Jazz Chord Progression Generator
If one progression defines jazz, it's the ii–V–I. Here's how that motion works, the extended chords that colour it, and a one-click way to generate jazz changes as MIDI.
Why Jazz progressions sound the way they do
Jazz harmony revolves around the ii–V–I: a supertonic minor seventh pulling to a dominant seventh that resolves home. Chords are almost always sevenths and beyond (min7, dom7, maj7, plus 9ths and 13ths), and the bass tends to move by strong fourths and fifths. Swing feel and a walking sense of motion do the rest. Tempos vary wildly, but 100–160 BPM covers a lot of standards.
Common Jazz chord progressions
Here's the core progression this generator uses for Jazz, realized in C major:
| Step | Roman | Chord in C major |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ii7 | Dm7 |
| 2 | V7 | G7 |
| 3 | Imaj7 | Cmaj7 |
| 4 | vi7 | Am7 |
Tips for writing Jazz progressions
- The ii–V–I is your home base — learn to hear it and you'll hear jazz everywhere.
- Use 7th chords minimum; raise Complexity for 9ths and richer extensions.
- Try a Dorian scale over minor chords for that modal, floating colour.
- Turn on Smooth voicing — good jazz piano is mostly great voice leading.
The generator produces a full multitrack MIDI arrangement (chords, bass, melody & drums) plus stems you can drag into any DAW. It's free, needs no signup, and everything you make is royalty-free.
Frequently asked questions
What chord progression is used in Jazz music?
A core Jazz progression is ii7 – V7 – Imaj7 – vi7, which in C major is Dm7 – G7 – Cmaj7 – Am7. You can generate this as editable MIDI and hear it instantly with the generator above.
What key and tempo suit Jazz?
Jazz typically sits around 120 BPM in a major key. The ii–V–I is your home base — learn to hear it and you'll hear jazz everywhere.
Are the generated Jazz chords royalty-free?
Yes. Everything you generate is composed algorithmically from music theory (not sampled from existing songs), so it is original and royalty-free for personal or commercial use, with no attribution required.