Jazz · Intermediate · major key
Imaj7–I6 vamp
Imaj7 – I6 – Imaj7 – I6 — A shimmering one-chord vamp — just the top note moving.
Easiest guitar key: G major
Chord shapes in G major (standard tuning)
Using a different tuning? Open it in the Looper — it finds playable shapes for whatever tuning you choose.
How the chords work
Written in Roman numerals, this progression is Imaj7 – I6 – Imaj7 – I6 — in C major that is Cmaj7 – C6 – Cmaj7 – C6. Each numeral is a step of the scale; upper case is a major chord, lower case minor.
- Imaj7 — the home chord — the progression feels finished when it lands here.
Imaj7–I6 vamp in all 12 keys
| Key | Chords | Hear / play |
|---|---|---|
| C major | Cmaj7C6Cmaj7C6 | Looper |
| G major | Gmaj7G6Gmaj7G6 | Looper |
| D major | Dmaj7D6Dmaj7D6 | Looper |
| A major | Amaj7A6Amaj7A6 | Looper |
| E major | Emaj7E6Emaj7E6 | Looper |
| B major | Bmaj7B6Bmaj7B6 | Looper |
| F# major | F#maj7F#6F#maj7F#6 | Looper |
| Db major | Dbmaj7Db6Dbmaj7Db6 | Looper |
| Ab major | Abmaj7Ab6Abmaj7Ab6 | Looper |
| Eb major | Ebmaj7Eb6Ebmaj7Eb6 | Looper |
| Bb major | Bbmaj7Bb6Bbmaj7Bb6 | Looper |
| F major | Fmaj7F6Fmaj7F6 | Looper |
Practice ideas
- Beginners: play one strum per chord and say the chord names out loud, then two strums, then a steady down-down-up-up-down-up pattern.
- Change keys with a capo: keep the G major shapes and move a capo up — the capo calculator shows which fret gives the key you want.
- Solo over it: loop it in the Looper and improvise with the G major pentatonic or G major scale — the scale pages show every position and play a backing track.
- Train your ear: the progression ear trainer mixes this with similar progressions until you can tell them apart.
Similar progressions
- Descending line cliché (I–Imaj7–I7–I6) I – Imaj7 – I7 – I6
- Circle progression (vi–ii–V–I) vi – ii – V – I
- ii–V–I–IV ii7 – V7 – Imaj7 – IVmaj7
- Major line cliché I – I+ – I6 – I7
- I6–vi7 swing vamp I6 – vi7 – ii7 – V7
- Imaj7–vi7–ii7–V7 Imaj7 – vi7 – ii7 – V7
← Bossa ii9–V9–Imaj9–VI7 · I–Isus2–I–Isus4 shimmer →
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Questions
What chords are in the Imaj7 – I6 – Imaj7 – I6 progression?
In G major: Gmaj7 – G6 – Gmaj7 – G6. In C major / A minor: Cmaj7 – C6 – Cmaj7 – C6. The table on this page lists all 12 keys.
What is the best key to play Imaj7 – I6 – Imaj7 – I6 on guitar?
G major uses the most open-position chord shapes in standard tuning. Use a capo with those shapes to reach other keys.