Learn › Neo Soul Piano Chords: Rich Voicings in Simple Steps
New Released in April 2026
Neo Soul Piano Chords: Rich Voicings in Simple Steps
Neo soul piano chords sound lush because they stack extra notes, 9ths, 11ths and 13ths, on familiar chords and spread them between both hands. You do not need many new chords: take a ii-V-I or a simple loop and give every chord a richer voicing.
No account, no download. The demo has limited content. Advanced features are in ChordRunner Premium.
- MIDI keyboard
- Digital or acoustic piano
- Guitar
- Computer, phone or tablet
Four colours to know
- maj9: Cmaj9 = C E G B D. Warm and open.
- m9: Dm9 = D F A C E. The classic neo soul minor.
- m11: Dm11 adds G to Dm9. Floaty, almost suspended.
- 13: G13 = G B F A E (5th often left out). Bright dominant.
Split the hands
- Left hand: root and 7th (D and C for Dm9), or root and 10th for a wider spread.
- Right hand: 3rd, 5th and 9th on top (F A E for Dm9), or 7th, 9th and 3rd.
- Keep the right hand around middle C and move it as little as possible.
Neo Soul Piano Chords: Rich Voicings in Simple Steps
ChordRunner is a browser game that teaches piano and guitar chords: a chord appears on screen, you play it on a real instrument, and your runner jumps.
Play the demoThree progressions to loop
- Dm9 G13 Cmaj9: the ii-V-I with extensions.
- Fmaj9 Em7 Dm9 Cmaj9: a slow descending loop.
- Ebmaj9 Dm9: a half-step slide into the minor chord, a typical neo soul move.
Build the habit
ChordRunner has 9ths, 11ths, 13ths and rootless voicings in its chord set and accepts any voicing on a MIDI keyboard or a piano near the microphone. Type Dm9 G13 Cmaj9 as your own progression and it loops while you settle each shape (advanced feature in ChordRunner Premium).
The levels in ChordRunner
- Beginner: major, minor, augmented and diminished chords.
- Intermediate: adds sus2 and sus4.
- Advanced: adds 6th, 7th and 9th chords.
- Pro: adds 11th, 13th and altered chords; an adaptive mode adds the next family when you are ready.
Common questions
What chords are used in neo soul?
Mostly maj9, m9, m11 and 13 chords, plus slash chords and chromatic slides between them, often on ii-V-I or two-chord loops.
How do I voice neo soul chords on piano?
Root and 7th in the left hand, 3rd, 5th and 9th in the right. Keep the right hand near middle C and move each chord as little as possible.
What is a good neo soul chord progression?
Dm9 G13 Cmaj9, or a slow loop like Fmaj9 Em7 Dm9 Cmaj9, with a half-step slide into some chords.
Which instruments work?
A USB MIDI keyboard, detected automatically, or a piano or guitar through the microphone. Everything runs in Chrome or Edge on a computer, tablet or phone.
How is this different from apps where you tap the screen?
Tapping trains your eyes and fingers on glass. Here you press real keys or fret real strings, and the game hears the actual notes, so what you practise is exactly what you will play on your instrument.
Is everything in the demo?
The demo has limited content. Advanced features are in ChordRunner Premium.
Your instrument is the controller.
ChordRunner is a browser game that teaches piano and guitar chords: a chord appears on screen, you play it on a real instrument, and your runner jumps. MIDI keyboard or microphone, both work.
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