Chord Progression
iim7 – V7 – Imaj7 – vim7
Smooth, sophisticated modern harmony — the ii–V–I–vi with lush seventh chord colors that define neo-soul keyboard writing.
Chords in C major / C minor
Dm7 – G7 – Cmaj7 – Am7
iim7 – V7 – Imaj7 – vim7
iiminor7+2 stVdominant7+7 stImajor7+0 stviminor7+9 stSmooth, sophisticated modern harmony — the ii–V–I–vi with lush seventh chord colors that define neo-soul keyboard writing.
The Neo-Soul Cycle is the jazz ii–V–I with an added vi chord for continuous loop motion. By using seventh chords throughout (iim7, V7, Imaj7, vim7), the progression has a lush, sophisticated color that avoids the simple brightness of triad-based pop harmony. The vim7 at the end serves as a "turnaround" — a chord that naturally leads back to the iim7 (the fifth below) for seamless looping. This cycle can be extended with ninths and elevenths for maximum neo-soul richness. In C major: Dm7 – G7 – Cmaj7 – Am7.
The i–♭VII–♭VI–♭VII cycle is the harmonic signature of neo-soul. It avoids the dominant chord entirely, creating a floating, groove-locked quality that feels sophisticated and introspective. The borrowed chords from the parallel major add richness without obvious resolution.
🌿 Other bright sounds to explore
Connect your MIDI keyboard and practice this progression — ChordBeam shows every chord in real time