Chords: D · G · Am · Bm · Em ×2
Roman numerals: VII · III · iv · v · i in E minor
It starts away from home on D and climbs G, Am, Bm before landing on Em for a full bar: VII, III, iv, v, i in plain triads.
Minor Chord Progressions
A minor chord progression starts and ends on a minor chord, the i of its key, and that's where the heavy feel of most trap, drill and sad beats comes from. These 11 minor chord progressions are sorted by mood, with the key, tempo, chord names and Roman numerals on every card. Play any of them in your browser and download the MIDI with a free account.
Each one is a take from Melody Generator's AI, made from the prompt written on its card, and Make more like this sends that prompt to the app for four new takes. For warmer chords, the R&B chord progressions page has 7th and 9th chord loops.
Common minor chord progressions
The minor progressions producers keep coming back to, like i-VI-III-VII, i-iv-v and the falling i-VII-VI-V. Each card names its key, so you can find A minor, B minor or E minor at a glance.
Chords: B5 · D · G · A · B5 · D · G · A · E5 · G · Bm · F#m/A · B5 · D · G · A
Roman numerals: I5 · III · VI · VII · I5 · III · VI · VII · IV5 · VI · i · v · I5 · III · VI · VII in B minor
Mostly B5, D, G, A, the i, III, VI, VII climb of B minor, with the 3rd left out of the B chord. The full Bm only shows up in bar 6.
Chords: Dm · Fmaj7 · C · Gsus4 · Am7 · Dm · Fmaj7 · C · Gsus4 · Dm · C · Dm · Em7
Roman numerals: iv · VImaj7 · III · VIIsus4 · i7 · iv · VImaj7 · III · VIIsus4 · iv · III · iv · v7 in A minor
iv, VImaj7, III and a Gsus4 lead into two full bars of Am7. The second half circles Dm and C and ends on Em7, the minor v.
Dark minor chord progressions
Low, slow and heavy, all between 74 and 78 bpm, on keys, harp and bells. Every card shows its key and tempo.
Chords: Bbm · Ab · Gb · F7(no3) · Bbm · Ab/C · Bbm/Db · Fm7/Eb · Db · Ab/C · Bbm · Bbm11
Roman numerals: i · VII · VI · V7 · i · VII · i · v7 · III · VII · i · i11 in Bb minor
Broken chords on harp walking down Bb minor, Bbm, Ab, Gb, then F with no 3rd (i, VII, VI, V). The second half rises through Db and Ab and ends on Bbm11.
Chords: Dmadd9 · Gm7/Bb · Fmaj7/A ×4 (the last Fmaj7/A becomes Dmadd9)
Roman numerals: iadd9 · iv7 · IIImaj7 in D minor
A three-chord minor loop on bells, i, iv7, IIImaj7, with the 9th on the Dm and the 3rd in the bass of the other two. The last pass ends back on Dm(add9).
Chords: Csus2 · Cm/G · Cm/Eb · Cm/F · Gm · Csus2 · Cm/Bb · Cm/G · Ab · Cm/Bb ×2 (the last Cm/Bb becomes G5)
Roman numerals: Isus2 · i · i · i · v · Isus2 · i · i · VI · i in C minor
A C minor arpeggio over a walking bass, C, G, Eb, F, G, C, Bb, G, Ab, Bb. The top keeps circling C, D and Eb while the bass moves, so most of the chords are C minor over a new bass note.
Chords: Cm · Gm · Fm · Cm · Eb · Fm/C · Gm · Cm · Bb
Roman numerals: i · v · iv · i · III · iv · v · i · VII in C minor
One chord a bar, struck and then held as low fifths. Every chord comes from C natural minor: the v is Gm, not the G major of harmonic minor, and the loop ends on Bb.
Drill chord progressions
Drill and trap sit around 140 bpm with sliding 808s and the drums at half time, so the chords stay sparse and dark. These two run at 142 and 144 bpm, one on dark piano over a held bass note, one as bare fifths on bells.
Chords: F#m · Bm/F# · F#sus4 · F#m · Bm/F# · Esus2/F# · Bm/F# · F#m · Bm/F# · F#sus4 · F#m · Bm/F# · Esus2/F#
Roman numerals: i · iv · Isus4 · i · iv · VIIsus2 · iv · i · iv · Isus4 · i · iv · VIIsus2 in F# minor
Everything sits over an F# in the bass: F#m moves to Bm and back, with F#sus4 and Esus2 as the color chords. The bass never moves, which keeps it tense at 142 bpm.
Chords: Bb5 · Gb5 · Ab5 · F5 ×2
Roman numerals: I5 · VI5 · VII5 · V5 in Bb minor
Root and fifth only, no 3rds, so each chord is a bare fifth in octaves on bells. The roots walk Bb, Gb, Ab, F: the i, VI, VII and v of Bb minor.
Sad and soulful minor chord progressions
Slower minor loops on piano and keys. The sad chord progressions page has more of these, and the R&B chord progressions page has minor 9th and neo soul voicings.
Chords: Em7 · Cmaj7 · Em7
Roman numerals: i7 · VImaj7 · i7 in E minor
One idea: an Em7 arpeggio (E, F#, G, B, D) in octaves, with a single bar of Cmaj7 under it in bar 4. Sparse and slow at 72 bpm.
Chords: D#m · Bmaj7 · F# · C#add9 · D#m · B · C#9 · D#m · C#add9 · D#m
Roman numerals: i · VImaj7 · III · VIIadd9 · i · VI · VII9 · i · VIIadd9 · i in D# minor
i, VImaj7, III, VII: D#m to Bmaj7, F# and C#(add9). The second time a C#9 adds tension before D#m comes back.
Chords in a minor key
The numerals work in any key. i, VI, VII is Am, F, G in A minor and Cm, Ab, Bb in C minor.
| Numeral | A minor | C minor | E minor |
|---|---|---|---|
| i | Am | Cm | Em |
| ii° | Bdim | Ddim | F#dim |
| III | C | Eb | G |
| iv | Dm | Fm | Am |
| v | Em | Gm | Bm |
| VI | F | Ab | C |
| VII | G | Bb | D |
- Lower case numerals are minor chords and upper case are major. In A minor the i, iv and v are minor, and III, VI and VII are major.
- Raise the 7th note of the scale, G to G# in A minor, and the v turns into a major V, E or E7. That's harmonic minor. The G# sits a half step under A, so the V pulls hard back to the i.
- A slash names the bass note. C/E is a C chord with E in the bass.
How to use these in your DAW
- FL Studio: drag the .mid file onto an instrument in the Channel Rack. The notes land in its piano roll, ready to edit.
- Ableton Live: drop it on a MIDI track and it becomes a clip. Put a piano, pad or bell on that track.
- Logic Pro: drag it into the tracks area. Logic creates a software instrument track with the notes on it.
Set your project tempo to the bpm on the card before you drop the file in. For trap and drill, try the chords an octave lower on a pad and let the 808 follow the root of each chord.
Questions
What are the chords in a minor key?
Seven chords, one on each note of the scale. In A minor they are Am, Bdim, C, Dm, Em, F and G, written i, ii°, III, iv, v, VI and VII. Many songs swap the Em for an E major chord, which pulls back to Am harder.
What is the most common minor chord progression?
i-VI-III-VII is one of the most used. In A minor that's Am, F, C, G. Close behind are i-iv-v, like Am, Dm, Em, and the falling i-VII-VI-V, like Am, G, F, E.
How do you write a minor chord progression?
Start and end on the i chord so the key is clear. Pick two or three other chords from the key, like VI and VII, and give each one a bar or two. Swap in a major V when you want the loop to pull back home. Or type a mood and a tempo into Melody Generator and start from one of its takes.
Why is the V chord sometimes major in a minor key?
In natural minor the v chord is minor, so nothing pulls up to the root. Raise the 7th note of the scale, G to G# in A minor, and the v becomes a major V: E instead of Em. That G# sits a half step under A, so it leads straight back to the i. This is called harmonic minor.
What minor chord progressions work for trap?
Short loops that stay dark: i-VI-VII, like Cm, Ab, Bb, or i-iv-v, like Cm, Fm, Gm, or just the i and the VI going back and forth. Keep one chord per bar at 130 to 150 bpm and let the 808 follow the root of each chord.
Why do minor chords sound sad?
A minor chord has a minor third, three half steps above the root, and to most ears that sounds darker than the major third. Slow tempos and soft sounds push it further. Played fast, the same chords sound tense or hype, which is why trap and drill use them so much. For the slow side, see the sad chord progressions.
What chords sound good with A minor?
Every chord in the key of A minor: Bdim, C, Dm, Em, F and G, plus E major for a stronger pull home. Am, F, C and G together make a loop you'll hear everywhere, from pop to hip hop.
More on this site: R&B chord progressions with 7th and 9th chords, free MIDI packs of trap, lo-fi and piano melodies, and how text to MIDI works.
Make your own minor chord progressions
Free with Google sign-in. Four takes per prompt.