Scale & key explorer
Pick a key and scale to see its notes and the chords that live in it (this answers “which chords belong to which scale”).
Improvise over a chord
For any chord here, the keyboard lights the recommended scale to solo with — chord tones (safe, land on these) and colour tones (passing).
Building good progressions
Chord function
Every diatonic chord has a job. Tonic (I, vi) = home/rest. Subdominant (IV, ii) = motion away. Dominant (V, vii° ) = tension that wants to resolve to I. A satisfying progression usually moves tonic → subdominant → dominant → tonic.
Cadences
Authentic (V–I) sounds final. Plagal (IV–I) is the gentle “amen”. Deceptive (V–vi) dodges home for a surprise. Ending a phrase on V (a half cadence) leaves it hanging, asking to continue.
Voice-leading
Smooth changes keep common tones and move the other notes by the smallest step. The ii–V–I is the classic example: the 7th of each chord falls a half-step into the 3rd of the next. Practise it in every key and progressions start to feel inevitable.
Borrowing & colour
Spice a major key by borrowing from its parallel minor (e.g. a ♭VII or minor iv), or swap a triad for its 7th. Small substitutions add mood without losing the sense of home. Use the “Feel” presets to hear these in context.