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Progressions, Voicings and Styles

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The Chords Explorer and the Scales Explorer share one list of progressions and the same three voicings, and the Chords Explorer adds nine styles. Here is everything they can play.

Progressions

20 progressions, or 61 counting the versions that start on another chord. In the list those versions are indented under each progression: Pop starting on V plays V – vi – IV – I.

Every progression plays exactly as its numerals say, in the key you picked, so it can use chords from outside the selected scale: I – ♭VII – IV in C plays C – B♭ – F. Upper-case numerals are major chords, lower case minor and ° diminished. Progressions that start on a minor i count their steps in the minor scale, so in C, the VI of Minor Pop is A♭.

Progression

Numerals

In C

Also starts on

Pop

I – V – vi – IV

C – G – Am – F

V, IV

Pop/Rock Inv.

vi – IV – I – V

Am – F – C – G

—

Energetic Pop

I – IV – vi – V

C – F – Am – G

IV, vi, V

Minor Pop

i – VI – III – VII

Cm – A♭ – E♭ – B♭

VI, III, VII

Doo-Wop

I – vi – IV – V

C – Am – F – G

vi, V

Rock · Blues

I – IV – V

C – F – G

IV, V

Mixolydian Rock

I – ♭VII – IV

C – B♭ – F

♭VII, IV

Grunge · Modal

I – ♭III – IV

C – E♭ – F

♭III, IV

Minor Blues

i – iv – v

Cm – Fm – Gm

—

Jazz Standard

ii – V – I

Dm – G – C

V, I

Minor Jazz

ii° – V – i

D° – G – Cm

—

Andalusian

i – VII – VI – V

Cm – B♭ – A♭ – G

VII, VI, V

Pachelbel

I – V – vi – iii – IV – I – IV – V

C – G – Am – Em – F – C – F – G

V, vi, iii, IV

Circle of Fifths

vi – ii – V – I

Am – Dm – G – C

ii, V, I

Royal Road

IV – V – iii – vi

F – G – Em – Am

V, iii, vi

Epic · Heroic

VI – VII – i

A♭ – B♭ – Cm

VII, i

Sentimental

IV – V – I – vi

F – G – C – Am

—

Sad · Hopeful

I – vi – iii – IV

C – Am – Em – F

vi, iii, IV

Plagal Turnaround

I – IV – I – V

C – F – C – G

IV, V

Step-Down

i – v – IV – ♭III

Cm – Gm – F – E♭

v, IV, ♭III

Voicings

Voicing decides where on the keyboard each chord is played. Both Explorers have the same three, and every key starts with the root between C3 and B3.

Voicing

How it plays

Roots

Every chord in root position, each one higher than the last

Climbing

First chord low, then inversions stepping upward. Starts again low after about two octaves.

Smooth

The nearest voicing each step, so the fewest notes move and everything stays under one hand

Styles

Styles are in the Chords Explorer only. They give each step of a progression a richer chord. Where a style has no chord of its own for a step, that step plays the plain chord the numeral names.

Style

Sound

Classic

Plain diatonic triads

Coltrane

9ths and 13ths, jazz harmony

Cinematic

Open add9 and suspended chords

Roadhouse

Dominant 7ths, blues

Gospel

Church harmony: 6/9 and maj9 chords, minor 9ths and 11ths, a 13th on V

Ipanema

9ths and 11ths, and a tritone substitution on V (D♭7♯11 for G7), bossa nova

Carnival

Bright 7ths, samba

Flamenco

Phrygian fire: a 7♭9 on V and open maj7♯11 chords

Velvet

11ths and 13ths, neo-soul

Three examples:

Style and progression

Plays

Gospel, Pop in C

C6/9 – G13 – Am11 – Fmaj9

Flamenco, Andalusian in A minor

Am – G – Fmaj7♯11 – E7♭9

Ipanema, Jazz Standard in C

Dm11 – D♭7♯11 – Cmaj9

Speeds and octaves

  • Three speeds: slow, medium and fast. A change takes effect on the next chord.
  • Octave moves everything up or down by whole octaves, from C2 to C5 roots. Both Explorers share the setting.

See also: Chords Explorer · Scales Explorer · Drill ii–V–I in every key