Skip to content
Courses/Stage 2

Play Your First Pop Progression: G–D–Em–C

Intermediate9 minC, G, D and switching between them

This four-chord loop is the “universal progression” behind countless pop and folk songs — all open chords, no barre required.

Video lessons are in production — follow the notes and practice checklist below and you'll learn it just fine.
Stage 2 · More Chords & Changes7 lessons

You're on lesson 7 / 7 in this stage

Show all 7 lessons
  1. Your Third Chord: C7 min
  2. Your Fourth Chord: G7 min
  3. Your Fifth Chord: D7 min
  4. Open Chords A and E8 min
  5. The Big Chord-Change Workout9 min
  6. One-Minute Chord Changes: The Smart Way to Get Faster8 min
  7. Play Your First Pop Progression: G–D–Em–C9 min

The universal four-chord progression

Loop this progression, one bar (4 beats) per chord: ‖: G | D | Em | C :‖. Start with one downstroke per beat, and once it's steady, add a strumming pattern.

This progression (also known as 1–5–6–4) holds up a huge number of songs you already know by ear — get it down and you'll be able to back a lot of tunes.

Tap “Start” to play along with the beat
GDEmC
Speed80 BPM
Time

One bar of count-in first, then the chord changes automatically each bar. Get it smooth slowly, then speed up bit by bit.

Hit play and loop along with G–D–Em–C (1–5–6–4): a metronome keeps the tempo, the current chord shows in big letters with its diagram, and each bar highlights automatically — slow first, then faster.

Practice tips

First go slow, pure downstrokes, and get all four chord changes flowing; then gradually speed up and swap in a more rhythmic strum.

  • 💡 If one change keeps tripping you up, pull just that pair out and drill it — don't start over from the top every time.

Chords in this lesson

Tap the 🔊 under each diagram to match every chord's sound to its shape.

213
✕✕132
23
✕321
⏱️ Cycle this lesson's chords to a beatPractice switching without stopping (one-minute changes) — first learn each chord by ear and shape, then drill clean changes between them.Expand

Switch back and forth between this lesson's chords to the beat below.

Tap “Start” to play along with the beat
GDEmC
Speed80 BPM
Time

One bar of count-in first, then the chord changes automatically each bar. Get it smooth slowly, then speed up bit by bit.

Want to count how many changes you can do in 60 seconds? Head to the one-minute changes drill.

Go play these

Songs that fit this lesson's technique and chords — pick one and practice in the library:

See all songs →
Open the metronomeStart at 70 BPM.→

Practice checklist

  • Loop the full G–D–Em–C at 70 BPM for two minutes, changing chords without pausing.
  • Try replacing the pure downstrokes with the “down, down-up, up, down-up” pattern.