It is incredibly satisfying to pick up a guitar and find the chords of a song, but the benefits go beyond that initial discovery. When you can play chord progressions by ear, you can remember songs more easily and, if you do forget a song, you have the confidence that you can get it back. Not only that, but if you can hear the chord that correctly supports a melody, you will be able to create your own music with more ease and enjoyment.
It’s not difficult to cultivate the ability to play by ear, but, like anything else in guitar playing, it requires intention and devotion to the task. (Practice!) In this lesson, you will become familiar with hearing the I, IV and V chords in any key. That small skill will open up a lot of songs to you, even if you don’t expand your ear training beyond that level!
Hearing I, IV and V chords
An easy way to learn to hear the roots of the I, IV and V chords is to play the 6th string (E) and sing it as the root to a I chord. (Actually sing the word “one” as you play and listen to the note.) Then play the 5th string (A) and sing it as the root to a IV chord. (Sing “four”). Go back and forth between the two notes repeatedly, singing the numbers each time. Next, play the 2nd fret of the 5th string (the note “B”) and sing it as the root to a V chord. (Sing “five”). Practice going (and singing) from IV to V, then from I to V and from I to IV to V. You can’t do this practice too much!
After you have practiced singing the roots of the chords, begin singing them as you play the chords. In other words, as you play and listen to the E chord, sing the note E that you have been practicing. Your “lyric” will still be “one.” Practice the same way with the A chord and either the B or B7 chord. You can practice the same way in other keys – just play the I – IV – V progression and sing the roots of the chords.
Using the skill to decipher chord progressions
The first step in figuring out the chords in a song is to determine the key that the song is in. If you are unsure how to go about hearing tonic (the starting point of the scale or the key name), you can go to the Virtual Studio to develop that skill.
Once you know the key name, you will know what the I, IV and V chords are in that key. Listen for the tension produced by the V or V7 chord and notice how the tension is resolved when that chord moves to the I chord. You may also notice how the IV chord moves naturally to the V chord, which then has a pull to the I chord. You worked with these chords in 12-Bar Blues and can use that progression to practice hearing the I, IV and V chords.