Chords progressions, chords and degrees: how to read the cards

3 types of cards: degrees cards, chords progressions cards and chords based on the Circle of Fifths

1 - Degrees cards

Degrees are from the Circle of fifth.
Uppercase are for MAJOR chords
Lowercase are for minor chords
If tonic (1st degree) is MAJOR, related degrees, according to the Circle of Fifths, are the cards with a M header   (I,ii,iii,IV,v,VI)
If tonic (1st degree) is minor, related degrees, according to the Circle of Fifths, are the cards with a m header (i,II,III,iv,v,VI)

Read more about degrees: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Degree_(music)

Read more about Circle of Fifths: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circle_of_fifths

2 - Chords progressions cards

Each card has 3 progression per side. Please note that those progressions are not linked to each other.

Chords progressions are, in fact, degrees progressions.

4 chords progression. Tonic is at the second place here.

If chosen tonic is C (MAJOR), progression is:

Em - C - G- Am  _{(see below how to use chords cards)}

4 chords progression, some are 7th. Tonic is not used here, but is style degree 1.

If chosen tonic is C (MAJOR), progression is:

Em - F7 - F7- Am7 _{(see below how to use chords cards)}

3 chords progression. 7th degree should b a diminished chord (vii°), replaced here by a flat MAJOR (VIIb).

If chosen tonic is C (MAJOR), progression is:

Bb - F - C _{(see below how to use chords cards)}

All these progressions have a MAJOR tonic (1st degree), so you can mix, reorder, etc..

3 - Chords cards

There is 2 chords cards kind:

1. MAJOR and minor chords, with Circle of Fifths on side
2. other chords (not MAJOR nor minor)

Chords cards are 2 sided: 1 side for guitar chords, the other fo piano chords

3.1 - MAJOR and minor chords

Cards are divided in 3 areas:

1. the main chord
2. alternative chords, to try in the progression to bring variety and color
3. a linear version of the Circle of Fifths

Main chord (C here) is the 1st degree, sidebar circles are for the 6 other degrees, according to the Circle of Fifths, with related chord.

Example:

MAJOR tonic C, 

• 2nd degree is minor (ii), it is a Dm chord
• 3rd degree is minor (iii), it is an Em chord
• 4th degree is MAJOR (IV), it is a F chord
• ...

 

 

3.2 - Other chords cards (not MAJOR nor minor)

That's for other chords that could be tried in a progression to bring color.