What Is AutoChords.com and What Does It Do?
AutoChords.com is a free browser-based chord progression generator for songwriters, guitarists, and anyone practicing chords. You pick a "Feel" (the emotional character or progression type) and a "Key," and the site generates a main chord progression you can play, hear, edit, and export. It's most useful when you want a starting point for a song or a practice loop rather than a finished arrangement — the site itself notes that your playing style also affects the emotion of a progression, so the generated chords are raw material, not a final result.
How the generator works
The page is organized into four sections, and each one feeds a different part of the writing process.
Feel and Key
This is the input stage. You choose:
- A progression type ("Feel") that matches what you want to play.
- A key you're comfortable playing in.
The site gives a practical tip for guitarists: the keys with the easiest chords are G major, E minor, C major, and A minor. If you don't want to decide, there's a Randomize button that picks for you.
Main Progression
This section displays your chosen progression in the key you selected. Two built-in adjustments are suggested right on the page:
- Sounding too happy? Try changing the key to minor.
- Too depressing? Change it to major.
Each chord shown includes its name, the notes it contains, and an Edit / Export option, so you can tweak the progression or take it elsewhere.
Alternatives
This section uses the circle of fifths to suggest progressions that will likely sound good alongside your main one. The site is upfront that the key might not match exactly in some of these. The intended use is variety: mix them in to build a chorus or bridge that contrasts with your main progression. Like the main section, each chord has notes listed and an Edit / Export control.
All Chords in Key
This is a reference list of all the standard chords in your chosen key. If you want to add one extra chord to change up your progression, this is where you pick it. The same chord-name, notes, and Edit / Export pattern applies.
What you can actually do with it
| Feature | What it gives you |
|---|---|
| Feel + Key selection | A progression matched to a mood and a playable key |
| Randomize | An instant progression if you don't want to choose |
| Main Progression | Your core chord sequence, with notes and edit/export |
| Alternatives | Circle-of-fifths suggestions for choruses or bridges |
| All Chords in Key | A palette of standard chords to swap or add |
| Edit / Export | Adjust the progression or move it out of the browser |
Who it's for
- Songwriters who want a harmonic starting point and then write melody and lyrics over it.
- Guitarists and other instrumentalists who want progressions in easy keys to practice.
- Anyone learning theory who wants to see how chords relate within a key and how the circle of fifths produces related progressions.
Practical notes before you start
- The generated progression is a suggestion, not a rule — the site explicitly says playing style changes the emotional effect.
- If a progression feels wrong emotionally, the fastest fix is switching the key between major and minor rather than rebuilding from scratch.
- Use Alternatives when you need a section that contrasts with your main progression, and All Chords in Key when you only need one or two extra chords to break repetition.
- The Edit / Export controls on each chord are how you move from browsing to actually using the progression in your own workflow.
The site does not display pricing information on the page, so no claim is made here about whether any feature is free or requires an account — check the site directly for current terms.