How to Read the Music
Follow Every Chord Change With Confidence
Learn how to read our chord progressions, spot each song section by colour, and understand the small symbols that keep you playing in time.
Chords in Playing Order
Sections at a Glance
Timing Made Clear
Symbols Explained
Start With the Basics
A Simple Map of Every Song
A chord progression lists the chords of a song in the order you play them. Read from left to right, moving to the next row as you go. Each labelled section tells you which part of the song you’re in, so you can find your place without needing to read traditional sheet music. Our notation keeps the details clear and beginner-friendly: bars show how the chords are grouped, while short labels and symbols explain changes that need extra attention. Once you know what they mean, you can spend less time deciphering the page and more time playing.
Know Where You Are in the Song
Intro · Light Beige
The Intro is the opening passage before the main song begins. Its light beige row helps you spot where to start.
Verse · Pale Blue
Verses carry the story of the song. Pale blue rows make each return to a Verse easy to recognise.
Chorus · Pale Pink
The Chorus is the familiar section that comes back throughout a song. Look for pale pink when it’s time to play it again.
Bridge & Ending · Green & Orange
A Bridge introduces a contrasting passage in pale green; the Ending shows how the song finishes in pale orange. Consistent colours help you find your place at a glance.
Find the Bar Lines
Each space between vertical lines is one bar, a small group of beats. The chords inside that space tell you what to play before moving on.
Count the Beats
Count steadily through each bar, usually “1, 2, 3, 4.” If a bar shows two chords, change where the second chord appears; if it shows one, keep that chord for the whole bar.
Move to the Next Bar
After the last beat, start counting again at 1 in the next bar and follow its chord. Keep going from left to right so the progression flows without a pause.
What Is a Pushed Chord?
A pushed chord comes in slightly before the beat where you might expect it. Instead of waiting for the next count of 1, change chords just ahead of it—often on the “and” after the previous beat. Try counting “1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and” aloud, then play the marked chord on its early “and.” Keep counting steadily; the chord moves early, but the beat does not.
Bass Notes and Silence: Quick Reference
Bass note: a single low note
Play the named low note when it appears
A bass note is not a full chord
Let the low note lead into the next chord
Slash chord: the note after / is the bass note
C/G: play C with G as the lowest note
Check the chord diagram for a suitable low string
N/C means “no chord”
At N/C, no specific chord is indicated
Follow the song’s rhythm without adding a chord
N/R means “no rhythm”
At N/R, do not strum
Leave the marked space quiet
Count through quiet bars to keep your place
Resume playing at the next written chord
Read these cues within their bar lines
Watch for a bass note before a chord change
When unsure, count steadily and follow the notation
How to Follow Repeat Markings
1
Find the Start of the Repeat
2
Play the Passage Again
3
Continue After the Ending Mark
“Let the coloured section labels show you where you are, then follow the bars and chord symbols at the song’s pace.”
Simple Guitar Method
Common Questions About Reading Progressions
What do the coloured rows mean?
Each colour identifies a song section: beige for the intro, blue for verses, pink for choruses, green for the bridge and orange for the ending. Use them to find your place as the song moves between sections.
What is a bar, and how do I count one?
A bar is a small group of beats between vertical lines. In a song counted in four, say “1, 2, 3, 4” evenly for each bar, then start again at 1 in the next bar.
How do I read several bars on one row?
Read from left to right. Each pair of vertical lines marks a bar; when you reach the end of the row, continue on the next row in the same section.
When should I change chords?
Change when the next chord symbol appears. Keep counting steadily so you can place the new chord in the right part of the bar.
What is a pushed chord change?
A pushed change lands just before the next main beat, often on the “and” before beat 1. Play the new chord slightly early rather than waiting for the bar line.
What does a slash chord tell me?
In a symbol such as G/B, play the chord before the slash (G) with the note after it (B) as the bass note. That note is the lowest one you aim to sound.
What does N/C mean?
N/C means “no chord.” Do not play a pitched chord there; follow the song’s rhythm until the next chord symbol appears.
What does N/R mean?
N/R means “no rhythm.” Leave out the regular strumming pattern at that point, and come back in where the chart shows you to resume.
How do I know where a repeat ends?
At an end-repeat mark, go back to the matching start-repeat mark and play that passage again. If no start mark is shown, repeat from the beginning of the section; after the repeat, continue past the end mark.
Ready to Follow a Song?
Choose a song and follow its colour-coded progression from the opening section to the ending. Count the bars, watch for pushed changes and repeats, and let the section colours guide you as you play.