Chord progressions · Printable chart
Chord progression chart
A chord progression chart lists the chords that belong to each key: in every major key the seven diatonic triads follow the pattern major, minor, minor, major, major, minor, diminished, so a Roman-numeral progression like I–V–vi–IV converts to real chords by reading your key's row.
Diatonic chords in every major key
Diatonic chords in every minor key
The named progressions, with real chords in C
The patterns musicians actually reach for. Roman numerals are the portable form; the chords shown are the C rendering — every name links to a full page where you can hear the pattern and move it to any of the 18 keys.
| Progression | Degrees | In C |
|---|---|---|
| The Axis | I – V – vi – IV | C – G – Am – F |
| The Doo-Wop changes | I – vi – IV – V | C – Am – F – G |
| The three-chord skeleton | I – IV – V | C – F – G |
| The rock-and-roll vamp | I – IV – V – IV | C – F – G – F |
| The "Heart and Soul" loop | I – vi – ii – V | C – Am – Dm – G |
| The ii–V–I | ii – V – I | Dm – G – C |
| Pachelbel's progression | I – V – vi – iii – IV – I – IV – V | C – G – Am – Em – F – C – F – G |
| the 12-bar blues | I – IV – I – V – IV – I | C – F – C – G – F – C |
| the Andalusian cadence | i – ♭VII – ♭VI – V | Cm – B♭ – A♭ – G |
| an authentic cadence | V – I | G – C |
| a plagal "Amen" cadence | IV – I | F – C |
| a deceptive cadence | V – vi | G – Am |
Frequently asked
How do I read a chord progression chart?
Find your key in the left column, then read across: the columns are the scale degrees (I through vii° in major), and each cell is the chord built on that degree. A progression written in Roman numerals — I–V–vi–IV, say — converts to real chords by picking its columns from your key’s row.
Why are some chords in the chart minor or diminished?
Building a triad on each note of a scale, using only that scale’s notes, produces a fixed quality pattern. In every major key the pattern is major, minor, minor, major, major, minor, diminished — which is why the chart’s columns keep the same quality all the way down.
How many chord progressions are there?
Combinatorially there are thousands, but working musicians lean on a small named set: the I–V–vi–IV axis, the ii–V–I, the 12-bar blues, the doo-wop I–vi–IV–V, and a handful of cadences. The named-progressions table lists these with real chords in C; each links to a full reference with audio in every key.
Can I print this chart?
Yes — the print button hides everything except the chart tables and fits them to the sheet. In the print dialog, choosing "Save as PDF" produces the chart as a PDF file. Nothing is collected and no account is needed.
Build your own progression
Pick a key, follow the weighted map of what usually comes next, and hear it. Open the generator →