How to Play a 1, 4, 5 Guitar Progression

If your just starting out on guitar, you are going to be hearing a lot about the 1, 4, 5 progression. So exactly what is a 1, 4, 5 progression? It is a set of chords that go good together. Songs are put together using progressions. But if your just starting out, how do you know where to find the 1, 4, 5 chords? In easy to understand tab form, I will show you how to find the 1, 4, 5 chords in easy to understand power chords. If you don't know how t read tablature, see my piece on HOW TO READ GUITAR TABLATURE.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Guitar

1. 
   THE G POWER CHORD

   In the imagine is your 1 chord for your 1, 4, 5 progression. Place your fingers as the tab shows and play this four times, tapping your toes to keep an even beat. This is the G power chord, by the way, as the root G note is found at the 3rd fret.

2. 
   THE C POWER CHORD

   Now to play the 4 of a 1, 4, 5 progression, we move the entire shape one string down to form a C power chord. Check out the image and play this two times, while still tapping your toes four times. So it goes like this, 1=no strum, 2=strum, 3=strum, 4=no strum. This is also how one works out timing on a guitar.

3. 
   THE D POWER CHORD

   Now to play the 5 of the 1, 4, 5 chord progression, we take the same shape and slide it down two frets on the same two strings as seen in the image. This is the D power chord. Play this four times, tapping your toes to keep a steady beat.

4. And here is how you know which power chords to use for my 1, 4, 5 chord progression. Say aloud the key you want to play in, in this case G. So G = 1, now count off four notes, beginning with g, G/1, A/2, B/3, C/4 - so C is your 4 chord. To find the 5 chord, just count up one more note, D/5. And this is how you find your 1, 4, 5 chords.

5. 
   THE 1, 4, 5 CHORDS TOGETHER

   But what if you can't remember all those chord names at first, don't be alarmed. Like many things in guitar, learn the shape. Look at the image now with all three chords, and you will see the shape. Try it on your guitar. As you move from one chord to another, notice how you are forming an sideways L almost.

6. 
   1, 4, 5 in key of A

   Now you will learn the key of A. A is your key you will now be playing in, so A is your 1 chord. Now count up four beginning with A. A/1, B/2. C/3, D/4 - if you counted correctly you now know D is your 4 chord. Go one more note up to find your 5 chord, E/5, so E is the 5 chord. The image shows what the 1, 4, 5 chord progression looks like in tablature form.

7. Now as you move your fingers to form the chords, again take note of that sideways L shape, and notice that the intervals or distance between the 3 chords are the exact same distance as the first three chords. Now play the three chords as follows, A for four strums, D for two, remember how we did the counting on a two beat? If you need help, go back and review step 2. Now E for four strums, back to D for two beats, back to A for four beats, and just keep repeating. You are now playing a 1, 4, 5 progression in the style of Louie Louie.

Tips & Warnings

• If you don't know how to read tablature, check out my piece on HOW TO READ GUITAR TABLATURE
• Playing guitar can become addictive