Sad chord progressions

The progressions that make songs ache, ready to play. Generate new sad ones in any key and genre, lock what you like, and download them as MIDI.

Sad chords · C major

How to use it

  1. Generate. The tool opens on Sad. Pick a key, and a genre if you like (sad R&B, sad trap, sad pop), and press Generate.
  2. Make it yours. Lock the chords you like and swap the rest for others that fit. Drag cards to change the order, and slow the tempo down.
  3. Take it away. Download it as MIDI at your tempo, with the drums if you like.

What makes a chord progression sad

  • Starting on a minor chord. vi–IV–I–V uses the same four chords as the cheerful I–V–vi–IV. Starting on the minor vi is what makes it sad.
  • A minor key. In a minor key, home itself is a minor chord (i), so even the landing sounds dark. More on minor chord progressions.
  • Borrowed chords. A minor iv in a major key (F, then Fm, in C) sounds bittersweet.
  • Slow and spacious. Tempo matters as much as the chords. Try 60 to 80 BPM with 7th chords.

Famous sad chord progressions

Major ones in C, minor ones in A minor. Play one, or open it in the tool to change its key and download it.

  1. The sad pop progression · Zombie, Apologize

  2. The epic minor progression · Numb

  3. The Andalusian cadence · Hit the Road Jack

  4. The harmonic minor cadence

The chords of A minor

More chord progressions

Heard a progression you love?

A chord for every half bar, from anything your Mac plays.

Questions

What is the saddest chord progression?

There's no single one, but vi–IV–I–V (Am, F, C, G in C) is the one most sad pop songs use, and i–VI–III–VII is its minor-key twin. A minor iv chord in a major key (F to Fm in C) is the classic bittersweet move.

Are sad songs always in a minor key?

No. Many are in major keys and lean on the minor chords (vi and iii) and a slow tempo. Starting on the vi chord is the simplest way to make a major key sound sad.

What makes a chord sound sad?

A minor third between the root and the middle note: A, C and E make A minor. Context matters too. A minor chord after major ones sounds sadder than on its own.

Can I make sad trap or sad R&B progressions here?

Yes. Keep the mood on Sad and pick the genre: you get that genre's progressions and beat, leaning sad.

Can I use these progressions in my songs?

Yes. Chord progressions can't be owned, and what you make with them is yours.

Piano sounds by the Salamander Grand Piano (Alexander Holm), CC BY 3.0. Guitar sounds from the University of Iowa Electronic Music Studios.

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