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Written by Emily Sanders | Last updated: June 2026
Educational Purpose
ChordProgressionMaker.com and all content published on it — including the Chord Progression Maker tool, theoretical articles, explainers, FAQs, and supporting pages — is provided for educational and informational purposes only.
The information on this site is intended to help musicians, songwriters, students, and educators understand functional harmony, generate chord progressions grounded in music theory, and develop their knowledge of the tonal system. It is not intended as professional music composition services, professional music production consulting, professional music education, or any other form of paid or certified professional service.
Emily Sanders is a music theory educator and harmony researcher who has built this site to share accurate, theoretically grounded information about chord progressions and functional harmony. The content on ChordProgressionMaker.com reflects Emily’s research and expertise. It does not constitute a professional engagement, and no professional relationship is created between Emily Sanders and any user of this site.
Chord Generation Accuracy and Limitations
The Chord Progression Maker generates chord progressions using documented diatonic harmony rules — the interval-based construction of scale-degree chords and the functional logic of tonic, subdominant, and dominant relationships. The calculations are mathematically exact within the diatonic system. However, there are important limitations every user should understand before applying results professionally.
Outputs are exact from the algorithm but depend on the context of application. A chord progression that is correct according to diatonic harmony theory may or may not work in a specific musical context. Genre conventions, voicing choices, harmonic rhythm, melodic content, and the subjective preferences of the listener all determine whether a progression sounds effective. The tool generates theoretically grounded sequences — it cannot assess musical appropriateness for a specific creative purpose.
The tool generates diatonic progressions — not all valid progressions. Tonal music regularly uses chords outside the strict diatonic set: secondary dominants, borrowed chords, chromatic mediants, and non-functional progressions. The tool’s output is limited to the diatonic chords of the selected key in their standard functional positions. Progressions that require non-diatonic chords are not generated by the current algorithm.
Multiple valid chord names may apply to the same note set. In certain harmonic contexts, the same chord can be correctly named in more than one way — enharmonic equivalents (C# and D♭ major), inversions notated as slash chords, and chords that function differently depending on context (a chord that is IV in one key and I in another). The tool applies standard naming conventions for the selected key; where the context of a larger composition might suggest a different name, that spelling should be applied manually.
Harmonic function is not determined by chord identity alone. The Roman numeral label and functional role assigned to each chord in the output reflect its position in the selected key. In a real musical context, chord function can be altered by context — a chord labelled vi (tonic function) can function as a deceptive resolution of the dominant in a different harmonic situation. The tool describes the diatonic function; musical context determines the actual function in use.
The tool does not generate voice leading or specify voicings. The output consists of chord names and Roman numeral labels. How those chords are voiced — which inversions are used, how individual voices move between chords — is not specified. Voice leading quality, which significantly affects whether a progression sounds smooth or awkward, is a compositional decision that follows from the generated sequence.
No Professional Advice
Nothing on ChordProgressionMaker.com constitutes professional music composition advice, professional songwriting consultation, professional music education, or any other form of certified professional service.
In particular:
- Chord progressions generated by this tool should not be used as the sole basis for professional composition decisions — including commercial recording, film scoring, or music licensing submissions — without independent professional review
- Results do not constitute certified music theory documentation for any academic, professional, or legal purpose
- Harmony conventions cited on this site reflect standard tonal music theory — they are not universal rules and may not apply in all genres or compositional contexts
No Warranties
ChordProgressionMaker.com and all content and tools on this site are provided “as is” and “as available” without warranties of any kind, either express or implied.
Emily Sanders does not warrant that:
- The generated progressions will be musically effective for any specific creative purpose
- The site will be available without interruption or error at all times
- The music theory information on this site is free from inaccuracies or omissions
- The site is free from security vulnerabilities
While every reasonable effort is made to ensure theoretical accuracy and tool reliability, no guarantee is made and no liability is accepted for errors, omissions, or results that do not meet a user’s creative expectations.
Limitation of Liability
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, Emily Sanders and ChordProgressionMaker.com shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, or special damages arising from:
- Reliance on a generated chord progression for any professional, commercial, or creative decision
- Composition, arrangement, or production decisions made on the basis of tool results or content from this site
- Any loss — professional, financial, creative, or otherwise — resulting from actions taken based on information published on this site
- Failure of the tool to generate a progression matching a user’s creative expectations
- Any theoretical inaccuracy in the generated progression within a specific musical context
The maximum liability of Emily Sanders to any user of this site, for any reason, shall not exceed the amount paid by that user to access the site. As ChordProgressionMaker.com is a free service, this amount is zero.
External Links
ChordProgressionMaker.com contains links to external websites including music theory literature, educational resources, and harmony references. These links are provided for reference only. Emily Sanders does not endorse, control, or accept responsibility for the content, accuracy, or availability of any external site. Visiting an external site from a link on this site is entirely at your own risk.
Changes to This Disclaimer
This Disclaimer may be updated from time to time to reflect changes in the site’s tools, content, or applicable law. The current version is always published at this URL with the “Last updated” date shown above. Continued use of ChordProgressionMaker.com after an update constitutes acceptance of the revised Disclaimer.
Related Pages
- How It Works — full technical documentation of the chord generation algorithm
- FAQ — plain-language answers about progression results and theory questions
- Privacy Policy — how this site handles your data
- Contact — to report content errors or ask theory questions
This Disclaimer applies to all pages and tools on ChordProgressionMaker.com. Written by Emily Sanders. Last updated: June 2026.