Nearly every song you know is built on a chord progression. The most common chord progressions are short loops, three or four chords, that repeat under a melody: play them and a song starts to take shape almost on its own. This is the reference for piano chord progressions, from the four-chord pop loop to the jazz ii–V–I, each one written in Roman numerals so it moves cleanly to any key, and each one playable on the keyboard above.
The common progressions
Four patterns cover most of popular music. Open any one to hear it, read how it works, and play it in every key.
New to progressions? Start in order
There is a sensible order to learn these in, the way a teacher would hand them to you one at a time.
All 23 patterns, by family
The complete set, grouped by family. Every name opens a full page with an interactive player.
Foundations & notation
Cadences
Standard & genre
Devices & techniques
Modal
Transposing
Frequently asked
What is a chord progression?
A chord progression is a sequence of chords played in a set order. It is the harmonic backbone of a piece: the chords move away from the home chord to build tension, then resolve back to it, and that motion is what gives music its sense of direction.
What is the most common chord progression?
The most common chord progression in popular music is I–V–vi–IV, the four-chord pattern heard in hundreds of songs. In the key of C that is C, G, A minor, F. Because it is written in Roman numerals you can move it to any key.
Why write chord progressions in Roman numerals?
Roman numerals name each chord by its scale degree rather than its letter, so one pattern describes the same progression in all 18 keys. Learn I–V–vi–IV once and you can play it in C, in E, or in Cb without relearning it; the player on this page transposes it for you.
How do I practice chord progressions on piano?
Start with one common progression, play it slowly as block chords in the right hand, then let the shared notes stay put while the other voices step to the nearest note (voice leading). Change the key on the player to hear the same pattern move, and follow the learning-order roadmap for a sequence a teacher would give you.