In music, a chord progression is a succession or series of chords. A musical chord, is a set of notes sounding simultaneously. Also notes played close together such as arpeggios may be considered as a single chord.
Basic chords are typcially constructed of three tones by layering two third intervals for each tone of musical scale. Adding further thirds result in more complex chords. The chords are named with respect to their base tone A,B,C,D,E,F,G. The remaining five steps of the twelve possible steps in an octave are named by adding a 'b' or "#" adressing a half step down or a half step up. For a key independent analysis of a chord progression a naming of the position of the chord on the scale is used. The roman number I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII are used. In case of minor chords small letters are used i, ii, ... . The naming with roman numbers is independent from the key of the chord progression. In general, chords may consist off an arbitrary number of tones. For atonal music and tone clusters the naming described above may not make much sense. Therefore it also makes sense to use numbers 0 to 11 for the 12 chromatic steps within an octave. For the MIDI-XT notation, I use the numbers 0 .. 9,x,t.
The intervals of the tones within a chord have a strong influence. Depending on the intervals, the chord will be perceived as consonance or dissonance sound. A chord layered from a minor third and major third will result in minor chord (037), while a chord layered from a major third and minor third will result in a major chord (047). The tension and relaxation of succeeding chords depend significantly on the intervals of the chords. For example, the tritone interval in a chord has a strong tension to relax either in a major third or a minor sixth interval.
Chord progressions very often build the foundation for a musical piece. Many songs can be accompanied already with two or three chords and pop songs very often use a characterisitc four-chord progression. In classical music a basic chord progression is called cadence. The cadence is a specific progression of two or three chords leading to a closing of a piece or part of a piece. In the course of a classical piece, a wide range of variations of cadences may occur including modulation into other keys. Further, chords may occur in wide or tight position or they may occur as inversions. The chords may be extended with additional tones. A minor seven, a six, a major seven, a forth replacing the third, etc. The added tones may be part of the current scale or a scale foreign tone. These variations open an endless field of different progressions and composers typically develope their personal style for harmonic turns. In jazz, the chords often are embellished with 7th, 9th, 13th, etc. The chords are changing fast, close connected with the melody. In polytonal and atonal music cluster chords may occur produce a harmonic sensation that do not fit in the cadence schemes.
The following text provides a compilation of a variety of chord progressions taken from the range sketched above. Each chord progression has a given title, a textual explanation and is shown in common western notation and in MIDI-XT notation. The scores are generated from the MIDI-XT notation using Vexflow, a Javascript music notation rendering tool running in the browswer. The chords sound can be played on the web page by clicking on the chord using the tonejs library. The related MIDI-XT Json files can be down loaded and then loaded into the MsyChords app. MsyChords is an app for performing chords and chord progressions. It also provides means to edit, extend and modify the chord progressions.
The perfect authentic cadence (PAC) has a V-I progression, both chords are in root position and the highest tone of V is a leading tone to the tonic root.
Base: C
Modality: Major
Score
Chord table
| 40 47 54 60 | C | 37 47 52 5t | G |
| 40 47 54 60 | C | | |
Download chord table PAC.json for using in MsyChords.
Perfect authentic cadence (PAC). Variant in narrow position.
Base: C
Modality: Major
Score
Chord table
| 40 44 47 50 | C | 37 42 4t | G |
| 40 44 47 50 | C | | |
Download chord table PAC1.json for using in MsyChords.
The third of the dominant seventh chord is a leading tone to the root of the tonic. The seventh of the dominant seventh chord leads to the third of the tonic. The dissolution of the tritone, seventh-third, in the dominant chord to the sixth, third-root, of the tonic chord forms a fundamental principle of tonal harmony.
Base: C
Modality: Major
Score
Chord table
| 40 44 47 50 | C | 37 42 45 4t | G7 |
| 40 44 47 50 | C | | |
Download chord table PAC2.json for using in MsyChords.
The imperfect authentic cadence (IAC) is a V-I progression, where the chords might not be in root position or the highest tone of V might not be a leading tone to the tonic root.
Base: C
Modality: Major
Score
Chord table
| 40 47 50 54 | C | 37 47 4t 52 | G |
| 40 47 50 54 | C | | |
Download chord table IAC.json for using in MsyChords.
The imperfect authentic cadence (IAC) is a V-I progression, where the chords might not be in root position or the highest tone of V might not be a leading tone to the tonic root.
Base: C
Modality: Major
Score
Chord table
| 40 44 47 50 | C | 3t 42 47 52 | G |
| 40 44 47 50 | C | | |
Download chord table IAC2.json for using in MsyChords.
The half cadence is an authentic cadence ending with the dominant chord (I-V).
Base: C
Modality: Major
Score
Chord table
| 40 47 54 60 | C | 37 47 52 5t | G |
Download chord table HalfC.json for using in MsyChords.
An evaded cadence moves from a dominant seventh third inversion chord to a tonic first inversion chord, because the seventh needs to fall down a half tone. This is achieved for example by moving the root tone of the dominant one step down, thereby evading the perfect authentic cadence (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadence).
Base: C
Modality: Major
Score
Chord table
| 47 52 57 5t | G | 45 52 57 5t | G7 | 44 50 57 60 | C |
Download chord table Evaded.json for using in MsyChords.
A plagal cadence is a chord progression that ends on IV-I.
Base: C
Modality: Major
Score
Chord table
| 40 47 54 60 | C | 45 49 55 60 | F |
| 40 47 54 60 | C | | |
Download chord table Plagial.json for using in MsyChords.
Base: C
Modality: Major
Score
Chord table
| 40 47 54 60 | C | 35 49 55 60 | F | 37 47 52 5t | G |
| 40 47 54 60 | C | | | | |
Download chord table Cadence-IV-V-I.json for using in MsyChords.
Base: C
Modality: Major
Score
Chord table
| 40 44 47 50 | C | 40 45 49 50 | F | 3t 42 47 4t | G |
| 40 44 47 50 | C | | | | |
Download chord table Cadence-IV-V-I_v2.json for using in MsyChords.
An authentic cadence containing another chord. I-ii-V-I
Base: C
Modality: Major
Score
Chord table
| 40 47 54 60 | C | 42 49 55 62 | Dm | 37 47 52 5t | G |
| 40 47 54 60 | C | | | | |
Download chord table Cadence-ii-V-I.json for using in MsyChords.
Base: C
Modality: Major
Score
Chord table
| 50 54 57 60 | C | 52 55 59 | Dm | 47 52 55 5t | G7 |
| 50 54 57 60 | C | | | | |
Download chord table Cadence-ii-V-I_v2.json for using in MsyChords.
Name3
Base: C
Modality: Major
Score
Chord table
| 40 49 54 57 | C6 | 42 50 55 59 | Dm7 | 42 4t 55 57 | G7 |
| 40 4t 54 57 | C7+ | 40 49 54 57 | C6 | | |
| | | | | | |
Download chord table Name3.json for using in MsyChords.
Name4
Base: C
Modality: Major
Score
Chord table
| 40 45 49 54 | Dm9 | 3t 45 49 50 | G13 | 40 44 47 4t | C69 |
| 39 44 47 50 | C6 | 40 45 49 54 | Dm9 | | |
| | | | | | |
Download chord table Name4.json for using in MsyChords.
Name5
Base: C
Modality: Major
Score
Chord table
| 40 47 4t 54 | C7+ | 39 47 50 54 | Am7 | 42 49 50 55 | Dm7 | 37 45 4t 52 | G7 |
| 44 4t 52 57 | Em7 | 39 47 51 54 | A7 | 42 49 50 55 | Dm7 | 37 45 4t 52 | G7 |
Download chord table Name5.json for using in MsyChords.
Name6
Base: C
Modality: Major
Score
Chord table
| 40 44 47 4t | C7+ | 39 44 47 50 | Am7 | 39 42 45 50 | Dm7 | 37 42 45 4t | G7 |
| 3t 44 47 52 | Em7 | 39 44 47 51 | A7 | 39 42 45 50 | Dm7 | 37 42 45 4t | G7 |
Download chord table Name6.json for using in MsyChords.
Phrygian
Base: C
Modality: Phrygian
Score
Chord table
| 40 44 47 50 | C | 41 45 4x | Db |
| 40 44 47 50 | C | | |
Download chord table Phrygian.json for using in MsyChords.
PhrygianHC
Base: C
Modality: Minor
Score
Chord table
| 50 53 57 | Cm | 4x 52 57 | Gm | 48 50 55 | Fm |
| 47 4t 52 | G | 47 50 53 | Cm | | |
| | | | | | |
Download chord table PhrygianHC.json for using in MsyChords.
Base: C
Modality: Major
Score
Chord table
| 40 47 50 | Cp | 45 50 55 | Fp | 47 52 57 | Gp |
Download chord table PowerC1.json for using in MsyChords.
Base: C
Modality: Minor
Score
Chord table
| 40 47 50 | Cp | 42 49 52 | Dp | 43 4x 53 | Ebp |
Download chord table PowerC2.json for using in MsyChords.
Base: Db
Modality: Chromatic
Score
Chord table
| 41 48 51 | Dbp | 44 4t 54 | Ep | 46 51 56 | Gbp |
| 48 53 58 | Abp | 49 54 59 | Ap | | |
| | | | | | |
Download chord table PowerC3.json for using in MsyChords.
Base: G
Modality: Chromatic
Score
Chord table
| 37 42 47 | Gp | 38 43 48 | Abp | 39 44 49 | Ap |
Download chord table PowerC4.json for using in MsyChords.
Chromatisch
Base: C
Modality: Major
Score
Chord table
| 50 54 57 | C | 52 55 59 | Dm | 51 55 59 | Dm7+ |
| 50 55 59 | Dm7 | 4t 55 59 | G7 | 4t 54 57 | C7+ |
Download chord table Chromatisch.json for using in MsyChords.
Circle
Base: C
Modality: Major
Score
Chord table
| 50 57 60 64 | C | 45 59 60 65 | F | 4t 54 5t 62 | Bm- |
| 44 57 5t 64 | Em | 49 54 59 60 | Am | 42 55 59 62 | Dm |
| 47 52 57 5t | G7 | 40 54 57 60 | C | | |
Download chord table Circle.json for using in MsyChords.
Backdoor
Base: C
Modality: Major
Score
Chord table
| 52 55 59 | Dm | 4x 52 55 58 | Bb7 |
| 50 54 57 | C | | |
Download chord table Backdoor.json for using in MsyChords.
Guitar(CFGCa)
Base: C
Modality: Major
Score
Chord table
| 40 44 47 50 54 | C | 35 40 45 49 50 55 | F | 37 3t 42 47 4t 57 | G |
| 40 44 47 50 54 | C | 39 44 49 50 54 | Am | 35 40 45 49 50 55 | F |
| 37 3t 42 47 4t 57 | G | 40 44 47 50 54 | C | | |
Download chord table Guitar(CFGCa).json for using in MsyChords.
Guitar(eaH7e)
Base: C
Modality: Minor
Score
Chord table
| 40 47 50 53 57 60 | Cm | 45 50 55 58 60 | Fm | 47 4t 55 57 62 | G7 |
| 40 47 50 53 57 60 | Cm | | | | |
Download chord table Guitar(EAH7E).json for using in MsyChords.
Guitar(GCDGe)
Base: C
Modality: Major
Score
Chord table
| 40 44 47 50 54 60 | C | 45 49 50 55 59 | F | 47 52 57 5t | G |
| 40 44 47 50 54 60 | C | 39 44 49 50 54 59 | Am | 45 49 50 55 59 | F |
| 47 52 57 5t | G | 40 44 47 50 54 60 | C | | |
Download chord table Guitar(GCDGe).json for using in MsyChords.
Guitar-Friend
Base: C
Modality: Major
Score
Chord table
| 42 49 52 55 59 62 | Dm7 | 47 4t 55 57 62 | G7 |
| 40 47 50 53 57 60 | Cm | | |
Download chord table Guitar-Friend.json for using in MsyChords.
Base: C
Modality: Major
Score
Chord table
| 40 47 54 60 | C | 45 49 55 60 | F | 37 47 52 5t | G |
| 39 44 50 59 | Am | 35 45 50 59 | F | 37 44 50 57 | C |
| 37 42 4t 57 | G | 40 44 50 57 | C | | |
Download chord table Interrupted.json for using in MsyChords.
JGuitar0h guitar
Base: C
Modality: Minor
Score
Chord table
| 50 53 57 60 | Cm7 | 4x 53 57 60 | Cm7 | 48 53 56 60 | Ab7 |
| 47 52 55 5t | G7 | | | | |
Download chord table JGuitar0h.json for using in MsyChords.
JGuitar0l guitar
Base: C
Modality: Minor
Score
Chord table
| 40 47 4x 53 | Cm7 | 3x 47 50 53 | Cm7 | 38 46 50 52 | Ab7 |
| 37 45 4t 53 | G+7 | | | | |
Download chord table JGuitar0l.json for using in MsyChords.
JGuitar1h guitar
Base: C
Modality: Major
Score
Chord table
| 50 55 59 64 | Dm9 | 4t 55 59 64 | G13 | 50 54 57 5t | C7+ |
| 49 54 57 60 | C6 | | | | |
Download chord table JGuitar1h.json for using in MsyChords.
JGuitar1l guitar
Base: C
Modality: Major
Score
Chord table
| 42 50 55 59 | Dm7 | 42 4t 55 57 | G7 | 40 4t 54 57 | C7+ |
| 40 49 54 57 | C6 | | | | |
Download chord table JGuitar1l.json for using in MsyChords.
JGuitar2h guitar
Base: C
Modality: Major
Score
Chord table
| 50 54 57 5t | C7+ | 49 54 57 60 | Am7 | 49 52 55 60 | Dm7 |
| 47 52 55 5t | G7 | 4t 54 57 62 | Em7 | 49 54 57 61 | A7 |
| 49 52 55 60 | Dm7 | 47 52 55 5t | G7 | | |
Download chord table JGuitar2h.json for using in MsyChords.
JGuitar2l guitar
Base: C
Modality: Major
Score
Chord table
| 40 47 4t 54 | C7+ | 39 47 50 54 | Am7 | 42 49 50 55 | Dm7 |
| 37 45 4t 52 | G7 | 44 4t 52 57 | Em7 | 39 47 51 54 | A7 |
| 42 49 50 55 | Dm7 | 37 45 4t 52 | G7 | | |
Download chord table JGuitar2l.json for using in MsyChords.
JGuitar3h guitar
Base: C
Modality: Minor
Score
Chord table
| 50 57 5t 64 | C7+ | 50 57 5x 63 | Cm7 | 50 55 59 63 | F7 |
| 4x 55 59 62 | Bb7+ | 4x 55 58 61 | Bbm7 | 4x 53 57 61 | Eb7 |
Download chord table JGuitar3h.json for using in MsyChords.
JGuitar3l guitar
Base: C
Modality: Minor
Score
Chord table
| 40 4t 54 57 | C7+ | 40 4x 53 57 | Cm7 | 40 49 53 55 | F7 |
| 3x 49 52 55 | Bb7+ | 3x 48 51 55 | Bbm7 | 3x 47 51 53 | Eb7 |
Download chord table JGuitar3l.json for using in MsyChords.
JGuitar4h guitar
Base: C
Modality: Minor
Score
Chord table
| 50 57 5t 64 | C7+ | 51 57 5x 64 | Db-7 | 52 59 60 65 | Dm7 |
| 53 59 60 66 | Eb-7 | 52 57 5t 64 | Em7 | 51 57 5t 64 | A9 |
| 52 59 60 65 | Dm7 | 52 57 5t 65 | G7 | | |
Download chord table JGuitar4h.json for using in MsyChords.
JGuitar4l guitar
Base: C
Modality: Minor
Score
Chord table
| 40 47 4t 54 | C7+ | 41 47 4x 54 | Db-7 | 42 49 50 55 | Dm7 |
| 43 49 50 56 | Eb-7 | 44 4t 52 57 | Em7 | 44 49 51 57 | A7 |
| 42 49 50 55 | Dm7 | 42 47 4t 55 | G7 | | |
Download chord table JGuitar4l.json for using in MsyChords.
JGuitar5l guitar
Base: C
Modality: Major
Score
Chord table
| 40 47 4t 54 | C7+ | 42 46 50 54 | D9 | 42 45 50 54 | Dm9 |
Download chord table JGuitar5l.json for using in MsyChords.
JGuitar5l3 guitar
Base: C
Modality: Major
Score
Chord table
| 40 4t 54 | C7+ | 42 50 56 | D7 | 42 50 55 | Dm7 |
| 42 4t 55 | G7 | 40 4t 54 | C7+ | | |
| | | | | | |
Download chord table JGuitar5l3.json for using in MsyChords.
JGuitar6h guitar
Base: C
Modality: Minor
Score
Chord table
| 47 50 54 5t | C7+ | 47 52 55 5x | Gm7 | 47 50 54 5x | C7 |
| 45 50 54 59 | F7+ | | | | |
Download chord table JGuitar6h.json for using in MsyChords.
JGuitar6l guitar
Base: C
Modality: Major
Score
Chord table
| 40 4t 54 57 | C7+ | 47 4x 55 59 | Fm9 | 40 4t 54 59 | C13 |
| 45 49 54 57 | F7+9 | 45 49 52 57 | F69 | | |
| | | | | | |
Download chord table JGuitar6l.json for using in MsyChords.
JGuitar7h
Base: C
Modality: Major
Score
Chord table
| 50 57 5t 64 | C7+ | 50 57 5x 64 | C7 | 50 55 59 64 | F7+ | 50 55 58 63 | Fm7 |
| 4t 54 57 62 | Em7 | 4t 54 57 61 | A7 | 49 52 55 60 | Dm7 | 49 52 55 5t | G13 |
| 47 50 54 5t | C7+ | 47 50 54 59 | C6 | | | | |
Download chord table JGuitar7h.json for using in MsyChords.
JGuitar7l
Base: C
Modality: Major
Score
Chord table
| 40 47 4t 54 | C7+ | 40 47 4x 54 | C7 | 45 50 54 59 | F7+ | 45 50 53 58 | Fm7 |
| 44 4t 52 57 | Em7 | 44 49 51 57 | A7 | 45 50 54 59 | Dm9 | 45 4t 54 59 | G13 |
| 44 4t 52 57 | C69 | 40 47 4t 54 | C7+ | | | | |
Download chord table JGuitar7l.json for using in MsyChords.
JGuitar8h
Base: C
Modality: Major
Score
Chord table
| 42 49 50 56 | D7 | 46 50 52 59 | D7 | 49 52 56 60 | D7 | 50 56 59 62 | D7 | 52 57 5t 65 | G7 |
| 4t 55 57 62 | G7 | 47 52 55 5t | G7 | 45 4t 52 57 | G7 | 43 4x 50 57 | Cm7 | 47 50 54 5x | C7 |
Download chord table JGuitar8h.json for using in MsyChords.
JGuitar8l
Base: C
Modality: Major
Score
Chord table
| 42 46 50 | D7 | 42 45 4t | G7 | 40 44 4x | C7 |
| 40 43 49 | F7 | | | | |
Download chord table JGuitar8l.json for using in MsyChords.
JGuitar9h
Base: C
Modality: Minor
Score
Chord table
| 52 58 60 65 | Dm-7 | 47 55 5t 63 | G+7 |
| 50 57 5x 63 | Cm7 | | |
Download chord table JGuitar9h.json for using in MsyChords.
JGuitar9l
Base: C
Modality: Minor
Score
Chord table
| 42 48 50 55 | Dm-7 | 37 45 4t 53 | G+7 |
| 40 47 4x 53 | Cm7 | | |
Download chord table JGuitar9l.json for using in MsyChords.
Jazz1
Base: C
Modality: Major
Score
Chord table
| 42 45 47 50 54 57 | Dm9 | 37 45 48 4t 51 57 | G79- |
| 40 47 49 4t 54 57 | C9 | | |
Download chord table Jazz1.json for using in MsyChords.
Jazz2
Base: C
Modality: Major
Score
Chord table
| 42 50 54 55 57 | Dm9 | 37 45 4t 54 57 | G13 |
| 40 4t 52 54 57 | C9 | | |
Download chord table Jazz2.json for using in MsyChords.
Lev-2-22
Base: C
Modality: Major
Score
Chord table
| 42 46 50 54 5t | D7 | 37 45 4t 54 59 | G7 | 40 44 4x 52 59 | C7 |
| 35 43 49 52 57 | F7 | | | | |
Download chord table Lev-2-22.json for using in MsyChords.
Lev-2-3
Base: Ab
Modality: Major
Score
Chord table
| 3x 48 51 55 60 | Bbm7 | 43 47 51 54 5x | Eb7 | 38 57 5x 60 63 | Ab7+ |
Download chord table Lev-2-3.json for using in MsyChords.
Prog50
Base: C
Modality: Major
Score
Chord table
| 50 54 57 | C | 49 50 54 | Am | 45 50 59 | F |
| 47 52 5t | G | 50 54 57 60 | C | | |
| | | | | | |
Download chord table Prog50.json for using in MsyChords.
Ragtime
Base: C
Modality: Major
Score
Chord table
| 50 54 57 60 | C | 54 58 5t 62 | E7 | 49 54 57 61 | A7 |
Download chord table Ragtime.json for using in MsyChords.
Rootless guitar
Base: C
Modality: Major
Score
Chord table
| 43 47 48 50 | Fm7 | 41 45 48 50 | Bbm7 | 41 43 47 50 | Eb7 |
| 40 43 47 4x | Ab7+ | 45 48 50 53 | Db7+ | 45 48 4t 53 | G13 |
| 44 47 4t 52 | C7+ | 44 47 49 52 | C6 | | |
Download chord table Rootless.json for using in MsyChords.
Some more
Base: C
Modality: Major
Score
Chord table
| 50 53 57 60 | Cm | 50 54 57 60 | C | 50 55 57 60 | C |
Download chord table Some more.json for using in MsyChords.
Turnaround1 guitar
Base: C
Modality: Minor
Score
Chord table
| 40 43 47 4x | Cm7 | 3t 42 45 48 | Bm-7- |
| 40 43 47 4x | Cm7 | | |
Download chord table Turnaround1.json for using in MsyChords.
guitar
Base: C
Modality: Minor
Score
Chord table
| 40 43 47 4x | Cm7 | 41 44 47 4x | Gm-6 |
| 40 43 47 4x | Cm7 | | |
Download chord table Turnaround2.json for using in MsyChords.
Impressum: Music Synthesis Enterprise -- Bernhard Feiten -- bernhard.feiten@msye.com -- Am Triftpark 13, 13437 Berlin, Germany