Chord progression practice in all keys

A chord progression is a series of chords that repeats through a piece. Musicians name progressions by scale degree (I–IV–V, ii–V–I) instead of by chord, because the same pattern works in every key. If you can play a progression in all twelve keys, you can follow, transpose and write songs much faster. Piano Drills lets you drill progressions on your MIDI keyboard and checks every chord you play.

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Degrees instead of chord names

Roman numerals count the notes of a scale. In C major, I is C, IV is F and V is G. The progression I–IV–V–I is therefore C – F – G – C in C major and G – C – D – G in G major. That is why practising by degree carries over to every key and every song.

What is in Piano Drills

37 progressions in four groups:

• Pop and rock: I–VI–IV–V (the 50s progression), I–V–VI–IV, the axis progression VI–IV–I–V, the Andalusian cadence, rock cadences and a minor pop progression.
• Classical: authentic, plagal and half cadence, the deceptive cadence, a canon progression, the opening of a Bach prelude, the baroque circle of fifths, the minor cadence and the Neapolitan cadence.
• Blues: the 12-bar blues in major and in minor.
• Jazz: ii–V–I in major and minor, turnarounds, rhythm changes, tritone substitution, the backdoor ii–V and more, played with seventh chords.

How to practise

• Progressions mode: pick one progression or all of them, and choose the keys you want, major and minor. The task shows the key and the chords as tiles.
• Degrees, chord names or both: show Roman numerals to practise by degree, chord names to read symbols, or both. You can switch any time.
• Triads or seventh chords: a switch changes the chord type. Jazz progressions start with seventh chords automatically, the others with triads.
• Repeat button: the loop button beside the key name repeats the same progression until you switch it off. “Next” still gives you a new task.
• Chord chains: chains of chords that move by an interval (seconds up to sevenths, up or down), diatonic or with one chord type, from 2 to 24 chords.
• Key journey (endless): a progression of your choice moves from key to key without end. You choose how the key moves: up a fourth (circle of fifths), up a fifth, whole steps, minor or major thirds, half steps or random keys.
• Two chords alternating: choose any two chords and play them in turns. Buttons transpose both chords by a half step, and a short analysis shows how they relate: the distance between the roots, common tones, the keys in which both fit and a possible reading, for example “G7 is the dominant of Cmaj7”.

A practice plan

1. Start with one simple progression in one key, for example I–IV–V–I in C.
2. Switch on the repeat button and loop it until it feels easy.
3. Change the key, one by one, until you can play it in all twelve.
4. Show only the degrees and work out the chords yourself.
5. Move on to the next progression: I–V–VI–IV, a 12-bar blues, ii–V–I.
6. Use the key journey for an endless run and the metronome for a steady pulse.

Piano Drills checks which notes you play, not how you voice them, so you are free to choose inversions and voicings. It is a drill tool, not a course. Related: chord practice and scale practice.