Chord progressions by genre
Audition popular chord progressions with real-time audio, transpose across all 12 keys, see piano and guitar voicings, and download free MIDI & WAV files for your DAW.
Browse by genre and mood
Every genre page has its own playable progressions, the theory behind them, and one-click export.
Pop
The most widely used chord progressions in modern pop music.
Jazz
Essential jazz chord progressions — from the II–V–I cornerstone to bossa nova, jazz blues, and modal harmony.
Lo-fi
Chill, jazzy progressions for lo-fi hip-hop, study beats, and bedroom pop.
Sad
Melancholic progressions that evoke depth, longing, and emotion.
Happy
Uplifting, bright, and energetic chord progressions full of joy.
Neo Soul
Neo soul chord progressions lean on richer chords — maj9, min9, min11, and 13ths — for a warm, jazzy R&B color.
Worship
Soaring, spacious chord progressions used in contemporary worship music.
Gospel
The chords behind gospel and contemporary worship harmony — extended 9ths and 11ths, secondary dominants, and chords borrowed from the parallel minor.
EDM
High-energy chord progressions built for electronic dance music.
Rock
Classic and modern rock chord progressions — from three-chord anthems to powerful minor riffs.
Blues
Classic 12-bar blues and blues-influenced progressions — the harmonic foundation of rock, jazz, and R&B.
12-Bar Blues
The foundational 12-bar blues progression in every key — the harmonic backbone of rock, jazz, R&B, and soul.
II–V–I
The II–V–I progression — the cornerstone of jazz harmony. In all keys, with extensions, and in minor.
Harmonic Explorer & Downloads
Popular Chord Progressions Library
Filter by genre, mood and key. Audition in real time, transpose instantly, and download free MIDI & WAV stems for your music production.
The Pop Axis Progression
The most popular harmonic sequence in modern music history. Driving, catchy, and instantly satisfying.
Heard in: Let It Be (The Beatles) · Don't Stop Believin' (Journey) · Someone Like You (Adele)
Major II–V–I Cadence
The cornerstone of jazz harmony. Creates smooth chromatic guide-tone voice leading and harmonic resolution.
Heard in: Autumn Leaves · Tune Up (Miles Davis) · Satin Doll (Duke Ellington)
Neo Soul Butter Groove
Lush, floating harmony with extended 9th and 7th voicings typical of D’Angelo, Erykah Badu, and Robert Glasper.
Heard in: Untitled (How Does It Feel) · Didn't Cha Know · Afro Blue
Lo-Fi Chillhop Loop
Mellow cycle with warm minor 7th colors designed for study beats, cozy rainy vibes, and relaxed head nodding.
Heard in: Coffee shop lo-fi playlists · Jinsang beats · Nujabes-style loops
Contemporary Worship Elevation
Dynamic anthem foundation for buildup from intimate acoustic verse into powerful, expansive choruses.
Heard in: Goodness of God (Bethel) · Holy Forever (Chris Tomlin) · What A Beautiful Name (Hillsong)
The Gospel 7–3–6 Turnaround
The move that defines the genre. E7♯9 is not in the key of C — which is exactly why it pulls so hard into the VI chord.
Heard in: Kirk Franklin arrangements · Fred Hammond turnarounds · Sunday-morning organ vamps
Sunday Morning Extensions
The same four degrees as a standard worship loop, voiced with 9ths and 11ths. Nothing here resolves, which is the point.
Heard in: Contemporary worship pads · Neo-soul Rhodes comping · Chapel piano intros
Modal Stepdown
Steps down through two chords borrowed from E♭ minor into a suspended dominant. Cinematic without a single key change.
Heard in: Praise-break bridges · Gospel choir modulations · Film-score style vamps
The Dramatic Minor Descent
Dark, cinematic, and full of emotional tension. Used across acoustic ballads and epic stadium anthems.
Heard in: Radioactive (Imagine Dragons) · Save Tonight (Eagle-Eye Cherry) · Pumped Up Kicks (Foster The People)
Standard 12-Bar Blues
The foundation of rock ‘n’ roll, blues, and electric guitar improvisation with dominant 7th grit.
Heard in: Sweet Home Chicago · Johnny B. Goode (Chuck Berry) · Cross Road Blues (Robert Johnson)
The 50s Doo-Wop Progression
Golden age harmonic cycle with comforting circular resolution that defined classic 50s rock and ballads.
Heard in: Stand By Me (Ben E. King) · Earth Angel (The Penguins) · Every Breath You Take (The Police)
Sensual R&B Smooth Flow
Descending stepwise motion creating buttery romantic warmth with rich jazz extensions.
Heard in: Redbone (Childish Gambino) · Get You (Daniel Caesar) · Best Part (H.E.R.)
Canon Harmonic Sequence
Pachelbel’s celebrated descending bass pattern reused in hundreds of modern hit melodies.
Heard in: Canon in D (Pachelbel) · Memories (Maroon 5) · Basket Case (Green Day)
Euphoric Festival Progression
High-energy, festival-ready foundation ideal for soaring synth leads and massive drop build-ups.
Heard in: Wake Me Up (Avicii) · Faded (Alan Walker) · Don't You Worry Child (Swedish House Mafia)
Minor II–V–i Bossa Cadence
The dramatic minor equivalent to the jazz II–V–I with half-diminished tension and minor resolution.
Heard in: Blue Bossa (Kenny Dorham) · Black Orpheus · Alone Together
I–IV–V Three-Chord Foundation
The three-chord skeleton of pop, rock and folk. If you only learn one progression, learn this one.
Heard in: Twist and Shout (The Beatles) · La Bamba (Ritchie Valens) · Louie Louie (The Kingsmen)
I–VI–II–V Turnaround
The classic turnaround that loops you back to the top of any standard. Bebop harmony in four chords.
Heard in: I Got Rhythm · Blue Moon · Heart and Soul
Bossa Nova Study Loop
Jobim-style major seventh harmony at a relaxed tempo. The backbone of thousands of study-beat tracks.
Heard in: The Girl from Ipanema · Corcovado · Lo-fi hip-hop radio staples
Classic Rock Drive
Open-string power and forward motion. The IV on the way back keeps the loop from ever fully resting.
Heard in: Wild Thing (The Troggs) · Gloria (Them) · Rockin’ in the Free World (Neil Young)
Worship Acoustic Build
The most-played worship shape on acoustic guitar. Sits comfortably under most congregational vocal ranges.
Heard in: 10,000 Reasons (Matt Redman) · Great Are You Lord · Oceans (Hillsong United)
Slow Minor Blues
The minor blues at a crawl — space between the chords is the whole point. Built for bending notes.
Heard in: The Thrill Is Gone (B.B. King) · Since I’ve Been Loving You (Led Zeppelin) · Black Magic Woman
Diatonic Harmony & Tonalities
Interactive Harmonic Keys & Diatonic Chords
Select any key signature to inspect its 7 natural chords, relative minor, and iconic progression formulas with instant audio.
The 7 chords in C major
Natural (0 sharps / flats)Relative minor: A minor — the same seven chords, resting on VI instead of I.
Real-World Song Analysis & Stems
Iconic Song Chord Progressions
Listen to and analyze the harmonic loop behind well-known songs, then open the full chart or download MIDI & WAV stems for your DAW.
Total Praise
Richard Smallwood
Never Would Have Made It
Marvin Sapp
Autumn Leaves
Jazz Standard (Joseph Kosma)
Hallelujah
Leonard Cohen / Jeff Buckley
Goodness of God
Bethel Music / Jenn Johnson
Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)
Hillsong United
Theory Guide & Harmonic Composition
Why these progressions work
Practical harmonic theory for songwriters, producers, and beatmakers.
Tension and Resolution
Every chord in a musical key has an acoustic role: Tonic (stability and home), Subdominant (departure and gentle motion), and Dominant (peak harmonic tension pulling strongly back to tonic).
Smooth Transitions
Pro chord progressions minimize leaps between voices. By preserving common tones and stepping voices by semitones or whole tones, changes feel velvety, organic, and musically polished.
Borrowed Chords
Borrowing chords from parallel modes (like the famous minor iv in a major key, or ♭VI and ♭VII) injects instant nostalgia, emotional bittersweetness, and cinematic depth into any track.
Frequently Asked Questions About Chord Progressions
What is a chord progression?
A chord progression is a succession of two or more musical chords played in sequence. It forms the foundational harmonic bedrock for melody, bassline, and rhythm across every musical genre, creating emotional movement through patterns of tension and resolution.
What are the most famous and widely used chord progressions?
The most popular progressions include the Pop Axis progression (I–V–VI–IV, e.g., C–G–Am–F), the fundamental Jazz 2-5-1 cadence (II–V–I, e.g., Dm7–G7–Cmaj7), the 12-bar blues (I7–IV7–V7), the 50s Doo-Wop turnaround (I–VI–IV–V), and the cinematic emotional minor progression (I–VI–III–VII, e.g., Am–F–C–G).
How does Roman numeral analysis work?
Roman numerals represent the scale degree on which each chord is built (I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII), regardless of key. Chord qualities and extensions (such as maj7, 7, m9, or diminished °) describe the exact voicing. This universal harmonic framework enables musicians to transpose and analyze harmony across all 12 musical keys effortlessly.
Can I export chord progressions and songs as MIDI and WAV files for my DAW?
Yes! You can export any progression or analyzed song on this page as both a standard MIDI (.mid) file compatible with any virtual instrument (VST/AU), and a WAV (.wav) audio stem ready to drag and drop into Ableton Live, FL Studio, Logic Pro, Cubase, Studio One, GarageBand, or Reaper.
Learn the theory behind these progressions
What is a chord progression?
The harmonic foundation every songwriter needs to understand
Chord progressions for beginners
I–V–vi–IV, 12-bar blues, and the four progressions you need first
Jazz chord progressions
ii–V–I, turnarounds, bossa nova, and modal jazz explained
Build your own progression
Use the Chord Player to arrange any of these chords, change the rhythm, and export MIDI or WAV.
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