Arrangement & Structure

Chord & Key Reference

Circle of Fifths, chord progressions by genre, key compatibility, and MIDI note output for producers.

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Chord & Key Reference
Scale notes, diatonic chords, progressions, MIDI numbers, and Circle of Fifths for any key.
Scale Notes
MIDI Note Numbers (C4=60)
Diatonic Chords
Common Progressions
Select root note and scale to see chords, progressions, and famous track references.
Famous Track References by Genre
Hip-Hop: Sicko Mode (Travis Scott) — C minor | Money Trees (Kendrick Lamar) — C minor | HUMBLE. — E minor
Pop: Shape of You (Ed Sheeran) — C# minor | Blinding Lights (The Weeknd) — F minor | Bad Guy (Billie Eilish) — G minor
R&B: Drunk in Love (Beyoncé) — F minor | Often (The Weeknd) — G minor | No Scrubs (TLC) — C minor
EDM: Levels (Avicii) — A minor | Animals (Martin Garrix) — A minor | Titanium (David Guetta) — G major
Rock: Smells Like Teen Spirit (Nirvana) — F minor | Black (Pearl Jam) — E minor
Jazz: Autumn Leaves — G minor / Bb major | So What (Miles Davis) — D minor (Dorian)
Plugin Recommendations
Free
Scaler 2 Lite — chord detection and suggestion. Works as plugin inside DAW.
Mid
Scaler 2 — full version. Detects key from audio, generates progressions and MIDI
Pro
Synchro Arts Revoice Pro — pitch correction with key-aware harmonization
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About the Chord & Key Reference

The Chord & Key Reference is a free interactive tool for music producers who want accurate answers fast. Whether you're searching for chord progression tool music producer, circle of fifths online tool, key compatibility checker, this tool gives you real-time results without leaving your browser — and explains the reasoning behind every value so you know what to do with it.

Every tool on MusicProductionWiki is built around one principle: answer the question and explain the reasoning. The Chord & Key Reference not only calculates — it shows you why those values work, what changes when you adjust them, and what professional producers do differently across genres.

This tool is part of the Arrangement & Structure category. It's embedded directly inside the relevant entries in The Producer's Bible — MPW's comprehensive reference library — where it appears in context alongside the theory that explains why each setting works the way it does.

All tools on MusicProductionWiki are free, require no login, and work in any modern browser on desktop or mobile.

Learn more in The Producer's Bible →

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I find chords that work in my key?

Every key has 7 diatonic chords built from its scale. In C major: C major, D minor, E minor, F major, G major, A minor, B diminished. All 7 naturally work together. The Circle of Fifths shows which keys are harmonically adjacent and which chords are shared between them.

What chord progressions work for trap music?

Trap commonly uses minor progressions: i–VII–VI–VII (e.g. Am–G–F–G) or i–VI–III–VII. Single-chord vamps over a minor scale are also common, letting the melody and 808 carry the harmonic interest. Dark, suspended, and diminished chords add tension.

What is the Circle of Fifths?

The Circle of Fifths arranges all 12 musical keys in a circle where each adjacent key shares 6 of 7 scale notes. Moving clockwise adds one sharp; moving counterclockwise adds one flat. Keys next to each other modulate smoothly — distant keys create more dramatic key changes.

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