House Chord Progressions

House is built on short loops of rich chords — minor 7ths, 9ths and 11ths — played as short stabs on the off-beat while the kick drum keeps four to the floor.

Play them in C major — or pick another key

Deep house descent in C major

Four 7th chords stepping down the scale — the classic deep house and garage loop. 4 bars, then it loops.

90 BPM
Four beats per bar · speed trainer goes up to 140 BPM
Press play — or hit the space bar.

Solo on the fretboard

012345678910111213141516171819EFGABCDEFGABABCDEFGABCDEDEFGABCDEFGAGABCDEFGABCDBCDEFGABCDEFEFGABCDEFGAB
Chord tones C major Key note

Press play — or tap a chord above — to see its notes light up. Open the scale in the fretboard tool

Pick a progression

6 house progressions

  1. Deep house descent

    IVmaj7 – iii7 – ii7 – Imaj7

    Four 7th chords stepping down the scale — the classic deep house and garage loop.

    In C: Fmaj7 – Em7 – Dm7 – Cmaj7

    In G: Cmaj7 – Bm7 – Am7 – Gmaj7In D: Gmaj7 – F♯m7 – Em7 – Dmaj7

  2. Sunset house

    vi7 – IVmaj7 – Imaj7 – V

    The pop loop in soft 7ths, played as off-beat stabs — warm, summery and danceable.

    In C: Am7 – Fmaj7 – Cmaj7 – G

    In G: Em7 – Cmaj7 – Gmaj7 – DIn D: Bm7 – Gmaj7 – Dmaj7 – A

  3. Lounge house

    Imaj9 (2 bars) – IVmaj9 (2 bars)

    Two major 9th chords — smooth, jazzy and relaxed, the sound of chill and lounge house.

    In C: Cmaj9 – Fmaj9

    In G: Gmaj9 – Cmaj9In D: Dmaj9 – Gmaj9

  4. Dorian house

    i7 (2 bars) – IV9 (2 bars)

    A minor 7th and a dominant 9th on the off-beat — warm, groovy and endlessly loopable.

    In Am: Am7 – D9

    In Em: Em7 – A9In Dm: Dm7 – G9

  5. Minor 11 groove

    i11 – VII – VImaj7 (2 bars)

    An airy minor 11th falling to VII and a major 7th VI — dark but open, made for late nights.

    In Am: Am11 – G – Fmaj7

    In Em: Em11 – D – Cmaj7In Dm: Dm11 – C – B♭maj7

  6. Chord memory stabs

    i7 – iii7 – iv7 – vi7

    The same minor 7th shape moved up and down — the parallel stabs of Detroit and deep house. The chords leave the key on purpose.

    In Am: Am7 – Cm7 – Dm7 – Fm7

    In Em: Em7 – Gm7 – Am7 – Cm7In Dm: Dm7 – Fm7 – Gm7 – B♭m7

Why they work

Because a house loop repeats for minutes, the chords themselves carry the mood: extended chords (9ths, 11ths) are full but soft, so they can repeat without getting tiring.

The rhythm matters as much as the harmony. Short chords on the 'and' between beats leave room for the kick on every beat — the player on this page uses that off-beat rhythm. Parallel 'chord memory' stabs, where one shape moves around, come from early Detroit and Chicago records.

See them on the circle of fifths · Chord charts · Metronome

More chord progressions