Generate chord progressions and actually hear them
Pick a key, a mode and a mood, and get a named four-chord progression with Roman numerals and note names, played back as real chords. Built from the patterns behind a huge amount of music you already know.
How to use it
From a blank loop to a progression you can build on, in four steps.
Choose your key and mode
Pick the key your track is in, then major for a brighter feel or minor for a darker one. Every chord recalculates for that key instantly.
Set the mood
Happy, sad, dramatic or dreamy filters the progressions to ones that carry that feeling. Leave it on Any to draw from the whole library.
Generate and listen
Hit New Progression for a fresh four-chord idea, named so you know the pattern, then press Play it to hear it loop. Each card shows the Roman numeral, the chord name and its notes, and lights up as it plays.
Take it into your DAW
Found one you like? Read the chord names straight off the cards and play them in. The Roman numerals are the pattern, so you can move the same shape to any key later.
Why four chords is often all you need
The most-used progression in pop is four chords on a loop. It works because of the journey it takes: away from home, to the turn, and back.
From generated progression to actual track
A progression is a starting grid, not a finish line. Three things turn it into something that sounds like yours.
Make one substitution
Loop the four chords, then change one thing: swap a major for its relative minor, hold a chord for two bars, or invert one so the bassline moves by step. Generated progressions become yours through the edits.
Voice-lead before you re-pick
The same four chords sound amateur jumped between in root position and professional when neighbouring chords share notes. If a loop sounds clunky, the fix is usually inversions, not different chords.
Give it rhythm
The same progression in whole notes versus stabbed on off-beats is two different songs. Once the harmony loops, spend your attention on where the chords land.
Ready to play them in?
A progression comes alive on a keyboard you can actually voice and invert on. My guide to the best 61-key MIDI controllers covers the boards worth owning.
See the best MIDI controllersMore free tools
The progression is the foundation. Here is the rest of the kit.
Questions, answered
How does the chord progression generator work?
It builds chords from the major or minor scale of your chosen key, then arranges them into named progressions that real music uses, filtered by the mood you pick. Press Play it and the chords loop as triads so you hear the movement, not just read it.
Are these progressions copyrighted?
No. Chord progressions are not protected by copyright, only melodies, lyrics and recordings are. The four-chord loop belongs to everyone, which is why thousands of songs share it. Use any of these freely.
What do the Roman numerals mean?
They show each chord’s role in the key, independent of the specific notes. Learn a progression as I-V-vi-IV rather than as four chord names and you can instantly play it in any key, and you will start hearing it everywhere.
Why do the chords sound simple when played?
Playback uses plain triads with a soft tone so the harmonic movement is clear. In a track you would voice them across octaves, add extensions and give them rhythm. That is the production part, and where it becomes your song.
Is it free? Do I need to sign up?
Completely free, no signup. Everything, including the audio, runs in your browser. Generate as many progressions as you like.
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