Morgan Wallen’s new country hit 7 Summers features brilliant use of major-7th chords. We will explore how to play it acoustically using G, D, E minor and Em chords in this video lesson & chord sheet.
Ex. 1a provides an alternating bass/chord progression used in the intro. Bars 2 and 4 feature a pickup into a targeted power slash chord which serves as Gsus2#4 suspension/resolution.
1. G Major
G Major is one of the most frequently employed keys in classical, pop, and rock music – according to Spotify’s statistics, more songs are streamed using this key than any other.
Morgan Wallen recalls an affair from seven summers ago in this upbeat country and soft rock track featuring suspended chords and guitar layering.
This song begins with a power-slash chord reminiscent of Todd Rundgren’s distinctive Lydian sound, followed by bar 2 featuring an E/A power chord shift to D6 over A-to-D bass motion, bar 4 featuring churchy Gsus4 resolution.
2. D Major
D Major is an ideal key for country and soft rock songs, as well as providing a solid starting point to learn suspended chords.
Our first moveable D chord shape is a barre across the second frets of strings 4 and 5, with your first finger placed on string 1’s 5th fret to mute string 6.
This moveable shape requires more finger stretching to achieve, yet still sounds fantastic when played acoustically guitar. Though less popular than its moveable predecessor, this one works great to add flair and dissonance to your playing. Perfect for jazz! This example utilizes the Dm7 interval; its root note corresponds with the first note in D major scale; each note in it has an individual name associated with its position in this scale.
3. E Minor
Morgan Wallen’s 2020 country hit, “7 Summers”, has an Eighties country and soft rock feel in its ringing chords and lyrics that speak of lost loves that still haunt her memory, as Wallen recalls their romance from seven summers ago – hence its name.
E minor chords are one of the most frequently-used chords in music for good reason – their melancholy yet dark tone can evoke many different feelings, simply by lowering any major scale’s third note by one half step to create this chord.
This video lesson and chord sheet will teach you to play this sombre chord on an acoustic guitar, including its chord shapes, progressions, and strumming patterns.
4. Em
This song’s chord progression is straightforward: G, D, E minor and Em. Learning it on acoustic guitar should be straightforward with this video lesson & chord sheet as your guide! With practice you’ll soon be playing Seven Summers like an expert!
Written by Morgan Wallen with Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne, “Breathe” blends country music with soft rock chords to form its unforgettable melody. Joey Moi’s atmospheric production perfectly supports Wallen’s emotive lyricism that looks back fondly upon their past lives.
Instruments used for this track include an acoustic guitar, banjo, programmed and acoustic drums, bass guitar and backing vocals – creating an upbeat and infectious ambiance throughout. The banjo also adds traditional folk elements that help set the scene.
5. C
Ending summer can be an opportunity for reflection and growth; yet it should also be a time of fun, adventure and creating unforgettable memories that last a lifetime.
Ex. 5 details the song’s two-bar E/A chord progression – a textbook study in upper-structure triads in three inversions plus T chord formation, representing TR’s first major attempt to employ these types of upper-structure triads as the core of an entire tune.
Written by Morgan Wallen with Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne, “7 Summers Ago” blends country with soft rock with its suspended chords and Joey Moi’s atmospheric production. It perfectly compliments Wallen’s lyrics about an unfulfilling romance from seven summers ago that had ended.