# Guitar/Chord changes C-Am

Navigation: Guitar | Campfire Diploma II. Lessons:  1) Forming the D chord • 4/4-beat • D-A 2) D-G • Major Cadence • Western Strumming • 3/4-beat 3) G-C-D • Fingering • Campfire Strumming 4) G-Em-C-D 5) Quick Chord Change 6) C-Am 7) Jumps Em-D / G-Am 8) Completion
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# Relative minor Am

The change between C major and A minor (Am for short) is even easier than the change between G and Em. Only one finger is moved between C major and Am.
This makes it very easy to remember that Am is the relative minor to C.
| Key G major with minor parallels | Key G major with minor parallels | Key G major with minor parallels |

## From C to Am and back

| From C to Am Index and middle fingers stay in place Ring finger under middle finger Done! | From Am to C Index and middle fingers stay in place Ring finger pointing slanted upwards Done! |

## The 2-5-1 chord progression

In the key of G major, the chord C major is the subdominant. Am is the relative minor of C major, so Am is the relative subdominant.
The relative subdominant can be used very well as an announcer ("herald") of the exciting dominant.
Suppose a song contains the chord sequence D(7) G (dominant - tonic). In such a case, the relative subdominant Am very often announces the dominant D(7). You can gain momentum with the Am to D(7) in order to then end up at G again. So Am D(7) G.
If you count through the G major scale
then you will see that G is on the first degree, A (and Am) on the second degree and D on the fifth degree. The chord progression Am D(7) G is therefore a II-V-I chord progression (2-5-1 in Roman numerals). This chord progression occurs very frequently. It is also particularly popular as a final turn at the end of a verse, a chorus or at the end of a song, or as a transition from the end of a verse with Am D to the beginning of the next verse again with the tonic G. A chord progression, which leads back to the tonic, is a "turnaround". It's worth paying attention to this. It is always easier to memorize a whole standard chord progression than three seemingly independent chords. After a while, you will see and hear this II-V-I connection on your own.

## Examples of a II-V-I chord progression

* Killed[Am]poor Laura[D]Foster. - You know you're bound to[G]die. (Tom Dooley)
* And I[G]never will[Am]play THE WILD[D]ROVER no[G]more
* [Am]saying SOMETHING[D]STUPID like I[G]love you
* and I[Am]mean it from the[D]bottom of my[G]heart (I just call to say I love you)
* DON'T[Am]WORRY,[D]BE[G]HAPPY
In the last lessons you learned the chord progression G-Em-C-D. You also learned here that C major can sometimes be replaced by Am. And you learned that Am can herald the dominant D. So just try replacing the chord progression G-Em-C-D with the chord progression G-Em-Am-D. You'll find that in most cases it works without any problems, so it will be a matter of taste later on whether you use one or the other variant.

## Em - Am

Even if the chord change Em Am doesn't cause any significant problems, you can practice it several times in isolation if necessary:
* Lift all fingers
* Both fingers goes simultaneously down one fret
* Index finger in the correct position (same like in C major)
* Lift all fingers
* Index and middle fingers goes simultaneously up one fret.

## Song Examples:
### (6) Chord changes C-Am

* 500 Miles (Hedy West) (Folksong)
* Tom Dooley(Folksong)
* The Wild Rover (Irish Folk)
* Acres Of Clams
* The Raggle Taggle Gypsies
* YT Into the Night (Santana feat. Chad Kroeger) //: Am C G D ://
* YT Knockin' on Heaven's Door (Guns N'Roses, Bob Dylan u.a.m.) //: G D Am Am | G D C C ://
* YT It never rains in southern California (Albert Hammond) mostly Am D G G in the chorus once Am D G Em (Original: Capo 2nd fret)
* YT Riptide (Vance Joy) Am G C C (The intermediate section is simply left out until the F major chord)
* YT What's Up (4 Non Blondes) G G Am Am C C G G (Original: Capo 2nd fret)
* YT Stumblin' in (Chris Norman, Suzi Quatro) Am D G Em