Psychedelic Chord Progressions

Psychedelic music bends the rules of a key: chords borrowed from other modes, major chords a third apart, and two-chord drones that hypnotise instead of resolving.

Play them in C major — or pick another key

Lydian lift in C major

I to a major II — the raised 4th makes it float, a favourite of dreamy psych and film music. 4 bars, then it loops.

90 BPM
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Solo on the fretboard

012345678910111213141516171819EF♯GABCDEF♯GABABCDEF♯GABCDEDEF♯GABCDEF♯GAGABCDEF♯GABCDBCDEF♯GABCDEF♯EF♯GABCDEF♯GAB
Chord tones C Lydian 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

8 psychedelic progressions

  1. Lydian lift

    I (2 bars) – II (2 bars)

    I to a major II — the raised 4th makes it float, a favourite of dreamy psych and film music.

    In C: C – D

    In G: G – AIn D: D – E

  2. Mixolydian drone

    I (2 bars) – ♭VII (2 bars)

    Two major chords a whole step apart over a steady pulse — hypnotic and trance-like.

    In C: C – B♭

    In G: G – FIn D: D – C

  3. Chromatic mediants

    I – III – ♭VI – I

    Major chords a third apart that share only one note — vivid, surreal colour shifts.

    In C: C – E – A♭ – C

    In G: G – B – E♭ – GIn D: D – F♯ – B♭ – D

  4. Major line cliché

    I – Imaj7 – I7 – I6

    One note slides down by half steps while the chord stays on I — a 60s psych and pop staple.

    In C: C – Cmaj7 – C7 – C6

    In G: G – Gmaj7 – G7 – G6In D: D – Dmaj7 – D7 – D6

  5. Psych-rock

    I – ♭III – IV – I

    A borrowed ♭III gives a fuzzy, bluesy lurch on the way to IV.

    In C: C – E♭ – F – C

    In G: G – B♭ – C – GIn D: D – F – G – D

  6. Psych-pop drift

    IVmaj7 – III7 – vi9 – Imaj7

    Lush 7th and 9th chords with a chromatic III7 — the hazy sound of modern psych-pop.

    In C: Fmaj7 – E7 – Am9 – Cmaj7

    In G: Cmaj7 – B7 – Em9 – Gmaj7In D: Gmaj7 – F♯7 – Bm9 – Dmaj7

  7. Dorian trip

    i – IV – i – VII

    A minor chord answered by a major IV — the Dorian sound of hypnotic 60s and modern psych jams.

    In Am: Am – D – Am – G

    In Em: Em – A – Em – DIn Dm: Dm – G – Dm – C

  8. Phrygian drone

    i (2 bars) – ♭II – VII

    Hangs on i, then the half step up to ♭II gives an Eastern, trance-like tension.

    In Am: Am – B♭ – G

    In Em: Em – F – DIn Dm: Dm – E♭ – C

Why they work

Most of these progressions borrow one chord from outside the key: a major II (Lydian), a ♭VII (Mixolydian) or a major IV in a minor key (Dorian). That single foreign note colours the whole loop.

Chromatic mediants — major chords a third apart, like C to E or C to A♭ — share only one note, so each change feels like a sudden shift in light. Played slowly over a drone, they create the dreamlike, floating sound of psych.

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

More chord progressions