Build a chord progression and hear it play
Pick a key and scale, then click the diatonic chords to build a progression. Add an instrument, a strum or arpeggio pattern, a drum groove and a key-locked melody, loop it at any tempo, load a preset, and export to MIDI — all free, right in your browser.
Progressions move between these three pulls. New here? What is a chord progression? · The four chords of pop
Your progression
Preset progressions
Each preset loads in its own scale — shown on the chip — so the chords come out right. Picking it switches the Scale / mode for you.
C
C · E · GShows the playing chord while looping, otherwise the last chord you previewed.
Pick a key & scale
Choose any of the 12 keys and a scale — major, natural minor, or a mode like Dorian or Mixolydian. The seven diatonic chords appear as a palette, labelled with both roman numerals and chord names.
Build, voice & play
Click chords to build your progression, then pick an instrument, a strum/arpeggio pattern and a drum groove. Sketch a melody on the solo lane — it's locked to the key, so it always fits. Hit play and the whole thing loops at your tempo.
Export to MIDI
Happy with it? Download a MIDI file and drop it straight into your DAW, or copy the chord names as text. The progression you hear is exactly what you export.
Start from a classic, or learn as you go.
Not sure where to begin? Load a preset — the I–V–vi–IV pop axis, the ii–V–I jazz cadence, a 12-bar blues, or the Andalusian cadence — and it drops straight into your current key. Tweak it from there.
Every chord is labelled with its roman numeral, tinted by its harmonic function — tonic (home), subdominant (movement) and dominant (tension). The next-chord hints point you toward moves that resolve naturally, which makes this a genuinely useful way to learn how progressions are built.
New to this? Read what a chord progression actually is or the four chords behind most pop songs.
Chord progression generator FAQ
What is a chord progression generator?
It's an interactive tool that shows you the chords that belong to a key, lets you arrange them into a progression, plays the whole thing back in a loop, and exports the result as a MIDI file. It's a fast way to sketch song ideas or learn how chords fit together in a key.
Is the chord progression generator free?
Yes — it's completely free with no signup and no account. Everything runs in your browser: building, playback and export all happen on your device, so your ideas never leave the page.
Can I export my progression to MIDI?
Yes. Click Download .mid to save a standard MIDI file of your progression at the tempo you set. If you've sketched a melody on the solo lane, it's written as a second track, so chords and melody land on separate channels in your DAW — Ableton, Logic, FL Studio, GarageBand. You can also copy the chord names as text.
Can I add a melody or drums?
Yes. The solo/melody lane lets you click notes over the chords — the grid is locked to the key you're in, so whatever you place stays diatonic and fits the progression. You can also choose an instrument (electric piano, guitar or pad), an accompaniment rhythm (block, arpeggio, strum, pulse or ballad) and a drum groove (rock, pop or hip-hop) so the loop sounds like a real arrangement, not just block chords.
What keys and scales does it support?
All 12 keys, plus major, natural minor and the common modes — Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian and Mixolydian. You can toggle between plain triads and diatonic 7th chords, transpose the whole progression up or down, and load presets like I–V–vi–IV, ii–V–I, the 12-bar blues and the Andalusian cadence.
Do I need an account or any software?
No account and nothing to install. It works in any modern browser with the Web Audio API, including on mobile. When you want the chords for a real recording instead of building one from scratch, ChordSonic can detect the full progression, key and tempo straight from an uploaded MP3 or WAV.
Want the chords from a real song?
Upload an MP3 or WAV and ChordSonic detects the full progression automatically — key, tempo, and every chord change on a timeline.
Analyze a track