A two-chord song lets a new player join a jam after learning one chord change. Most two-chord songs use the 1 chord and the 5 chord. A few use the 1 and the 4, or a minor 1 and the flat 7. The songs and tunes below all come up at bluegrass and old-time jams.
The chord numbers come from the Nashville number system. In the key of G, the 1 is G and the 5 is D.
Two-chord songs and tunes on this site
| Song | Type | Common key | The two chords |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hot Corn, Cold Corn | Singing song | G | G and D (1 and 5) |
| Shady Grove | Singing song | A minor sound | A minor and G (1 minor and flat 7) |
| Angeline the Baker | Fiddle tune | D | D and G (1 and 4) |
| Sally Goodin | Fiddle tune | A | A and E (1 and 5) |
Each song page has the chord layout. Hot Corn, Cold Corn and Angeline the Baker have free sheet music.
Start with Hot Corn, Cold Corn
This is a fast, simple song with a chorus the circle can sing. It stays on the 1 chord for most of each line and visits the 5 near the end. If you can change from G to D and back, you can play it.
Shady Grove for a change of mood
Shady Grove has a minor, old sound. The two chords are A minor and G. The change comes often, so it is good practice for moving your hand in time. Read modal tunes explained for why it sounds the way it does.
Angeline the Baker for backup practice
Angeline the Baker is a fiddle tune, so there are no words to learn. Slow jams call it often. The chords are D and G, and the G comes back at the same spot each time a part repeats. Play backup while the melody players take turns.
Sally Goodin when you are ready for speed
Sally Goodin is two chords, A and E, and the E lasts only a moment. The tune moves fast and fiddlers love to stretch it out. Play backup, stay on A, and catch the quick E near the end of each short part.
More two-chord songs you may hear
These old songs use only the 1 and the 5.
Tom Dooley
Down in the Valley
Handsome Molly
Buffalo Gals
Skip to My Lou.
They are useful for practice at home, and Handsome Molly and Tom Dooley get called at jams.
How to follow a two-chord song
A two-chord song is the best training for your ear. There are only two choices, so each guess teaches you something.
Start on the 1 chord. Stay there until the music sounds like it is leaning or asking a question. That is the 5. When it sounds settled again, go back to the 1.
Most lines start on the 1. The 5 tends to come near the end of a line. Read how to hear chord changes in a bluegrass jam.
Practice the change
Pick the two chords for one song. For Hot Corn, Cold Corn in G, that is G and D.
Set a metronome to a slow speed. Play four beats of G, four beats of D, and repeat. Do not stop the beat to fix your fingers. Land on the new chord on beat 1, even if it buzzes.
Cut it to two beats each. Then one bar of D for every three bars of G, which is closer to how songs go.
Guitar players can add the boom-chuck strum once the change is steady. Read how to play guitar rhythm in a bluegrass jam.
Change keys with the same two chords
A singer may call a two-chord song in A or in D. The numbers stay the same.
| Key | 1 chord | 5 chord |
|---|---|---|
| G | G | D |
| A | A | E |
| C | C | G |
| D | D | A |
Guitar and banjo players can use a capo and keep the G and D shapes. Read how to use a capo in a bluegrass jam.
Lead one at a jam
A two-chord song is a good first song to lead. The circle can follow it with no help. Say the name and the key, start it at a speed you can sing, and nod at players for breaks. Read how to call a song in a bluegrass jam.
Move on to three chords
After two-chord songs feel easy, add the 4 chord. Most bluegrass songs use the 1, 4, and 5. Read easy bluegrass songs for your first jam for ten of them. If you want a gentle first night, look for a slow jam.