Question 1

What is a chord progression?

Accepted Answer

A chord progression is a sequence of chords played in order. Each chord has a harmonic function: Tonic (home, rest), Subdominant (movement, tension building) or Dominant (maximum tension, resolves to tonic). Understanding these functions is the key to writing music that feels intentional.

Question 2

How do I use modes like Dorian or Phrygian?

Accepted Answer

Modes are scales that start on different degrees of the major scale. Dorian (b3, b7 but natural 6) gives a jazzy, soulful feel used by Miles Davis and D'Angelo. Phrygian (b2) sounds dark and flamenco-like, used in metal and Spanish music. Lydian (#4) sounds dreamy and floating, common in film scores.

Question 3

What's the difference between Major and Lydian?

Accepted Answer

Both are bright-sounding scales, but Lydian raises the 4th degree by a semitone (#4). This creates a tritone relationship with the tonic that gives Lydian its signature 'floating' or 'magical' quality. It's used extensively by Joe Satriani, John Williams, and in lo-fi chill music.

Question 4

How do I export to MIDI and use it in my DAW?

Accepted Answer

Click the MIDI button after generating your progression. A .mid file will download automatically. In Ableton Live, drag it to a MIDI track. In FL Studio, import via File > Import MIDI. In Logic Pro, drag it to the Tracks area. The file includes your BPM tempo, so your DAW will sync automatically.

Question 5

Can I use the BPM from Tap BPM here?

Accepted Answer

Yes! TEMPOCAL passes your BPM via URL parameter (?bpm=). When you click 'Open in CHORDCAL' from TEMPOCAL, your detected BPM is pre-loaded here. You can also edit the BPM directly in CHORDCAL's slider.

Question 6

Which chords are harmonically compatible for mixing?

Accepted Answer

The Camelot Wheel shows which keys blend well when mixing or producing. A chord in C Minor (8A on the Camelot wheel) is compatible with Eb Major (5B), G Minor (6A), and F Minor (4A). Use the KEYCAL link below to find compatible keys for your progression's root.

Question 7

What scale should I use for lo-fi / trap / jazz?

Accepted Answer

Lo-fi: Natural Minor or Dorian with 7th chords for that warm, nostalgic feel. Trap: Minor Pentatonic or Phrygian for dark, hard-hitting progressions. Jazz/Bossa Nova: Major or Melodic Minor with extended chords (maj7, dom7, min7). R&B/Neo-Soul: Dorian is the sweet spot — minor feel but with a major 6th that adds brightness.

Question 8

What are sections and how does the arrangement export work?

Accepted Answer

Sections let you build a complete song structure — Intro, Verse, Chorus, Bridge — each with its own independent chord progression and repeat count. Add sections with the '+ Section' button, drag to reorder them, and set how many times each one plays before moving to the next. Hit 'Export Arrangement' to download a single MIDI file containing all sections in order, with labelled markers so your DAW can identify each part automatically.

Question 9

What are borrowed chords and secondary dominants?

Accepted Answer

A borrowed chord (marked ♭ on the card) is taken from the parallel scale — for example, using a bVII chord from Natural Minor inside a Major key. It adds unexpected color without fully leaving the key. A secondary dominant (marked V) is a dominant 7th chord that resolves to a degree other than the tonic — for example, a V/IV creates tension that pulls toward the IV chord. Right-click any chord card to toggle borrowed or secondary dominant substitutions.

Question 10

What complexity level should I start with?

Accepted Answer

Start with Basic (triads) to hear chord functions clearly — major, minor, diminished. Move to Intermediate (7th chords) to get the warm, characteristic sound of jazz, lo-fi and R&B. Advanced (extensions) adds 9ths and 11ths for dense, modern harmony used in neo-soul and contemporary jazz. You can switch complexity at any time without losing your progression.

Question 11

What does the Humanize feature do?

Accepted Answer

Humanize adds subtle randomization to make the piano preview sound more like a real performance. The Vel knob randomizes note velocity (volume), the Tim knob shifts note attack timing slightly, and the Str knob adds a slight strum spread between the notes of each chord. These same humanization values are baked into the MIDI file when you export, so your DAW will receive a naturally-feeling performance instead of a perfectly quantized grid.

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