Skip to content 
Ever heard of the Andalusian cadence?
There are 2 common keys to play it in on the guitar.
It works particularly well in Am (Am G F E) and Dm (Dm C Bb A).
I want you to get creative with this chord progression. Here are 18 bars of music to kickstart this process. Enjoy!
This late beginner lesson features…
… The Andalusian cadence Am G F E.
… 12 lovely chord voicings.
… Downpicks/-strums throughout.
… Dead notes.
You can download the tabs by clicking here (search for ‘HG20 – Is This 500-Year-Old Chord Progression in Your Repertoire?’).
Download it. Print it. Use it.
And here is everything else you need to know. Enjoy!
📈 Difficulty
3/10 (This gives you a rough idea of how difficult it is. If you feel it’s actually easier, great. If not, don’t feel bad.)
⏰ Time Estimation
3 Days (This is a rough estimation that can vary widely. If you’re faster, great. If not, don’t feel bad.)
💪 Action Steps
Practice bars 1-8. Get comfortable putting the chords on the fretboard and changing between chords first. Then play it as written.
Practice bars 9-16. Mind the rest between chords. Get comfortable strumming dead notes.
Practice bars 17-18. You might not be familiar with these chord changes yet, but they sound lovely and are not complicated.
Put everything together and play through the entire piece.
✏️ Extra Tips
As always, place your fingertips close to the fretwires whenever possible.
Mind the rhythm. If in doubt, listen back to me demonstrating it.
Make clean cuts between chords in bars 9-16. The rest in between are an important part of the rhythm.
🎯 Encouragement
This chord progression probably dates back to the Renaissance (around 500 years ago). It’s safe to say that it’s a classic every musician should have in their repertoire, don’t you think?
Talk soon,
Florian from Hi Guitar
