R&B & Neo Soul Chord Progression Generator
Minor 9ths, major 7ths and slow, smooth movement. Generate R&B and neo soul progressions in any key, play them back and export MIDI or WAV. Free, no account.
Generate R&B ChordsWhat makes a progression sound R&B
Play C – Am – F – G as triads and it sounds like a pop song. Play Cmaj9 – Am9 – Fmaj7 – G13 and it starts sounding like R&B. Most of the genre's character is in the chord color, not in unusual progressions. The R&B/Soul preset in Chordoo leans on minor 7, minor 9 and minor 11 chords for the tonic and major 7 and major 9 chords around it.
It also defaults to minor-key movement. Most of its twelve patterns start on i and move through VI, III and VII (the minor equivalents of pop's favorite chords) or rock between i and iv. That is closer to modern R&B and trap soul than to classic Motown, which tends to sit in major keys. Switch the mode to Major if you want the brighter sound.
8 R&B and neo soul progressions
Open any row in the generator to hear it, transpose it or use it as a starting point.
| Progression | Numerals | Chords | Sound | Open |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minor 9 vamp | i9 – iv9 – i9 – iv9 | Dm9 – Gm9 – Dm9 – Gm9D minor | Two chords that could loop for a whole song. Very neo soul. | Play & export |
| Slow jam | i9 – VImaj7 – IIImaj7 – VII7 | Cm9 – Abmaj7 – Ebmaj7 – Bb7C minor | The minor-key loop under a lot of 2010s R&B. Smooth and moody. | Play & export |
| Falling minor | i7 – VII – VImaj7 – v7 | Fm7 – Eb – Dbmaj7 – Cm7F minor | Walks down step by step. Sad but warm. | Play & export |
| Neo soul climb | Imaj9 – ii9 – iii7 – ii9 | Ebmaj9 – Fm9 – Gm7 – Fm9Eb major | Up a step, up a step, back down. Sounds great on Rhodes. | Play & export |
| Late-night major | IVmaj7 – iii7 – ii7 – Imaj7 | Gbmaj7 – Fm7 – Ebm7 – Dbmaj7Db major | D♭ major is a classic R&B key. Lush and easy on the ear. | Play & export |
| Gospel lift | IVmaj7 – V/IV – iii7 – vi7 | Abmaj7 – Eb7 – Gm7 – Cm7Eb major | The E♭7 leans hard back into A♭. A church-style move. | Play & export |
| Dorian groove | i7 – IV9 – i7 – IV9 | Am7 – D9 – Am7 – D9A minor | The major IV gives it funk. Think 70s soul vamps. | Play & export |
| Trap soul | VImaj7 – VII – i7 – i7 | Bbmaj7 – C – Dm7 – Dm7D minor | R&B chords for 808-heavy beats. Leave room under 200 Hz. | Play & export |
Production tips
Tempo and feel
Slow jams sit around 60 to 75 BPM. Neo soul tends to run 75 to 95 BPM with a lazy, swung hi-hat. Trap soul often sits at 130 to 150 BPM with a half-time feel. Nudging chord hits a few milliseconds late is often what makes a loop feel laid back.
Sounds that suit these chords
Electric piano is the default: Rhodes for warmth, Wurlitzer for grit. Layer a soft pad an octave up for width. If the chords fight the vocal, thin them out: drop the fifth, keep the third, seventh and ninth.
Make room for the bass
Extended chords get muddy in the low end fast. Keep the chord voicing above roughly C3 and high-pass the keys around 150 to 200 Hz when there is an 808 or a sub bass playing the roots.
Related tools and guides
- Jazz chord progression generator for more chromatic, ii-V-I based harmony.
- Hip hop chord progression generator for R&B-leaning rap beats.
- 10 lo-fi chord progressions, many of which double as neo soul loops.
- Chord progressions by mood.
Frequently asked questions
What chords are used in R&B and neo soul?
Mostly extended chords: minor 7 and minor 9 on the tonic, major 7 and major 9 on the relative major chords, and dominant 9 or 13 chords for tension. Plain triads are rare. Many songs loop two to four of these chords for the entire track.
What key is most R&B in?
There is no single R&B key, but flat keys come up a lot: E♭, A♭ and D♭ major, and C, F and B♭ minor. They sit well for many vocalists and on keyboard they put the hands on the black keys, which suits the extended voicings.
What is the difference between R&B and neo soul chords?
Neo soul leans further into jazz. It uses more ninths and elevenths, more chromatic movement and looser rhythm. Contemporary R&B keeps similar chords but in simpler, more repetitive loops, often over trap-style drums.
How do I make R&B chords sound smooth?
Keep the voicing tight so the top notes move by a step or less, play slightly behind the beat, and use a Rhodes, Wurlitzer or soft pad. In Chordoo, try an open voicing at octave 4 and pick inversions so the chords connect.