Bluegrass I–IV–V Progression in G Major for Banjo

The G Major scale on banjo: the Bluegrass I–IV–V progression in its chords, with tab you can play along to in the interactive lesson.

Notes: G A B C D E F#

Tuning: Standard (G D G B D)

Scale

Scale shapes

3NPS - First Position

D|--7---9--10--12-|
B|--5---7---9-----|
G|--5---7---9-----|
D|--7---8--10-----|
G|--9--10--12-----|

Basic Chords

Chords

Degree	Chord	Notes	Fingering (low to high)
I	G	G B D	`0 0 0 0 0`
II	Am	A C E	`7 7 5 5 7`
III	Bm	B D F#	`9 9 7 7 0`
III	Bm	B D F#	`9 0 4 0 4`
III	Bm	B D F#	`9 9 7 7 9`
IV	C	C E G	`0 2 0 1 2`
IV	C	C E G	`0 2 0 1 5`
IV	C	C E G	`0 2 5 5 2`
IV	C	C E G	`0 2 5 5 5`
V	D	D F# A	`7 0 2 3 4`
V	D	D F# A	`7 7 7 7 7`
VI	Em	E G B	`0 2 0 0 2`
VI	Em	E G B	`0 2 4 0 2`
VI	Em	E G B	`0 2 4 0 5`
VII	F#dim	F# A C	`x x 2 1 x`
VII	F#dim	F# A C	`x 4 2 1 4`
VII	F#dim	F# A C	`x 4 2 1 x`
VII	F#dim	F# A C	`x x 2 1 4`

Bluegrass I–IV–V (I–I–IV–I–I–I–V–I)

Chords: G – G – C – G – G – G – D – G

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

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

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

D|4-------------------5---9---4-------------------5---9---4-------|0-------------------4---7---0-------------------4---7---0-------|
B|3-----------3---5-----------3-----------3---5-----------3-------|0-----------1---3-----------0-----------1---3-----------0-------|
G|2-------4-------------------2-------4-------------------2-------|0-------2-------------------0-------2-------------------0-------|
D|0---5-----------------------0---5-----------------------0---5---|0---4-----------------------0---4-----------------------0---4---|
G|7---------------------------7---------------------------7-------|0---------------------------0---------------------------0-------|

Seventh Chords

Chords

Degree	Chord	Notes	Fingering (low to high)
I	Gmaj7	G B D F#	`x x 0 0 4`
I	Gmaj7	G B D F#	`x x 0 3 4`
I	Gmaj7	G B D F#	`0 0 0 0 4`
I	Gmaj7	G B D F#	`0 0 0 3 4`
II	Am7	A C E G	`0 2 0 1 2`
II	Am7	A C E G	`0 2 2 1 2`
II	Am7	A C E G	`0 2 0 1 x`
II	Am7	A C E G	`0 2 2 1 x`
III	Bm7	B D F# A	`x 0 2 0 0`
III	Bm7	B D F# A	`x 0 2 0 x`
III	Bm7	B D F# A	`x x 2 0 0`
III	Bm7	B D F# A	`x 0 2 0 4`
IV	Cmaj7	C E G B	`0 2 0 0 2`
IV	Cmaj7	C E G B	`0 2 0 0 x`
IV	Cmaj7	C E G B	`x 2 0 0 2`
IV	Cmaj7	C E G B	`x 2 0 0 x`
V	D7	D F# A C	`x 0 2 1 0`
V	D7	D F# A C	`x 0 2 1 x`
V	D7	D F# A C	`x x 2 1 0`
V	D7	D F# A C	`x 0 2 1 4`
VI	Em7	E G B D	`x x 0 0 0`
VI	Em7	E G B D	`0 0 0 0 0`
VI	Em7	E G B D	`0 0 0 0 x`
VI	Em7	E G B D	`x 0 0 0 0`
VII	F#m7b5	F# A C E	`x x 2 1 2`
VII	F#m7b5	F# A C E	`x 2 2 1 2`
VII	F#m7b5	F# A C E	`x 2 2 1 x`
VII	F#m7b5	F# A C E	`x 4 2 1 2`

Bluegrass I–IV–V (I–I–IV–I–I–I–V–I)

Chords: Gmaj7 – Gmaj7 – Cmaj7 – Gmaj7 – Gmaj7 – Gmaj7 – D7 – Gmaj7

D|4-----------4---5---4-----------4---5---4-----------4---5---4---|4-----------4---5---4-----------4---5---4-----------4---5---4---|
B|0-------3-----------0-------3-----------0-------3-----------0---|0-------3-----------0-------3-----------0-------3-----------0---|
G|0---4---------------0---4---------------0---4---------------0---|0---4---------------0---4---------------0---4---------------0---|
D|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|

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

D|4-----------4---5---4-----------4---5---4-----------4---5---4---|4-----------4---5---4-----------4---5---4-----------4---5---4---|
B|0-------3-----------0-------3-----------0-------3-----------0---|0-------3-----------0-------3-----------0-------3-----------0---|
G|0---4---------------0---4---------------0---4---------------0---|0---4---------------0---4---------------0---4---------------0---|
D|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|

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

Ninth Chords

Chords

Degree	Chord	Notes	Fingering (low to high)
I	Gmaj9	G B D F# A	`0 0 2 x x`
I	Gmaj9	G B D F# A	`x 0 2 0 x`
I	Gmaj9	G B D F# A	`x x 2 0 0`
I	Gmaj9	G B D F# A	`0 0 2 0 4`
II	Am9	A C E G B	`x x 2 0 2`
II	Am9	A C E G B	`0 2 2 0 2`
II	Am9	A C E G B	`0 2 2 0 x`
II	Am9	A C E G B	`x 2 0 0 x`
III	Bm7b9	B D F# A C	`x 0 2 1 x`
III	Bm7b9	B D F# A C	`x x 2 1 0`
III	Bm7b9	B D F# A C	`x x 4 1 0`
III	Bm7b9	B D F# A C	`x 0 2 1 4`
IV	Cmaj9	C E G B D	`x x 0 0 0`
IV	Cmaj9	C E G B D	`x 0 0 0 x`
IV	Cmaj9	C E G B D	`x x 0 1 0`
IV	Cmaj9	C E G B D	`x 0 0 1 x`
V	D9	D F# A C E	`x 0 2 1 2`
V	D9	D F# A C E	`x 2 2 1 0`
V	D9	D F# A C E	`x x 2 1 2`
V	D9	D F# A C E	`x 2 2 1 x`
VI	Em9	E G B D F#	`0 2 0 3 4`
VI	Em9	E G B D F#	`0 2 4 3 4`
VI	Em9	E G B D F#	`x 2 0 3 4`
VI	Em9	E G B D F#	`x x 0 0 4`
VII	F#m7b5b9	F# A C E G	`0 2 2 1 2`
VII	F#m7b5b9	F# A C E G	`0 2 2 1 x`
VII	F#m7b5b9	F# A C E G	`0 2 2 x x`
VII	F#m7b5b9	F# A C E G	`x 2 0 1 x`

Bluegrass I–IV–V (I–I–IV–I–I–I–V–I)

Chords: Gmaj9 – Gmaj9 – Cmaj9 – Gmaj9 – Gmaj9 – Gmaj9 – D9 – Gmaj9

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

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

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

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

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