Chord Player + Chord Progression Generator

How the chord progression generator works

The generator gives you a starting progression in any key, then hands it straight to the chord player so you hear it right away. From there, every chord is editable.

Inputs

Key. Any of the 12 roots. Changing the key transposes every chord in the progression, including ones you typed yourself.
Style and mood. Choose a preset from the Progression menu. The four major presets (Pop, Soul, Jazz turnaround, Indie) sound bright or warm; the two minor presets (Minor descent, Minor loop) sound darker and more tense. Press Generate to jump to a random different one.
Length. Start with four chords and add up to 16. Each chord can last 1 to 8 beats, so four chords at 4 beats is a 4-bar loop, eight chords is 8 bars, and twelve is a full 12-bar form.
Complexity. Pop, Indie, and the minor presets are mostly plain triads. Soul and Jazz turnaround use 7th chords. You can add extensions to any chord by typing them: change C to Cmaj9 or G to G13.

Outputs

the progression as chord names, with the notes of each chord listed under it
playback as block chords or arpeggios, looped or once through
a keyboard view that lights up the notes of the chord that is playing

The chord player shows chords on a piano keyboard. For guitar shapes, look any chord up in the chord library.

Common progression templates included

Roman numerals describe a progression without tying it to a key. I is the chord built on the first note of the key, V on the fifth, and so on. Uppercase means major, lowercase means minor. That is why one template works in all 12 keys.

Progression templates, shown in C major (or C minor for minor templates)
Template	Numerals	In C	Where you hear it
Pop	I–V–vi–IV	C · G · Am · F	The most common progression in modern pop, rock, and worship music. Loads as the "Pop" preset.
Jazz ii–V–I	ii7–V7–Imaj7–VI7	Dm7 · G7 · Cmaj7 · A7	The core move of jazz standards. The "Jazz turnaround" preset adds VI7 to lead back to the start.
Ballad	vi–IV–I–V	Am · F · C · G	The pop progression started on the minor chord, which makes it sound more emotional. Build it from the Pop preset (see below).
Soul	Imaj7–vi7–ii7–V7	Cmaj7 · Am7 · Dm7 · G7	A smooth loop for R&B, neo-soul, and lo-fi.
Minor descent	i–VII–VI–V7	Cm · Bb · Ab · G7	A falling bass line heard in flamenco, rock, and film music.
Minor loop	i–VI–III–VII	Cm · Ab · Eb · Bb	A driving minor loop common in rock, EDM, and cinematic tracks.

How to change a template

Reorder chords with the arrow buttons under each chord. For the ballad version, load Pop and move Am to the front, then F to second place.
Swap a chord by typing a new name into its box. Try F to Fm in the Pop loop for a bittersweet change.
Change the rhythm by giving chords different lengths, like 2 beats of G and 2 of F in the last bar.
Add or remove chords with Add chord and the trash icon.

Our guitar strumming patterns guide shows rhythms you can use to play these progressions on guitar.

Using the chord player for practice and songwriting

Practice chord changes in time

Loop a progression at a slow tempo, 60 to 70 BPM, and change chords on your guitar with the playback. When the changes are clean four times in a row, raise the tempo by 5 BPM. Our metronome practice guide for chord changes explains the routine.

Test melodies over a progression

Set the progression to loop and hum, sing, or play a melody over it. Switch to Arpeggio if block chords feel too heavy to hear the melody against. Each chord's notes are listed on its card, so you can see which melody notes fit.

Build backing tracks for vocal range practice

Find your range with the vocal range finder, choose a key that sits in the middle of it, and loop a simple progression like Pop at a relaxed tempo. Sing scales or a melody over it. Change the key one step at a time to work gently toward the edges of your range.

Save the progressions you like as you go. Name them after the song idea ("Verse idea, slow") so you can find them again next session.

Chord player and progression generator FAQs

Can I save or export progressions?

You can save up to 30 named progressions in this browser, with their key, chords, chord lengths, and tempo. Saved progressions stay on this device and are never uploaded, so they will not appear on another phone or computer. There is no file export yet. To share one, copy the chord names from the saved list into a message or chord sheet.

Does this work in different genres?

Yes. The presets cover pop, soul, jazz, indie, and two minor-key loops that suit rock, folk, and cinematic music. Because every chord box accepts any chord symbol, you can also build blues (C7 F7 G7), gospel (with 9ths and 13ths), or metal progressions (power chords like E5) by typing them in.

Can I set a tempo or time signature?

Tempo, yes: anything from 40 to 220 BPM. There is no time signature setting, but each chord can last 1 to 8 beats, which covers most needs. Give every chord 3 beats for a 3/4 waltz feel, or 6 beats for two bars of 3/4. The total beats and loop length show next to the play button.

Which chord symbols does the chord player understand?

Standard names such as C, Cm, C7, Cmaj7, Cm7, Csus4, Cadd9, Cdim, Caug, C6, C9, C13, and slash chords like C/E or G/B. If a chord card says "Unrecognized chord", check the spelling: use b for flat (Bb) and # for sharp (F#).