A chord progression generator that thinks in Roman numerals
This chord progression generator writes chord sequences for songs, jams and practice. Choose a key, a mode and a style — pop, rock, folk, 12-bar blues, jazz, soul or an Indian film (filmi) feel — and it builds a progression from the way chords actually move in that style. Every chord is shown with its Roman numeral, its job in the key (tonic, pre-dominant, dominant or borrowed) and a guitar, ukulele or piano shape.
Like a chord or two? Lock them and press Generate again: the tool keeps your locked chords and writes new ones around them that still lead into each other. Press Play to hear the loop at your tempo, then download a MIDI file for your DAW or send the progression to the chord sheet maker to add lyrics. It is free, runs in your browser and needs no sign-up.
How to use the Chord Progression Generator
- Choose the Key, Mode and Style, and how many Chords you want (4, 6 or 8; the blues is always 12 bars).
- Press Generate (or the G key). Tap any chord to hear it, or pick a different chord from the list under it.
- Press the lock on the chords you want to keep and generate again until the rest fits.
- Set Tempo, Beats per chord and Rhythm, then press Play; untick Loop to play it once.
- Press Download MIDI, Open in chord sheet maker or Copy chords.
Chord Progression Generator features
Built from harmony, not a list
Each style has a table of which chord tends to follow which (for example ii → V → I in jazz, I → ♭VII → IV in rock). The generator walks that table with a seeded random choice, closes the loop back to the first chord and avoids three identical chords in a row.
Lock and regenerate
Locked chords never move; the chords next to them are chosen so they can still lead into the locked chord.
Six modes
Major and natural minor, plus Dorian, Mixolydian, Phrygian and Lydian, each with its characteristic chord — IV in Dorian, ♭VII in Mixolydian, ♭II in Phrygian, II in Lydian.
Correct spelling
Chords are spelled from the key: B♭ in F major, F♯ in D major, G♭ (not F♯) in D♭ major.
Playback and MIDI
Web Audio playback with one strum per chord, a strum on every beat or an arpeggio; the MIDI file contains exactly what you hear.
Shapes for three instruments
Generated guitar and ukulele diagrams, or a piano keyboard with the chord tones marked.
Reading the Roman numerals
Roman numerals name chords by their position in the key, so a progression works in any key. Upper case is a major chord, lower case a minor chord, ° diminished and ø7 half-diminished. In C major, I–V–vi–IV is C–G–Am–F; move to G major and the same numerals give G–D–Em–C. A flat sign marks a chord borrowed from outside the scale: ♭VII in C major is B♭, taken from C minor, and it gives rock and folk songs their open, “Mixolydian” sound. You can see every key’s chords on the circle of fifths.
| Style | Typical moves the generator uses | Example in C / A minor |
|---|---|---|
| Pop | I–V–vi–IV loops, vi–IV–I–V, occasional borrowed iv | C G Am F |
| Rock | I–♭VII–IV, ♭VI–♭VII–I, power-chord friendly triads | C B♭ F C |
| Folk / country | I–IV–V with a closing V–I cadence | C F G C |
| 12-bar blues | Dominant 7ths on I, IV and V; quick change and turnaround forms | C7 F7 C7 C7 … |
| Jazz | ii–V–I with sevenths, secondary dominants (VI7 → ii), tritone substitute ♭II7 | Dm7 G7 Cmaj7 |
| Soul / R&B | Major and minor ninths, IV–iii–vi–ii motion, minor-key i–IV | Fmaj9 Em9 Am9 Dm9 |
| Filmi | Tonic-centred minor: i–♭VII–♭VI–♭VII, i–iv–v | Am G F G |
About the filmi and modal styles
The filmi style is a theory-based approximation, not a copy of any song. Melody leads in Indian film music and the harmony often stays close to the tonic, so the table favours slow changes between i, ♭VII, ♭VI, iv and a minor v, taken from the natural minor scale (the notes of Asavari thaat). Choose Dorian, Mixolydian or Phrygian for the colours of Kafi, Khamaj and Bhairavi thaats; the scale finder lists all ten thaats. In the modal modes the tonic stays in focus and the characteristic chord appears often, which is how modal vamps are usually built.
Limits worth knowing
- The generator suggests harmony; it does not write melodies, bass lines or rhythms beyond the three playback patterns.
- Styles are generalisations. Real songs break these rules all the time — use the lists under each chord to make your own choices.
- Piano voicings are simple root-position chords with the root in the bass; guitar and ukulele shapes are the easiest generated voicing, not the only one — the guitar chord chart shows more.
- Chord progressions themselves are not owned by anyone, but melodies and lyrics are: write your own on top.
Chord Progression Generator FAQ
How does the chord progression generator choose chords?
It starts on a chord that usually opens the style, then repeatedly picks a next chord from a weighted list of common moves for that style and mode. The last chord must lead back to the first (or, in folk, be the tonic), and your locked chords are kept in place.
Can I export the progression as MIDI?
Yes. Download MIDI writes a standard format-0 MIDI file at your tempo with the same voicing and rhythm you hear, ready for GarageBand, FL Studio, Ableton, Logic or any notation program.
Is this a chord progression generator for guitar?
Yes. Each chord shows a generated guitar diagram (or ukulele, or piano), and playback uses the guitar voicing, so you can strum along straight away.
What do the lock buttons do?
A locked chord stays exactly as it is when you press Generate. Use it to keep a chord you like, or to force a progression to start or end on a particular chord.
Why do some chords have a ♭ in the Roman numeral?
They are borrowed from the parallel minor or another mode — for example ♭VII and ♭VI in a major key. They add colour and are very common in rock, film and pop music.
Is the chord progression generator free?
Yes, it is free and has no limits. Everything, including the MIDI file, is made in your browser.