What chords are used in deep house?

Minor 7th and 9th chords, often just two of them (Am7–Dm7), played as organ, piano or pad stabs with swing. Jazz-tinged extensions give deep house its warmth.

What is the most common EDM chord progression?

i–VI–III–VII (Am–F–C–G in A minor) and its major-key twin vi–IV–I–V. They loop endlessly and lift naturally into a drop.

Do tech house and techno need chords?

Often not. Many tracks sit on one chord or one note while the bassline, percussion and a hypnotic lead create the movement. A single minor chord stab, filtered over time, is enough.

House & EDM Chord Progressions (Deep House Chords)

House and EDM Chord Progressions: Deep House, Tech and Big-Room

House runs on short loops played as rhythm: minor 7 and 9 chords in deep house (Am7–Dm7, Fmaj7–Em7), the i–VI–III–VII anthem (Am–F–C–G) in EDM and big-room, and one-chord grooves in tech house where the bassline does the work. The rhythm matters as much as the chords: offbeat stabs, organ hits and swung 16ths.

House and EDM progressions

i7–iv7
In A minor
Am7 – Dm7
Style
Deep house two-chord vamp
VI–v–i
In A minor
Fmaj7 – Em7 – Am7
Style
Deep house, soulful and warm
i–VI–III–VII
In A minor
Am – F – C – G
Style
EDM, big-room and pop-dance anthem
VI–VII–i
In A minor
F – G – Am
Style
Uplifting build into the drop
i (one chord)
In A minor
Am
Style
Tech house and techno: the bass and groove carry it
iv–VI–VII–i
In A minor
Dm – F – G – Am
Style
Progressive house, rising energy

Progression	In A minor	Style
i7–iv7	Am7 – Dm7	Deep house two-chord vamp
VI–v–i	Fmaj7 – Em7 – Am7	Deep house, soulful and warm
i–VI–III–VII	Am – F – C – G	EDM, big-room and pop-dance anthem
VI–VII–i	F – G – Am	Uplifting build into the drop
i (one chord)	Am	Tech house and techno: the bass and groove carry it
iv–VI–VII–i	Dm – F – G – Am	Progressive house, rising energy

Rhythm and sound

Offbeat stabs: short chord hits on the 'and' of every beat are the house sound.
Organ and piano stabs: classic deep house uses organ (M1-style) and piano chords with minor 7ths and 9ths.
Swing the 16ths by 10–20% and sidechain the chords to the kick with a tool like Pump.
For the modern club sound, Afterhours plays stabs, a rolling bass and a hypnotic lead from one held chord.

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The real plugin engine, running in your browser: same DSP code and presets as the VST3/AU/AAX.

Deep House: minor 7 loops as offbeat stabs with an octave bass and four-on-the-floor drums.

Play any of these in our free chord progression generator: pick EDM, press play, then hum a melody and it re-harmonises around you.

House and EDM Chord Progressions: Deep House, Tech and Big-Room

House and EDM progressions

i7–iv7
In A minor
Am7 – Dm7
Style
Deep house two-chord vamp
VI–v–i
In A minor
Fmaj7 – Em7 – Am7
Style
Deep house, soulful and warm
i–VI–III–VII
In A minor
Am – F – C – G
Style
EDM, big-room and pop-dance anthem
VI–VII–i
In A minor
F – G – Am
Style
Uplifting build into the drop
i (one chord)
In A minor
Am
Style
Tech house and techno: the bass and groove carry it
iv–VI–VII–i
In A minor
Dm – F – G – Am
Style
Progressive house, rising energy

Progression	In A minor	Style
i7–iv7	Am7 – Dm7	Deep house two-chord vamp
VI–v–i	Fmaj7 – Em7 – Am7	Deep house, soulful and warm
i–VI–III–VII	Am – F – C – G	EDM, big-room and pop-dance anthem
VI–VII–i	F – G – Am	Uplifting build into the drop
i (one chord)	Am	Tech house and techno: the bass and groove carry it
iv–VI–VII–i	Dm – F – G – Am	Progressive house, rising energy

Rhythm and sound

Offbeat stabs: short chord hits on the 'and' of every beat are the house sound.

Organ and piano stabs: classic deep house uses organ (M1-style) and piano chords with minor 7ths and 9ths.

Swing the 16ths by 10–20% and sidechain the chords to the kick with a tool like Pump.

For the modern club sound, Afterhours plays stabs, a rolling bass and a hypnotic lead from one held chord.

HookSongwriting instrument

New idea

Hook wrote this hook. Lock what you love, roll the rest.

–

Emotion · drag the points

Genre

Melody0 notes

Chords0 notes

Bass0 notes

Counter0 notes

Drums0 notes

Bend

Mod

Key

Swing

Space

Volume

The real plugin engine, running in your browser: same DSP code and presets as the VST3/AU/AAX.

Deep House: minor 7 loops as offbeat stabs with an octave bass and four-on-the-floor drums.

Play any of these in our free chord progression generator: pick EDM, press play, then hum a melody and it re-harmonises around you.

House and EDM Chord Progressions: Deep House, Tech and Big-Room

Our picks

Hook

Afterhours

Thump

House and EDM progressions

Rhythm and sound

Genre

People also ask

Every plugin on this page, and the rest. All 22, €229.

House and EDM Chord Progressions: Deep House, Tech and Big-Room

Our picks

Hook

Afterhours

Thump

House and EDM progressions

Rhythm and sound

Genre

People also ask

Every plugin on this page, and the rest. All 22, €229.