Neo-Soul Chord Progressions
Neo-soul fuses jazz harmony with hip-hop rhythm and soul vocals. Chords are voiced wide and rich — m9s, maj13s, sus chords with added 9ths — and the bass often moves chromatically beneath them. Robert Glasper, D'Angelo, and Hiatus Kaiyote are the modern reference points.
Defining characteristics
- →Wide, lush voicings (9ths, 11ths, 13ths)
- →Chromatic bass walks
- →ii–V cadences without a final I (suspended forever)
- →Modal mixture between major and parallel minor
- →Loose, behind-the-beat groove
Example progressions
D'Angelo voicing
imaj9 – ivm11 – ♭VIImaj9 – ♭IIImaj9 · C minor (modal)
Cmaj9Fm11B♭maj9E♭maj9
A constantly modulating progression that never quite settles.
Glasper-style cycle
iim9 – V13 – Imaj9 – ♭VIImaj9 · C major
Dm9G13Cmaj9B♭maj9
The ♭VIImaj9 at the end pulls the ear into modal territory.
Songs in this style
Cranes in the Sky — Solange
Bm9 – Emaj9 – C♯m9
Liquid Spirit — Gregory Porter
Cm9 – Fm9 – B♭7 – E♭maj7
Generate your own neo-soul chord progressions
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