Neo-Soul & Gospel Chord Progressions From Hit Songs
The chord progressions behind Daniel Caesar, Steve Lacy, SZA, D'Angelo, Erykah Badu and Kirk Franklin. Every chord is spelled out, you can switch to any key, hear each loop in your browser and download it as a free MIDI file.
Imaj7 – ii7/IV – IVmaj7 – bVImaj7
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Three warm diatonic 7th chords, then a ♭VImaj7 borrowed from the parallel minor. That one outside chord gives the loop its bittersweet, cinematic twist before it returns home.
Tip: Play it on a soft electric guitar or Rhodes with very little drums. The space is part of the sound.
VImaj7 – IIImaj7 – iv7 – v7
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Every chord is a 7th chord, so nothing sounds fully resolved, and the loop never actually lands on the i. That floating, unresolved feel is a hallmark of modern neo-soul.
Tip: Try extending the iv to an m11, as Bad Habit does, for an even softer colour.
I – I7 – IVmaj7 – bVII9
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Turning the I into a dominant I7 makes it lean towards the IV, a classic gospel move. The ♭VII9 at the end is a bluesy dominant chord that leads back to the top with a sense of uplift.
Tip: Let the left hand walk up from the I to the IV through the I7; gospel pianists fill that gap with passing chords.
I – II – IVmaj7 – bVII9
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The II chord is major instead of the usual minor ii, which sounds bright and hopeful (it is the V of V). It then relaxes into the IVmaj7 and the bluesy ♭VII9.
Tip: Put the 3rd of the II in the bass (first inversion) so the bass line climbs step by step.
I – bVII – v – IV9
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All four chords come from the Mixolydian mode (a major scale with a flat 7th). The minor v and the ♭VII remove the strong pull of a major V, so the groove can loop forever.
Tip: Use slash chords and inversions so the bass line moves smoothly while the top notes stay close.
Imaj9 – vi9 – IVmaj7
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The I–vi–IV movement is simple, but 9th chords on the I and vi make it sound soft and open. Extensions are what turn a plain pop loop into neo-soul.
Tip: Leave out the root in the right hand and let the bass play it. That keeps rich 9th chords from sounding muddy.
ii7 – iii7 – IVmaj7
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Three diatonic 7th chords climbing one step at a time. Because it starts on the ii and never touches the I, the loop feels like it is always rising.
Tip: Keep the chords legato and let the vocal melody do the rhythmic work.
ii7 – iii7
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Rocking between two minor 7th chords a step apart creates a relaxed vamp with no strong pull to resolve, ideal for a groove-led song.
Tip: Add a syncopated bass line and percussion; with only two chords, the rhythm carries the song.
IVmaj7 – vi7 – ii7
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Starting on the IVmaj7 and moving to the minor vi7 and ii7 keeps the harmony soft and unresolved. The home chord never appears in the loop.
Tip: End the section with a V7 or a ♭VII9 when you finally want to land on the I.
i7 – v
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Just the minor i and the minor v. With no major V, the loop stays dark and smooth instead of dramatic.
Tip: Fill the space with a counter-melody or vocal ad-libs rather than more chords.
Progressions with a lower-case i are shown in a minor key, the rest in major. Songs often use different chords in different sections; the section is listed for each example. "Song key" is the key of the recording as given in the published transcription.
All 10 Neo-Soul and Gospel progressions as MIDI, in every key
Every progression on this page in all 12 keys (120 MIDI files, chords and bass on separate tracks, at 84 BPM). You also get our full Chord Progression MIDI Pack (864 files) and The Songwriter's Cheat Sheet (PDF).
Your downloads are ready. Links to the full MIDI pack and the cheat sheet are on their way to your inbox too.
DOWNLOAD NEO-SOUL MIDI → FULL MIDI PACK CHEAT SHEET PDFGot the chords? SongwriterMap walks you through writing the melody, hook and lyric on top. Try the free demo.
How neo-soul and gospel progressions work
Neo-soul takes its chords from jazz and gospel: 7ths, 9ths and 11ths on almost every chord, chords borrowed from the parallel minor (like ♭VI and iv) and loops that often never resolve to the I. Gospel adds strong movement: a dominant I7 pushing into the IV, a major II, and bluesy ♭VII9 chords.
The progressions themselves are often short. What makes them sound "neo-soul" is the voicing: rich extensions, smooth voice leading and a loose, behind-the-beat groove.
3 ways to use them in your own songs
- Extend every chord. Start from a simple loop and add the 7th, then the 9th. Our free piano chord chart shows how each chord is built.
- Borrow from minor. Swap one chord in a major loop for its minor-key version (iv instead of IV, or ♭VI) for an instant bittersweet colour.
- Keep the groove loose. Pair the loop with our free R&B drum pattern and add swing.
Turn the progression into a song
SongwriterMap covers what goes on top of the chords: song structure, hook writing, melody shapes, lyric devices and a 7-point melody check, with an exercise for every item. Try the free demo in your browser.
Quick answers
What chord progressions are used in neo-soul and gospel?
Common neo-soul and gospel progressions include Imaj7 – ii7/IV – IVmaj7 – bVImaj7 (Best Part); VImaj7 – IIImaj7 – iv7 – v7 (Bad Habit); I – I7 – IVmaj7 – bVII9 (I Smile); I – II – IVmaj7 – bVII9 (I Smile); I – bVII – v – IV9 (Untitled (How Does It Feel)). Every progression on this page has playback in any key and a free MIDI download.
What chord progression does Best Part by Daniel Caesar ft. H.E.R. use?
Best Part uses Imaj7 – ii7/IV – IVmaj7 – bVImaj7 in the verse: Dmaj7 – Em7/G – Gmaj7 – B♭maj7 in D major, according to the published transcription (see sources below).
What chord progression does Bad Habit by Steve Lacy use?
Bad Habit uses VImaj7 – IIImaj7 – iv7 – v7 in the intro, verse and chorus (iv as m11): D♭maj7 – A♭maj7 – B♭m7 – Cm7 in F minor, according to the published transcription (see sources below).
What chord progression does I Smile by Kirk Franklin use?
I Smile uses I – I7 – IVmaj7 – bVII9 in the chorus (first chord with an added 11th): D♭ – D♭7 – G♭maj7 – B9 in D♭ major, according to the published transcription (see sources below).
What chord progression does I Smile by Kirk Franklin use?
I Smile uses I – II – IVmaj7 – bVII9 in the verse and pre-chorus (II in first inversion): D♭ – E♭ – G♭maj7 – B9 in D♭ major, according to the published transcription (see sources below).
What chord progression does Untitled (How Does It Feel) by D'Angelo use?
Untitled (How Does It Feel) uses I – bVII – v – IV9 in the chorus (D mixolydian): D – C – Am – G9 in D major, according to the published transcription (see sources below).
What chord progression does Good Days by SZA use?
Good Days uses Imaj9 – vi9 – IVmaj7 in the verse: Emaj9 – C♯m9 – Amaj7 in E major, according to the published transcription (see sources below).
What chord progression does Snooze by SZA use?
Snooze uses ii7 – iii7 – IVmaj7 in the chorus: Dm7 – Em7 – Fmaj7 in C major, according to the published transcription (see sources below).
What chord progression does Essence by WizKid ft. Tems use?
Essence uses ii7 – iii7 in the chorus: Dm7 – Em7 in C major, according to the published transcription (see sources below).
What chord progression does Window Seat by Erykah Badu use?
Window Seat uses ii7 – iii7 in the chorus (starts on the iii7): Cm7 – Dm7 in B♭ major, according to the published transcription (see sources below).
What chord progression does Looking for You by Kirk Franklin use?
Looking for You uses IVmaj7 – vi7 – ii7 in the chorus (ii as m11): A♭maj7 – Cm7 – Fm7 in E♭ major, according to the published transcription (see sources below).
What chord progression does Rehab (Winter in Paris) by Brent Faiyaz use?
Rehab (Winter in Paris) uses i7 – v in the verse and chorus (i played without its 3rd): Am7 – Em in A minor, according to the published transcription (see sources below).
Can I use the same chord progression as a hit song?
Yes. Chord progressions are shared building blocks of music, and the loops on this page are used in hundreds of songs. What makes a song yours is the melody, the lyric and the production. (General information, not legal advice.)
Can I download these chord progressions as MIDI?
Yes. Every progression has a free MIDI download in the key and tempo you choose, with the chords and the bass on separate tracks, ready to drag into any DAW.
Sources: Best Part, Bad Habit, I Smile, Untitled (How Does It Feel), Good Days, Snooze, Essence, Window Seat, Looking for You, Rehab (Winter in Paris). Song titles are given for reference only. No lyrics, recordings or sheet music are reproduced, and The Sonic Secrets is not affiliated with any artist or label.