Chord Progression Player
Select a progression, set the tempo, and hear the chords. Use keys 1-9 to trigger individual chords, or Space to loop the full progression.
How to Play: Select a progression from the dropdown, adjust BPM with the slider, then press Play or Space to loop. Keys 1-9 play each chord in the current progression.
Chord Progression Player — How to Use It
What you have: an on-screen player for common chord progressions — pick a key, tap a progression like I–V–vi–IV, and hear it played back instantly, synthesized in your browser.
Three ways to use it
- Train your ear: play the same progression in two keys back-to-back; recognizing the relationships (not the pitches) is the core skill of playing by ear.
- Write songs: loop a progression, hum over it, and note where your melody wants the chords to change — that tension map is a song skeleton.
- Learn theory painlessly: compare I–IV–V (classic folk) with ii–V–I (jazz cadence) in the same key and hear what a "cadence" actually is.
FAQ
What do the Roman numerals mean?
They name chords by their scale position: I is the home chord, V the dominant, vi the relative minor. The same numerals work in every key — that is why musicians use them.
Why is I–V–vi–IV everywhere?
It balances departure and return perfectly; thousands of hits from "Let It Be" to "Someone Like You" ride some version of it.