Folk · Beginner · minor key

Minor i–v vamp

i – v — Dark, simple and hypnotic.

Chord shapes in A minor (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 i – v — in A minor that is Am – Em. Each numeral is a step of the scale; upper case is a major chord, lower case minor.

• i — the minor home chord.
• v — a minor five: a softer, folkier pull back to the home chord.

Minor i–v vamp in all 12 keys

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 A minor 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 A minor pentatonic or A natural minor or A blues 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

• i–v–iv–i i – v – iv – i
• Minor three-chord (i–iv–v) i – iv – v – i
• Minor blues turnaround i7 – iv7 – v7 – i7
• Dorian i–ii–♭III–ii i – ii – ♭III – ii
• "House of the Rising Sun" progression i – ♭III – IV – ♭VI – i – ♭III – V – V
• i–v–♭VI–iv i – v – ♭VI – iv

← Aeolian i–♭VI vamp · Harmonic-minor i–V7 vamp →

← All 198 chord progressions · Generate a new one

Questions