The mood of a progression comes mostly from three things: whether it sits in major or minor, which chords it borrows from outside the key, and how much tension it leaves unresolved. Below are 32 progressions sorted into eight moods, with a short note on what produces each feeling. Every row opens in the generator with the chords loaded, so you can hear it, change the key and export MIDI.
Quick reference
| Mood | What creates it | Start with |
|---|---|---|
| Sad | Start on vi or use the minor iv | vi – IV – I – V |
| Dark | Minor key plus ♭II or a major V | i – ♭II – i – v |
| Happy | Major chords, frequent V to I | I – V – vi – IV |
| Chill | 7th and 9th chords, little tension | Imaj7 – IVmaj7 |
| Dreamy | Lydian II chord, stepwise motion | Imaj7 – II7 – IVmaj7 – iv |
| Epic | ♭VI and ♭VII resolving to major I | ♭VI – ♭VII – I |
| Nostalgic | Major and minor in the same loop | IVmaj7 – V7 – iii7 – vi |
| Tense | Half steps, tritones, chromatic lines | i – i(maj7) – i7 – i6 |
Sad chord progressions
Sad progressions start on a minor chord or lean on one. The quickest trick in a major key is the minor iv: F to Fm in C. The note A drops to A♭, and that half-step fall reads as sadness to most listeners.
| Progression | Numerals | Chords | Sound | Open |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minor-first pop | vi – IV – I – V | Am – F – C – GC major | The standard sad pop loop. Hopeful chords, sad starting point. | Play & export |
| Minor iv | IV – iv – I – I | F – Fm – C – CC major | Major turns minor for a bar, then resolves. Heartbreak in four chords. | Play & export |
| Harmonic minor | i – iv – VI – V | Am – Dm – F – EA minor | The E major pulls hard back to Am. Sad and a little dramatic. | Play & export |
| Andalusian | i – VII – VI – V | Am – G – F – EA minor | Steps down to the V. Hit the Road Jack and a lot of flamenco use it. | Play & export |
Dark chord progressions
Dark progressions stay in minor and add notes from outside the key. The ♭II chord, a half step above the root, comes from the Phrygian mode and is the fastest way to sound sinister. A major V in a minor key adds menace because of the raised leading tone.
| Progression | Numerals | Chords | Sound | Open |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phrygian | i – ♭II – i – v | Cm – Db – Cm – GmC minor | The half step up to D♭ is the dark-trap and horror-score sound. | Play & export |
| Minor descent | i – ♭VI – ♭III – ♭VII | Fm – Db – Ab – EbF minor | Heavy and cinematic. Popular in melodic dubstep and dark pop. | Play & export |
| Harmonic minor V | i – iv – i – V | Em – Am – Em – BE minor | The B major chord sounds threatening against E minor. | Play & export |
| Minor with ♭VI | i – ♭VI – iv – V | Cm – Ab – Fm – GC minor | Builds to a major V, then drops back into the dark. Good for drill. | Play & export |
Happy chord progressions
Happy progressions use major chords, move to the IV and V a lot, and resolve to I often. Fast harmonic rhythm (one chord per bar or quicker) and higher keys make them sound brighter.
| Progression | Numerals | Chords | Sound | Open |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pop axis | I – V – vi – IV | G – D – Em – CG major | Upbeat and familiar. Feels confident because it starts on home. | Play & export |
| Climb to V | I – ii – IV – V | D – Em – G – AD major | Rises steadily and lands on V, so it sounds like it is going somewhere. | Play & export |
| Three-chord | I – IV – I – V | C – F – C – GC major | As plain and cheerful as it gets. Country, folk, kids' songs. | Play & export |
| Mixolydian lift | I – ♭VII – IV – I | A – G – D – AA major | Major with a borrowed ♭VII. Sunny with a bit of swagger. | Play & export |
Chill chord progressions
Chill progressions use seventh and ninth chords, change slowly, and avoid strong V-to-I pulls. With less tension to resolve, the loop can go on without ever feeling unfinished.
| Progression | Numerals | Chords | Sound | Open |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Major 7 vamp | Imaj7 – IVmaj7 – Imaj7 – IVmaj7 | Cmaj7 – Fmaj7 – Cmaj7 – Fmaj7C major | Two chords, no tension. Lo-fi and bossa nova territory. | Play & export |
| Soft ii-V | ii7 – V7 – Imaj7 – vi7 | Dm7 – G7 – Cmaj7 – Am7C major | A gentle jazz cadence. Swap G7 for G9 to soften it further. | Play & export |
| Dorian groove | i7 – IV9 – i7 – IV9 | Am7 – D9 – Am7 – D9A minor | The vamp behind Oye Como Va. Minor but relaxed. | Play & export |
| Minor 9 float | i9 – VImaj7 – i9 – VImaj7 | Dm9 – Bbmaj7 – Dm9 – Bbmaj7D minor | Warm and hazy. Works for deep house and study beats. | Play & export |
Dreamy and romantic chord progressions
Dreamy progressions borrow from the Lydian mode or move chords by step instead of by fifth. The major II chord (D in the key of C) is a common example: it adds a raised fourth that sounds floating rather than settled.
| Progression | Numerals | Chords | Sound | Open |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lydian II | Imaj7 – II7 – IVmaj7 – iv | Cmaj7 – D7 – Fmaj7 – FmC major | The D7 floats, the Fm sighs. Common in film and dream pop. | Play & export |
| Step down | IVmaj7 – iii7 – ii7 – Imaj7 | Fmaj7 – Em7 – Dm7 – Cmaj7C major | Walks gently down to home. Romantic without being cheesy. | Play & export |
| Major to Lydian | I – II – IV – I | C – D – F – CC major | Bright and wide-eyed. Indie and shoegaze use it a lot. | Play & export |
| Ninth ballad | Imaj9 – vi9 – IVmaj9 – V | Ebmaj9 – Cm9 – Abmaj9 – BbEb major | Lush slow-dance harmony. Leave the last chord plain to keep it clear. | Play & export |
Epic and uplifting chord progressions
Epic progressions borrow ♭VI and ♭VII from the parallel minor and resolve them to a major I. The rise from ♭VI to ♭VII to I is so tied to triumph that it is nicknamed the Mario cadence, after the Super Mario Bros. level-clear jingle.
| Progression | Numerals | Chords | Sound | Open |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mario cadence | ♭VI – ♭VII – I – I | Ab – Bb – C – CC major | The victory move. Put it right before a drop or final chorus. | Play & export |
| Cinematic minor | i – ♭VI – ♭III – ♭VII | Am – F – C – GA minor | Big, emotional, a bit heroic. Trailer music relies on it. | Play & export |
| Heroic major | I – ♭VII – ♭VI – ♭VII | C – Bb – Ab – BbC major | Major key with borrowed chords. Sounds like a film theme. | Play & export |
| Build | IV – V – vi – vi | F – G – Am – AmC major | Climbs and holds on the minor. Classic festival breakdown. | Play & export |
Nostalgic and bittersweet chord progressions
Bittersweet progressions mix major and minor in the same loop, so the listener hears happy and sad at once. Starting on IV instead of I helps, because the progression never quite sounds settled.
| Progression | Numerals | Chords | Sound | Open |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Road | IVmaj7 – V7 – iii7 – vi | Fmaj7 – G7 – Em7 – AmC major | Known as the Royal Road progression in J-pop and anime. Wistful. | Play & export |
| Major-minor | I – iii – IV – iv | C – Em – F – FmC major | Ends on the minor iv, so each repeat feels like a memory fading. | Play & export |
| Lift-off | IV – I – V – vi | F – C – G – AmC major | Hopeful start, minor ending. Good for choruses about the past. | Play & export |
| 50s ballad | I – vi – IV – V | C – Am – F – GC major | Doo-wop nostalgia. Slow it down and use a 6/8 feel. | Play & export |
Tense and mysterious chord progressions
Tension comes from intervals that do not resolve: half steps, tritones and chromatic lines. A line cliché, where one voice moves by half steps under a held chord, creates suspense without changing the harmony much.
| Progression | Numerals | Chords | Sound | Open |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minor line cliché | i – i(maj7) – i7 – i6 | Am – AmMaj7 – Am7 – Am6A minor | One note slides down by half steps. The spy-movie sound. | Play & export |
| Tritone swing | i – ♯iv – i – ♯iv | Cm – F#m – Cm – F#mC minor | Roots a tritone apart. Unsettling and hard to predict. | Play & export |
| Half-step pulse | i – ♭II – i – ♭II | Em – F – Em – FE minor | Two chords a half step apart. Simple and creepy. | Play & export |
| Unresolved V | i – ♭VI – V – V | Dm – Bb – A – AD minor | Ends on V and stays there, so the tension never releases. | Play & export |
Changing the mood without changing the chords
- Tempo. The same vi – IV – I – V reads as sad at 70 BPM and as euphoric at 128.
- Register. Voiced around C3 it sounds heavy; around C5 it sounds light. Use the octave setting in the voicing menu.
- Voicing. Close triads sound direct. Open voicings and added 9ths sound wider and softer.
- Rhythm. Long held chords feel calm. Short stabs on off-beats feel tense or energetic.
- Sound. Felt piano and pads soften anything. Detuned saws and distorted keys make it harsher.
Frequently asked questions
What is the saddest chord progression?
There is no single answer, but vi – IV – I – V (Am – F – C – G in C) and any progression with a minor iv chord (F to Fm in C) are the usual picks. Slow tempo, low register and sparse voicing make either one sadder.
What chord progression sounds dark?
A minor key with a ♭II chord, such as Cm – D♭ – Cm – Gm. The half-step relationship between the root and ♭II comes from the Phrygian mode and is widely used in horror scores and dark trap.
What makes a chord progression sound happy?
Major chords, a clear pull from V back to I, and a fairly quick rate of chord changes. I – IV – V and I – V – vi – IV in a bright key like G or D are reliable starting points.
Does the key change the mood?
Major versus minor matters a lot. The specific key matters less in equal temperament, but it changes the register: the same progression sounds darker lower down and brighter higher up, and it changes how comfortable a vocal sits.
Have your own chords?
Type them into the chord to MIDI converter to hear them and download a MIDI file. For genre-specific ideas, see the hip hop, lo-fi and EDM guides.