You can get chord progression MIDI files free in two ways: program proven progressions yourself (this article gives you five, with every note spelled out), or download them from free packs, DAW stock content, and curated free tiers. A free FFUNK account includes 5 credits a month for composer-written progressions you can audition in the browser first: sign up here. Chord progressions themselves are not copyrightable, so programming the ones below is completely safe for commercial releases.
Five progressions you can program right now
Set your DAW to a 4-bar loop, one chord per bar, and enter these notes. Middle C is C4.
1. The minor anthem: i, VI, III, VII in A minor
- Am = A, C, E
- F = F, A, C
- C = C, E, G
- G = G, B, D
The backbone of countless pop, EDM and trap records. Dark but hopeful. Works from 70 BPM trap to 128 BPM dance.
2. The lofi staple: IVmaj7, iii7, ii7, Imaj7 in C major
- Fmaj7 = F, A, C, E
- Em7 = E, G, B, D
- Dm7 = D, F, A, C
- Cmaj7 = C, E, G, B
Four seventh chords walking down the scale. Instant warmth. Push the velocities uneven and let the notes roll slightly for the lofi feel, or see our full guide to lofi chord progressions.
3. The neo-soul turnaround: ii7, V7, Imaj7, vi7 in C major
- Dm7 = D, F, A, C
- G7 = G, B, D, F
- Cmaj7 = C, E, G, B
- Am7 = A, C, E, G
The classic jazz cycle, softened for R&B. For extra color, extend the Dm7 to Dm9 by adding an E on top (D, F, A, C, E).
4. The four-chord pop engine: I, V, vi, IV in C major
- C = C, E, G
- G = G, B, D
- Am = A, C, E
- F = F, A, C
Yes, the famous one. It keeps working because the vi chord lands emotional weight exactly where the ear expects release. Rearrange it as vi, IV, I, V (Am, F, C, G) and it turns melancholic.
5. The cinematic minor lift: i, iv, VI, V in A minor
- Am = A, C, E
- Dm = D, F, A
- F = F, A, C
- E = E, G#, B
The E major chord borrows the G# from A harmonic minor, and that single sharpened note creates the dramatic pull back to Am. This is the sound of trailers and emotional piano pieces.
Turning a progression into a part
Block chords are step one. Three quick upgrades make any of the progressions above sound produced. First, use inversions so the chords connect: instead of jumping from Am (A, C, E) up to F (F, A, C), play F in first inversion (A, C, F) and only the top note moves. Second, put the root in a separate bass track one octave down and free the chord to live in the middle register. Third, give the chords a rhythm that belongs to your genre: off-beat stabs for house, long pads for cinematic, lazy eighth-note rolls for lofi. Same four chords, completely different record.
Programming them is free. So why download MIDI at all?
Because the progression is the skeleton, not the performance. What you just programmed is block chords. A professional MIDI file adds inversions that voice-lead smoothly, rhythmic pushes, passing chords, register choices, and a melody that actually fits. That gap between "correct chords" and "finished part" is what you are really paying for with any MIDI pack, free or paid. We break down that difference further in MIDI packs vs sample packs.
Where to get progression MIDIs free
- Your DAW. Most modern DAWs ship chord clips or chord tools. Clean but generic.
- Free packs and forums. Plentiful, unlabeled, quality lottery. Check the key yourself before trusting the filename.
- Chord generator exports. Tools like Scaler or Captain Chords let you export MIDI within their license. Harmonically correct, mechanically voiced.
- FFUNK free tier. 5 credits a month for progressions written by composers with Gold and Platinum records, auditionable in the browser before download, with Key Sync delivering every file already in your working key. Browse everything at the MIDI packs index.
Straight talk: five credits does not build a sound library. It gets you a handful of genuinely finished parts a month, which for most producers is worth more than another hundred block-chord loops.
Program the five progressions above today, they cost nothing. Then create a free FFUNK account and hear what the fully voiced, composer-written versions of ideas like these sound like, 5 downloads a month, free.
