What is Chord Progression Generator?

Chord Progression Generator builds chord sequences in any key and scale. Hear your progression played back, see the Roman numeral analysis, adjust tempo and volume, and copy the chords for your songwriting sessions.

Pick a tonic from the 12 chromatic keys, choose Major, Minor, Dorian, or Mixolydian, and the diatonic chords appear as clickable buttons with their Roman numeral function. Set a length (2 to 8 chords) and a genre Style, then hit Generate for a ready-made pattern, or stack your own from the palette. Flip on 7th chords for a jazzier maj7/m7 palette. Playback uses simple oscillator tones so you can hear the colour without loading a DAW.

How to use

1. Select a musical key and scale (major, minor, dorian, etc.) to set the harmonic context.
2. Generate a progression or pick chords from the scale.
3. Play back the progression, adjust the tempo, and copy the chord names for your project.

When to use

• Sketching a verse-chorus harmony before recording in your DAW.
• Studying how Dorian or Mixolydian modes change the same I–IV–V feel.
• Teaching beginners which chords belong to a key without sheet music.

Result

A songwriter selects C major, generates a I–V–vi–IV progression (C–G–Am–F), plays it back at 100 BPM with piano sound, and copies the chord names into their DAW session notes.

FAQ

What's the difference between major and Mixolydian if both have a flat-seven feel?

Major has a leading-tone seventh that pulls back to the tonic, giving classic resolution. Mixolydian replaces it with a flat-seven, so the V chord becomes minor and you get the open, unresolved sound of folk and rock progressions like I-bVII-IV.

Why is the vii chord in major shown with a small circle?

The circle marks it as a diminished chord — built from two stacked minor thirds, it sounds unstable on its own. In pop and folk you'll rarely sit on it; in jazz it often functions as a substitute for a dominant seven chord.

Can I export the progression as MIDI?

Yes. The Download MIDI button writes a standard .mid file using the chord voicings you just heard, ready to drag into Ableton, Logic, FL Studio, or any DAW that opens MIDI. The tempo and chord rhythm match the playback, so the file lines up with the bar count you've built.

Why does the same generate button give different results each click?

Each click pulls a fresh pattern at whatever length you set (2 to 8 chords) and biases it toward the Style you picked — Pop leans on I-V-vi-IV, Jazz on ii-V-I, Blues on I-IV-V. Generating again is a quick way to audition options before settling on one.

Does this work as a music theory teaching tool?

Yes — the Roman numeral display next to each chord makes the function explicit, so students can see why a I-IV-V in C sounds the same shape as a I-IV-V in G. Add and remove chords to demonstrate how substitutions change the feel.

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