Now over than 10000 MIDI files and 165 chord progressions per key! This is a collaborative project to create a collection of all chords and useful chord progressions in all keys, as MIDI files, usable with your favorite DAW.
This collection is FREE and you can contribute to it using the issue tracker above. Please use the bug tracker if you find incorrect chords!
All the MIDI files are licensed under the MIT license, and you can them use in any musical project freely.
- More details in my blog
- How to properly use a MIDI Chord Pack
Just download and unzip one of the release file. Then drag and drop the MIDI files from your DAW to your tracks.
In the file free-midi-chords-YYYYMMDD, the chords collection is organized using 4 levels of directories:
- 1st level: All 12 Major and Minor keys
- 2nd level:
- 1 Triads
- 3rd level: Major and Minor scales
- 2 7ths and 9ths chords
- 3rd level: Major and Minor scales
- 3 All other chords
- 3rd level: Major and Minor scales
- 4 Chord progressions
- 3rd level: Major, Minor and Modal progressions
- 4th level: Rhythmic variations
- 3rd level: Major, Minor and Modal progressions
- 1 Triads
- 2nd level:
The chord progressions are organized into three categories: Major, Minor, and Modal.
- The Major and Minor directories contain chord progressions strictly within their respective major or minor keys, using traditional notation commonly found in classical music.
- The Modal directory, however, includes chord progressions that incorporate notes from other scales and modern modes. This creates varied tonal landscapes and emotional expressions. The Modal directory uses a modern Roman numeral analysis where numerals are always relative to the Ionian mode. This method contrasts with the traditional notation used in the Major and Minor folders.
For more detailed information on modal notation in Roman numeral analysis, you can visit the Wikipedia page on Roman numeral analysis – Modes.
Below the progressions directory, you'll find 3 more directories. They contain the same MIDI chord progressions files but with different timings: basic4 style, alt4 style and hiphop style.
In the file free-midi-progressions-YYYYMMDD, you'll find only chord progressions in all the keys in a single directory. This way it's easier to import them in your Akai MPC, Roland MC-707 or MC-101 for example.
To suggest new chords for the next chord pack:
- Go to new chords suggestions
- Or send me a PM
The script uses chords2midi from Rich Jones, and Python Mingus.
- chords2midi - Create MIDI files from numerical chord progressions.
The following software is also bundled with this chords pack:
This chord pack was also distributed in Computer Music magazine issue 326.
Ludovic Drolez.