Rhythm Changes (A Section) Progression in E Major for Banjo

The E Major scale on banjo: the Rhythm Changes (A Section) progression in its chords, with tab you can play along to in the interactive lesson.

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

Tuning: Standard (G D G B D)

Scale

Scale shapes

3NPS - First Position

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

Basic Chords

Chords

DegreeChordNotesFingering (low to high)
IEE G# B9 9 9 9 9
IIF#mF# A C#x x 2 2 x
IIF#mF# A C#x 4 2 2 4
IIF#mF# A C#x 4 2 2 x
IIF#mF# A C#x x 2 2 4
IIIG#mG# B D#6 6 4 4 6
IVAA C# Ex x 2 2 2
IVAA C# Ex x x 2 2
IVAA C# Ex 2 2 2 2
IVAA C# Ex 2 2 2 x
VBB D# F#x x x 0 4
VBB D# F#x 1 4 0 4
VBB D# F#x 4 4 0 1
VBB D# F#x 1 4 4 4
VIC#mC# E G#11 11 9 9 11
VIID#dimD# F# Ax 1 2 x x
VIID#dimD# F# Ax 1 2 4 4
VIID#dimD# F# Ax 4 2 4 1
VIID#dimD# F# Ax 4 2 4 4

Rhythm Changes (A Section) (I–vi–ii–V–I–vi–ii–V)

Chords: E – C#m – F#m – B – E – C#m – F#m – B

D|9-------------------13--16--9-------------------13--16--9-------|11------------------14--11------------------14--11--------------|
B|9-----------10--12----------9-----------10--12----------9-------|9-----------12--14------9-----------12--14------9-----------12--|
G|9-------11------------------9-------11------------------9-------|9---9---13--------------9---9---13--------------9---9---13------|
D|9---13----------------------9---13----------------------9---13--|11----------------------11----------------------11--------------|
G|9---------------------------9---------------------------9-------|11----------------------11----------------------11--------------|

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

D|9-------------------13--16--9-------------------13--16--9-------|11------------------14--11------------------14--11--------------|
B|9-----------10--12----------9-----------10--12----------9-------|9-----------12--14------9-----------12--14------9-----------12--|
G|9-------11------------------9-------11------------------9-------|9---9---13--------------9---9---13--------------9---9---13------|
D|9---13----------------------9---13----------------------9---13--|11----------------------11----------------------11--------------|
G|9---------------------------9---------------------------9-------|11----------------------11----------------------11--------------|

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

Seventh Chords

Chords

DegreeChordNotesFingering (low to high)
IEmaj7E G# B D#x x 1 0 1
IEmaj7E G# B D#x 1 1 0 1
IEmaj7E G# B D#x 1 1 0 x
IEmaj7E G# B D#x 2 1 0 1
IIF#m7F# A C# Ex x 2 2 2
IIF#m7F# A C# Ex 2 2 2 2
IIF#m7F# A C# Ex 2 2 2 x
IIF#m7F# A C# Ex 4 2 2 2
IIIG#m7G# B D# F#x x 1 0 4
IIIG#m7G# B D# F#x 1 1 0 4
IIIG#m7G# B D# F#x 1 4 0 4
IIIG#m7G# B D# F#x 4 1 0 1
IVAmaj7A C# E G#x 2 1 2 2
IVAmaj7A C# E G#x 2 1 2 x
IVAmaj7A C# E G#x x 1 2 2
IVAmaj7A C# E G#6 2 1 2 2
VB7B D# F# Ax 1 2 0 1
VB7B D# F# Ax 1 2 0 x
VB7B D# F# Ax x 2 0 1
VB7B D# F# Ax 1 2 0 4
VIC#m7C# E G# Bx 2 1 0 2
VIC#m7C# E G# Bx 2 1 0 x
VIC#m7C# E G# Bx x 1 0 2
VIC#m7C# E G# Bx 2 4 2 2
VIID#m7b5D# F# A C#x 1 2 2 1
VIID#m7b5D# F# A C#x 1 2 2 x
VIID#m7b5D# F# A C#x x 2 2 1
VIID#m7b5D# F# A C#x 1 2 2 4

Rhythm Changes (A Section) (I–vi–ii–V–I–vi–ii–V)

Chords: Emaj7 – C#m7 – F#m7 – B7 – Emaj7 – C#m7 – F#m7 – B7

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

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

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

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

Ninth Chords

Chords

DegreeChordNotesFingering (low to high)
IEmaj9E G# B D# F#x x 1 0 4
IEmaj9E G# B D# F#x 1 1 0 4
IEmaj9E G# B D# F#x 4 1 0 1
IEmaj9E G# B D# F#x 4 1 0 x
IIF#m9F# A C# E G#x 2 1 2 x
IIF#m9F# A C# E G#x x 1 2 2
IIF#m9F# A C# E G#x 4 1 2 2
IIF#m9F# A C# E G#x 4 1 2 x
IIIG#m7b9G# B D# F# Ax 1 2 0 x
IIIG#m7b9G# B D# F# Ax x 2 0 1
IIIG#m7b9G# B D# F# Ax 1 2 0 4
IIIG#m7b9G# B D# F# Ax 4 2 0 1
IVAmaj9A C# E G# Bx x 2 0 2
IVAmaj9A C# E G# Bx 2 1 0 x
IVAmaj9A C# E G# Bx 2 2 0 x
IVAmaj9A C# E G# Bx x 1 0 2
VB9B D# F# A C#x 1 2 2 x
VB9B D# F# A C#x x 2 2 1
VB9B D# F# A C#x x 4 2 1
VB9B D# F# A C#x 1 2 2 4
VIC#m9C# E G# B D#x x 1 0 1
VIC#m9C# E G# B D#x 1 1 0 x
VIC#m9C# E G# B D#x 2 1 0 1
VIC#m9C# E G# B D#x 1 1 0 2
VIID#m7b5b9D# F# A C# Ex 1 2 2 2
VIID#m7b5b9D# F# A C# Ex 2 2 2 1
VIID#m7b5b9D# F# A C# Ex x 2 2 2
VIID#m7b5b9D# F# A C# Ex 2 2 2 x

Rhythm Changes (A Section) (I–vi–ii–V–I–vi–ii–V)

Chords: Emaj9 – C#m9 – F#m9 – B9 – Emaj9 – C#m9 – F#m9 – B9

D|4-----------4---6---4-----------4---6---4-----------4---6---4---|1-----------4---6---1-----------4---6---1-----------4---6---1---|
B|0---0---4-----------0---0---4-----------0---0---4-----------0---|0---0---4-----------0---0---4-----------0---0---4-----------0---|
G|1-------------------1-------------------1-------------------1---|1-------------------1-------------------1-------------------1---|
D|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|

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

D|4-----------4---6---4-----------4---6---4-----------4---6---4---|1-----------4---6---1-----------4---6---1-----------4---6---1---|
B|0---0---4-----------0---0---4-----------0---0---4-----------0---|0---0---4-----------0---0---4-----------0---0---4-----------0---|
G|1-------------------1-------------------1-------------------1---|1-------------------1-------------------1-------------------1---|
D|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|

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

All banjo lessons · The Guitar Scales