Tension VampChord progression · I – V7
Tonic-dominant tension loop — V7 pulls back to I each time.
In C major
Why the Tension Vamp progression works
One chord rests and one leans: the V7 pulls back to I each time. Every loop is a question and an answer.
Songs built on it, each in its own key:
- Jambalaya
Heard in: Texas bluesBlues rockFunkSoulGospel
How to play Tension Vamp in C major
One voicing per chord, each the nearest to the chord before, so your hand stays in one spot. Open any chord in the chord library for every other way to play it.
Tension Vamp chords in all 12 keys
The same numerals in every key. Each chord opens in the chord library, and each key plays in the progression builder.
What scale to play over Tension Vamp
Over the whole progression in C major: C Major, C Major pentatonic. To follow every chord, switch to the scale the progression builder picks for it.
| Chord | Scale over it |
|---|---|
| I · C | C Major |
| V7 · G7 | G Mixolydian |
Tension Vamp questions
What are the chords of the Tension Vamp progression?
I – V7. In C major that is C, G7; in G major it is G, D7.
Which songs use the Tension Vamp progression?
Jambalaya, each in its own key.
What scale do you play over the Tension Vamp progression?
C Major and C Major pentatonic fit the whole progression in C major. Chord by chord: C Major over C, G Mixolydian over G7.
How do you play the Tension Vamp progression in another key?
Keep the numerals and move every chord by the same distance. The table on this page spells it in all 12 keys, and each key opens in the progression builder.