About chord progressions

A chord progression is a sequence of chords drawn from a key. Common ones like I–V–vi–IV appear in thousands of pop songs. This tool shows all 7 diatonic chords in your chosen key and lets you assemble or choose progressions to hear them.

Scale modes supported

Major, Natural Minor, Dorian, Mixolydian, Lydian, and Phrygian - all 12 root notes.

Roman numeral notation

Chords are labeled with Roman numerals relative to the scale degree. Uppercase = major chord; lowercase = minor chord; ° = diminished. In the key of C major: I = C major, ii = D minor, iii = E minor, IV = F major, V = G major, vi = A minor, vii° = B diminished. This notation is key-independent - I–V–vi–IV works in every key.

Popular chord progressions

Progression	Genre / use	Famous examples
I – V – vi – IV	Pop	Axis of Awesome "4 Chords" medley
I – IV – V – I	Blues, folk, rock	12-bar blues foundation
ii – V – I	Jazz	The fundamental jazz cadence
vi – IV – I – V	Modern pop	Starts on the minor vi chord
I – vi – IV – V	50s/60s pop (doo-wop)	"Stand By Me", "Earth Angel"
i – VII – VI – VII	Rock, minor key	Common in Aeolian/minor keys

Tension and resolution

The V chord (dominant) is built on the 5th scale degree and contains a tritone interval (between the 3rd and 7th of the dominant 7th chord). This interval creates harmonic tension that strongly wants to resolve to the I chord (tonic). This V->I motion is the engine of Western tonal music and is why chord progressions feel like they "go somewhere". The IV chord (subdominant) creates a softer tension that also resolves to I.

Diatonic chords explained

A key's diatonic chords are the seven chords built by stacking thirds on each scale degree using only notes from that scale. In any major key, the pattern is always: I (major) – ii (minor) – iii (minor) – IV (major) – V (major) – vi (minor) – vii° (diminished). This pattern is the same in every major key; only the root notes change.

Mode-specific progressions

Dorian: i – IV (the minor i with a major IV is distinctive; e.g., Am – D). The raised 6th degree makes the IV chord major, giving Dorian its characteristic "minor but bright" quality.
Mixolydian: I – VII – IV (the lowered 7th chord is the signature Mixolydian sound; common in rock and Celtic music).
Phrygian: i – II (the flat-II major chord is immediately recognizable as flamenco-influenced; e.g., Am – B♭).