Free Chord Progression Ideas
Pick a key and a mode, browse popular progressions, and see guitar chord diagrams for each chord. Covers Major, Minor, Dorian, Mixolydian, and Blues in all 12 keys. Diagrams load instantly from the WriteHook chord library.
Try it
All chords in C Major
Example progressions
When to use this
- When starting a new song and you want something to write over immediately
- When you're stuck on a progression and want fresh ideas in the same key
- When you want to explore how the same key sounds in different modes (major vs minor vs dorian)
- When you're learning theory and want to see how scale degrees become actual chords in a real key
Understanding modes and progressions
A chord progression is a sequence of chords that repeats as the harmonic backbone of a section. Most popular songs use 3–4 chords cycling through the verse and chorus. The emotional weight of those chords comes from the relationship between them, not just the individual sounds.
Major and minor are the two most familiar flavors. Major progressions tend to feel bright, confident, or happy. Minor progressions feel darker, more introspective, or emotionally intense. The same melody can feel completely different depending on which one you're playing it over — try "I–V–vi–IV" in C major, then "i–VII–VI–VII" in A minor, and you'll immediately hear the difference.
Dorian is a minor mode with one key difference: the IV chord is major instead of minor. That raised 6th degree gives Dorian a specific quality that sits between natural minor and major — darker than major but with a lift that pure minor doesn't have. A lot of R&B, funk, and 70s rock lives in Dorian. The "i–IV vamp" is its defining pattern.
Mixolydian sounds major but with a flattened 7th — the VII chord is major instead of diminished. This gives it a characteristic looseness or swagger that straight major doesn't have. Classic rock and blues-rock use it constantly. Compare "I–V–IV" in C major (C G F) with "I–VII–IV" in C Mixolydian (C Bb F) and you'll hear exactly what that flat-7 does.
The Roman numerals (I, IV, V, i, vi, etc.) describe each chord's position in the scale, not the specific chord name. Upper case (I, IV, V) means major. Lower case (i, iv, v) means minor. This notation lets the same progression name apply in any key — "I–V–vi–IV" is always the Pop Anthem pattern, whether you're in C, G, or F#. The tool shows you the Roman numerals and the actual chord names side by side.
Common questions
What is a chord progression?
A chord progression is a sequence of chords played one after another, repeating as the harmonic foundation of a song section. Most songs use 3–4 chords in a loop for the verse, and a different 3–4 chords for the chorus.
What is the I–V–vi–IV progression?
I–V–vi–IV is the most common progression in pop music. In C major: C G Am F. The I chord is home base, V creates tension, vi adds emotional depth (it's the relative minor), and IV releases back toward movement.
What is the difference between major and minor progressions?
Major progressions use chords from the major scale and often feel bright, confident, or happy. Minor progressions use chords from the natural minor scale and feel darker or more melancholic. The same chord sequence with one chord changed from major to minor can shift the entire emotional character of a song.
What is a Dorian progression?
Dorian is a minor mode with a raised 6th degree, giving it a brighter quality than natural minor. Its defining harmonic feature is the major IV chord (which is minor in natural minor). The i–IV vamp is the classic Dorian sound.
What is Mixolydian?
Mixolydian is a major mode with a flattened 7th degree. It sounds major but with a specific looseness — the VII chord is major rather than diminished, which gives it that blues-rock swagger. I–VII–IV (e.g. G F C in G Mixolydian) is its signature sound.
How do I use these progressions in my songs?
Pick a key and mode that feels right, choose a progression, and play it. You don't need to understand the theory to use it — trust your ear. Progressions are starting points, not rules. Change one chord at a time to personalize, and use the strum pattern and transpose tools to develop the idea further.
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