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
- Am7 · D7 i7 · IV7 in A — Dorian Vamp
- A · D I · IV in A — Sweet Soul Vamp
- Amaj7 · C#m7 · Dmaj7 · E7 Imaj7 · iii7 · IVmaj7 · V7 in A — Slow Burn
Posted . Part of a growing library of guitar chord progressions.