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Minor chord progressions

Minor progressions to start from: the home chord is minor (i), with the major VI, III and VII around it. Two of them borrow a major V from the harmonic minor for a stronger pull home.

i–VI–III–VII

The epic minor · 6-4-1-5

A minor
  1. Am
  2. F
  3. C
  4. G

Big and bittersweet. It starts on the minor chord, so it sounds sad, then climbs through three major chords that sound like hope. It is the pop progression started from its minor chord.

Used in anthems, EDM, trap and film.

Use in a beat
Trap beat · 140 BPM · drums, 808 and pad
In all 12 keys

i–iv–VI–V

Minor pop

A minor
  1. Am
  2. Dm
  3. F
  4. E

Moody, but it moves: down to iv, up to VI, then a major V borrowed from the harmonic minor that pulls hard back home.

Used in sad pop, house, R&B and K-pop.

Use in a beat
House beat · 124 BPM · drums, bass, keys and pluck
In all 12 keys

i–VI–iv–V

Dark minor

A minor
  1. Am
  2. F
  3. Dm
  4. E

Tense and heavy: VI and iv sink, then the major V of the harmonic minor leans back toward i with a bite.

Used in drill, trap and cinematic music.

Use in a beat
UK drill beat · 142 BPM · drums, 808, keys and pad
In all 12 keys

i–VII–VI–VII

The minor shuttle

A minor
  1. Am
  2. G
  3. F
  4. G

Epic and unresolved: it swings between the home chord and the two major chords below it and never lands on a V.

Used in film scores, metal and Detroit techno.

Use in a beat
Trap beat · 140 BPM · drums, 808 and pad
In all 12 keys

VI–VII–i

The minor lift

A minor
  1. F
  2. G
  3. Am
  4. Am

Rising and hopeful for a minor key: two major chords climb a step at a time to the minor home chord, which is held for two bars.

Used in future bass, EDM and film.

Use in a beat
Future bass beat · 150 BPM · drums, bass, pad and pluck
In all 12 keys

i–iv–i–iv

Minor two-chord

A minor
  1. Am
  2. Dm
  3. Am
  4. Dm

Two minor chords rocking back and forth, i and iv. The rhythm carries it.

Used in dancehall, dembow, riddims and Chicago house.

Use in a beat
Dancehall beat · 96 BPM · drums, bass and keys

In every key

One chord a bar; a chord held for two bars is written once.

KeyChords
C minor
  • i–VI–III–VIICm – A♭ – E♭ – B♭
  • i–iv–VI–VCm – Fm – A♭ – G
  • i–VI–iv–VCm – A♭ – Fm – G
  • i–VII–VI–VIICm – B♭ – A♭ – B♭
  • VI–VII–iA♭ – B♭ – Cm
  • i–iv–i–ivCm – Fm – Cm – Fm
C♯ minor
  • i–VI–III–VIIC♯m – A – E – B
  • i–iv–VI–VC♯m – F♯m – A – G♯
  • i–VI–iv–VC♯m – A – F♯m – G♯
  • i–VII–VI–VIIC♯m – B – A – B
  • VI–VII–iA – B – C♯m
  • i–iv–i–ivC♯m – F♯m – C♯m – F♯m
D minor
  • i–VI–III–VIIDm – B♭ – F – C
  • i–iv–VI–VDm – Gm – B♭ – A
  • i–VI–iv–VDm – B♭ – Gm – A
  • i–VII–VI–VIIDm – C – B♭ – C
  • VI–VII–iB♭ – C – Dm
  • i–iv–i–ivDm – Gm – Dm – Gm
D♯ minor
  • i–VI–III–VIID♯m – B – F♯ – C♯
  • i–iv–VI–VD♯m – G♯m – B – A♯
  • i–VI–iv–VD♯m – B – G♯m – A♯
  • i–VII–VI–VIID♯m – C♯ – B – C♯
  • VI–VII–iB – C♯ – D♯m
  • i–iv–i–ivD♯m – G♯m – D♯m – G♯m
E minor
  • i–VI–III–VIIEm – C – G – D
  • i–iv–VI–VEm – Am – C – B
  • i–VI–iv–VEm – C – Am – B
  • i–VII–VI–VIIEm – D – C – D
  • VI–VII–iC – D – Em
  • i–iv–i–ivEm – Am – Em – Am
F minor
  • i–VI–III–VIIFm – D♭ – A♭ – E♭
  • i–iv–VI–VFm – B♭m – D♭ – C
  • i–VI–iv–VFm – D♭ – B♭m – C
  • i–VII–VI–VIIFm – E♭ – D♭ – E♭
  • VI–VII–iD♭ – E♭ – Fm
  • i–iv–i–ivFm – B♭m – Fm – B♭m
F♯ minor
  • i–VI–III–VIIF♯m – D – A – E
  • i–iv–VI–VF♯m – Bm – D – C♯
  • i–VI–iv–VF♯m – D – Bm – C♯
  • i–VII–VI–VIIF♯m – E – D – E
  • VI–VII–iD – E – F♯m
  • i–iv–i–ivF♯m – Bm – F♯m – Bm
G minor
  • i–VI–III–VIIGm – E♭ – B♭ – F
  • i–iv–VI–VGm – Cm – E♭ – D
  • i–VI–iv–VGm – E♭ – Cm – D
  • i–VII–VI–VIIGm – F – E♭ – F
  • VI–VII–iE♭ – F – Gm
  • i–iv–i–ivGm – Cm – Gm – Cm
G♯ minor
  • i–VI–III–VIIG♯m – E – B – F♯
  • i–iv–VI–VG♯m – C♯m – E – D♯
  • i–VI–iv–VG♯m – E – C♯m – D♯
  • i–VII–VI–VIIG♯m – F♯ – E – F♯
  • VI–VII–iE – F♯ – G♯m
  • i–iv–i–ivG♯m – C♯m – G♯m – C♯m
A minor
  • i–VI–III–VIIAm – F – C – G
  • i–iv–VI–VAm – Dm – F – E
  • i–VI–iv–VAm – F – Dm – E
  • i–VII–VI–VIIAm – G – F – G
  • VI–VII–iF – G – Am
  • i–iv–i–ivAm – Dm – Am – Dm
B♭ minor
  • i–VI–III–VIIB♭m – G♭ – D♭ – A♭
  • i–iv–VI–VB♭m – E♭m – G♭ – F
  • i–VI–iv–VB♭m – G♭ – E♭m – F
  • i–VII–VI–VIIB♭m – A♭ – G♭ – A♭
  • VI–VII–iG♭ – A♭ – B♭m
  • i–iv–i–ivB♭m – E♭m – B♭m – E♭m
B minor
  • i–VI–III–VIIBm – G – D – A
  • i–iv–VI–VBm – Em – G – F♯
  • i–VI–iv–VBm – G – Em – F♯
  • i–VII–VI–VIIBm – A – G – A
  • VI–VII–iG – A – Bm
  • i–iv–i–ivBm – Em – Bm – Em

More progressions

Or pick a mood and a key in the chord progression generator.

Frequently asked questions

Why is the V chord major in a minor key?

In the natural minor scale V is minor (Em in A minor), which pulls home weakly. Raising its third a half step (G to G♯) makes it E major, the harmonic minor’s V, and that leading note pulls hard back to A.

Do these progressions work in any key?

Yes. The Roman numerals say which notes of the key each chord is built on, so the same progression works in all 12 keys. The table above has every one, with the chords named.

How do I make a song with one?

Press Use in a beat. The free editor opens with a four-bar beat on those chords: drums, bass and the chords, each its own part. Change a chord, add a melody, record over it or ask for new drums, one part at a time. No account is needed to start; a free account saves your project.

Build a song on these chords

Use in a beat opens the free editor with drums, bass and the chords. Add a melody, record over it or change any part, one at a time.

Use i–VI–III–VII in a beatAll chord progressions

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