Bakersfield · Country
E · A · B7 · A
I · IV · V7 · IV in the key of E
The Telecaster answer to Nashville — brighter, harder, straight time.
Four bars of bakersfield in the key of E, written I · IV · V7 · IV and played boom-chick over a backbeat groove at around 132 beats per minute. The chord shapes are below, and you can hear the whole thing play — and slow it down — without an account.
Opens in the Progression Lab. No account, nothing to sign in to — ten minutes of playback a day, and an hour with a free account.
What the chords are
This is I · IV · V7 · IV in the key of E — the degree of each chord is what makes the progression recognisable in any key, so the same four moves transpose anywhere once you know them by number.
- E I in open position, frets 1 to 2, on all six strings
- A IV at the 2nd fret, on 5 strings
- B7 V7 in open position, frets 1 to 2, on 5 strings
- A IV at the 2nd fret, on 5 strings
How it should feel
- Strum
- Boom-chick
- Groove
- Backbeat
- Tempo
- 132 bpm
- Key
- E
- Voicings
- Campfire
Big open grips and barres — the whole-hand chords everyone starts on.
The shapes
Low E on the left, high e on the right. 0 is an open string, × is one you do not play.
| Chord | E | A | D | G | B | e |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| A | × | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| B7 | × | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| A | × | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
More Country
- E · A · E · B7 I · IV · I · V in E — Train Beat
- E · A7 · E6 · B7 I · IV7 · I6 · V7 in E — Takin’ My Horse
Posted . Part of a growing library of guitar chord progressions.