Ex 0 2 2 2
IVDmaj9D F# A C# Ex 2 2 2 0
IVDmaj9D F# A C# Ex x 2 2 2
IVDmaj9D F# A C# Ex 2 2 2 x
VE9E G# B D F#x x 1 0 4
VE9E G# B D F#x 0 1 0 4
VE9E G# B D F#x 4 1 0 0
VE9E G# B D F#x 4 1 0 x
VIF#m9F# A C# E G#x 2 1 2 x
VIF#m9F# A C# E G#x x 1 2 2
VIF#m9F# A C# E G#x 4 1 2 2
VIF#m9F# A C# E G#x 4 1 2 x
VIIG#m7b5b9G# B D F# Ax 0 2 0 x
VIIG#m7b5b9G# B D F# Ax x 2 0 0
VIIG#m7b5b9G# B D F# Ax 0 2 0 4
VIIG#m7b5b9G# B D F# Ax 4 2 0 0

Pop Axis (I–V–vi–IV)

Chords: Amaj9 – E9 – F#m9 – Dmaj9

D|2-----------6---7---2-----------6---7---2-----------6---7---2---|4-----------4---6---4-----------4---6---4-----------4---6---4---|
B|0---2---5-----------0---2---5-----------0---2---5-----------0---|0-------3-----------0-------3-----------0-------3-----------0---|
G|2-------------------2-------------------2-------------------2---|1---4---------------1---4---------------1---4---------------1---|
D|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|

D|--------------------6-----------------------6-------------------|2-------------------4---7---2-------------------4---7---2-------|
B|2-----------3---5-------2-----------3---5-------2-----------3---|2-----------2---3-----------2-----------2---3-----------2-------|
G|1---1---4---------------1---1---4---------------1---1---4-------|2-------2-------------------2-------2-------------------2-------|
D|2-----------------------2-----------------------2---------------|0---4-----------------------0---4-----------------------0---4---|
G|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|

All banjo lessons · The Guitar Scales