Please someone answer this question

[Suddygirl]

What is the basic progession to use when playing by ear for any song in     any key?  Is there one?  Maybe a pattern to use? For example:
Which one of these is more common and basic to use in a gospel song played by ear?     1-4-1-5-4-1?   the 2-5-1?    1-3-5?  I know we are suppose to use roman numerals but any way you see what I am asking???
Thanks everybody.....God bless you all!

[sjonathan02]

As far as trying to pick up songs by ear, you and I are probably in the same boat; however, I'll share what is helping me get better.

I don' t know that there is a one progression that is greater than other; however I would say, if someone put a gun to my head, that a 2-5-1 is probably the most used progression. Now, what I have come across is that there are various ways to play a 2-5-1 progression (i.e. tri-tone substitution), and that's what's baffling me at the moment.


I hope this helps, be blessed
Jonathan

[T-Block]

Yeah,  i would say 90 percent of gospel music uses the 2-5-1 progression. To add to that is the 7-3-6-2-5-1, which is also very common in gospel music.  1-4-5-1 gets boring real quick cuz it is just straight through like that, but 7-3-6-2-5-1 is like going through a maze and it keeps people interested in hearing u play.  Once u start it though, u should try to finish it at some point.