Guitar Chord Progression Improviser

Enter your chord progression and see which notes work over every chord - and how to connect the changes melodically with target notes and voice leading.

Chords

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Build a chord

Cmaj7C – E – G – B

My progressions

Examples

Playback & metronome

BPM

Space play/pause · Esc stop · ←/→ chord · ↑/↓ tempo (Shift = 5) · T tap

1
2
3
4
Bar 0
Open the full metronome
More metronome options
Straight

Alternates audible and silent bars so you have to hold the tempo yourself.

Randomly mutes clicks so you notice when your timing drifts.

Fretboard

Dm7 → G7 · Fret 37

E
G·1
A·5
B·3
B
D·1
F·b3
G
B·3
C·b7
D·1
D
F·b3
G·1
A·5
A
C·b7
D·1
E
G·1
A·5
B·3
3
4
5
6
7

Current chord: Dm7

  • Root
  • Third
  • Fifth
  • Seventh
  • Common tone
  • Next chord tone
Labels:

Scale suggestions

Musical options for this chord - not the one correct answer.

D – E – F – G – A – B – C
1 – 2 – b3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – b7

Minor mode with a major sixth. The classic choice over m7 chords.

Major sixth suits m7 chords in most contexts

Display

Fret range

Chord analysis

Dm7
D – F – A – C
1 – b3 – 5 – b7

Recommended connectionsDm7 into G7

  • D Dcommon tone
  • F Fcommon tone
  • C Bhalf step down
  • A Bwhole step up

Common tones: D, F

New notes in the next chord: G, B

Save this progression as a practice plan

Save the chord progression, tempo, fret range, scales and target notes and open them again later on any device.

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The link opens the same chord progression, view and fretboard position.

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Chord tones, scale suggestions, the most important voice-leading connections and a link back to this exact analysis. One e-mail, no newsletter.

Practice this with real lessons

You are looking at the half-step resolutions between Dm7 and G7. These lessons work on exactly this kind of movement.

No lesson covers this exact context yet.

No lesson matches this exact context yet.

Related areas in the catalog:

What this tool does

Improvising over changes is mostly about two things: knowing the chord tones of the chord you are on, and knowing where the next chord pulls you. This tool computes both for any progression you enter - chord tones, arpeggios, matching scales, target notes and the exact half-step and whole-step connections between one chord and the next - and shows them on a real guitar fretboard in standard tuning.

Example: the V–I resolution in C major

Moving from G7 to Cmaj7, the leading tones resolve by half step: F falls to E and B rises to C. G stays as a common tone and D moves a whole step up to E. Hearing and targeting these movements is what makes lines sound connected instead of scale-shaped.

  • GGcommon tone
  • BChalf step up
  • FEhalf step down
  • DEwhole step up

Frequently asked questions

Is the improviser free?
Yes. Analysis, fretboard, scales, playback and local saving work without an account. An account only adds cross-device features later.
Which chords does it understand?
Major, minor, 7, maj7, m7, 6, m6, sus2, sus4, add9, 9, maj9, m9, dim, dim7, m7b5 (half-diminished), augmented and slash chords like C/E - with sharps and flats spelled correctly.
What are target notes?
Chord tones of the next chord that you aim your line at, so the chord change is audible in your melody. The strongest targets are a half step away from a tone you are already on.
What is voice leading?
The way individual notes move between two chords: common tones stay, leading tones resolve by half step, other voices move as little as possible. The tool computes these connections for every chord change you enter.
Does it work on my phone?
Yes - the chord cards and the fretboard scroll horizontally, and all controls are sized for touch.

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