Motown Move · R&B / Soul
A · F#m7 · D · E7
I · vi7 · IV · V7 in the key of A
The doo-wop changes grown up — sevenths in the bass seats, backbeat on top.
Four bars of motown move in the key of A, written I · vi7 · IV · V7 and played quarters over a backbeat groove at around 104 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 · vi7 · IV · V7 in the key of A. 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.
- A I at the 2nd fret, on 3 strings
- F#m7 vi7 in open position, frets 2 to 4, on 4 strings
- D IV up at the 2nd fret, spanning to the 3rd, on 3 strings
- E7 V7 up at the 2nd fret, spanning to the 4th, on 4 strings
How it should feel
- Strum
- Quarters
- Groove
- Backbeat
- Tempo
- 104 bpm
- Key
- A
- Voicings
- The Climb
The top voice steps upward through the progression — a melody rising inside the chords.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | × | × | 2 | 2 | 2 | × |
| F#m7 | × | × | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| D | × | × | × | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| E7 | × | × | 2 | 4 | 3 | 4 |
More R&B / Soul
- Bm7 · E7 i7 · IV7 in B · Dorian Vamp
- G · C I · IV in G · Sweet Soul Vamp
- G · Em7 · C · D7 I · vi7 · IV · V7 in G · Motown Move
- Gmaj7 · Bm7 · Cmaj7 · D7 Imaj7 · iii7 · IVmaj7 · V7 in G · Slow Burn
Posted . Part of a growing library of guitar chord progressions.