Chord Theory
Chord Progression Player
Play classic progressions like Pachelbel's Canon, the Royal Road, the blues, and II-V-I. Change key and tempo to hear how the same pattern moves.
Chord Theory
Chord Progression Player
Chord Theory
Chord Progression Player
Play classic progressions like Pachelbel's Canon, the Royal Road, the blues, and II-V-I. Change key and tempo to hear how the same pattern moves.
IV–V–IIIm–VIm, the staple J-pop chorus progression (Japanese: 王道進行): bright yet bittersweet
IV–V–IIIm–VIm, the staple J-pop chorus progression (Japanese: 王道進行): bright yet bittersweet
What is this tool?
A player that lets you audition classic chord progressions — pop, jazz, blues, and more — while freely changing key and tempo. Over 10 preset progressions are included, with the active chord highlighted during playback.
When it helps
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Internalize classic progressions
Hear progressions like the Canon, J-pop Royal Road, and 12-bar Blues to recognize them by ear.
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Spark songwriting ideas
Same progression, different key and tempo — the vibe shifts completely. Great for kickstarting a new song.
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Practice singing & strumming
Slow the BPM to learn a progression, or transpose to fit your voice or instrument.
How to use
- 1 On the Presets tab, pick a progression. If unsure, start with Royal Road.
- 2 Change the Key and the chord names update automatically.
- 3 Use the BPM slider to adjust tempo — slower is easier to follow.
- 4 Press Play at the bottom to loop the progression with live chord highlighting.
- 5 Open the related Chord Progression Builder to create your own progression by hand.
Related Tools
Lessons that use this tool
The sections of the systematic curriculum where this actually comes up.
Learning courses that include this topic
Following the course in order gives you a structured foundation.