Spanish Chord Progressions: 6 Flamenco and Latin Loops (Free MIDI)

Nylon guitar, a minor key and a bass line that walks down to a tense major chord: that's the sound most people mean when they search for Spanish chords. You hear it in flamenco, but also in a lot of Latin pop, reggaeton and Latin trap beats. The good news is that it comes down to a handful of chord moves you can learn in ten minutes.

Below are 6 Spanish chord progressions you can play right away on piano, guitar or in your piano roll. Most are written in A minor (almost all white keys), with Roman numerals so you can move them to any key. You also get the notes in every chord, the scale to write your melody in and a free way to get the chords as MIDI.

What makes chords sound Spanish?

There's no single "Spanish chord". The flavor comes from a few habits that keep coming back:

• The Andalusian cadence. Four chords that step down one by one: Am, G, F, E. It's named after Andalusia in southern Spain and it's the backbone of a lot of flamenco.
• A major chord where you expect a minor one. In A minor, the normal fifth chord is E minor. Spanish-sounding progressions use E major instead. That one extra note (G#) pulls hard back to Am and gives the loop its drama.
• The half step above the root. In flamenco, the music often treats E as home and keeps moving to F, just one half step above it. That tiny step is what makes it sound tense and mysterious.
• A bass that walks down. A, G, F, E. When the bass plays that line, the whole beat sounds like it's falling into place.

How to read the numbers: lowercase (i, iv) means a minor chord, uppercase (V, VI, VII) means a major chord. In A minor, i is Am, VI is F, VII is G and V is E major.

6 Spanish chord progressions to try

1. The Andalusian cadence: i, VII, VI, V (Am, G, F, E)

The one to learn first. The chords walk down step by step and land on E major, which makes you want to go back to Am every time. Loop it and you instantly hear that Spanish guitar vibe.

Fun theory detail: flamenco musicians often hear E as the home chord here, not Am. In that view the same chords are written iv, III, II, I. You don't need to choose. In a beat, just loop it and let your ear decide where home is.

2. The flamenco vamp: I, II (E, F)

Only two chords, one half step apart. You sit on E major and keep stepping up to F and back down. It's the same half step move that gives Phrygian melodies their dark color, but now in the chords. Great for an intro, a dark verse or a bridge where everything drops out except a guitar and some claps.

3. The cadence with a seventh: i, VII7, VI, V (Am, G7, F, E)

Same as progression 1, but the G becomes a G7 (with an F on top). That F is also the next chord's root, so the move from G7 to F feels extra smooth. A small change that makes the loop sound more like a real guitar part and less like a piano exercise.

4. The same idea in A: iv, III7, II, I (Dm, C7, Bb, A)

Want the Spanish sound in a different key? This is the Andalusian cadence with A as home. Dm, C7 and Bb walk down and land on A major. It sounds warmer and a little brighter than the E version, and it's a nice way to change color between a verse and a hook.

5. The Latin trap loop: i, VI, VII, V (Am, F, G, E)

This is the classic minor loop that you hear all over reggaeton and Latin trap (Am, F, G), with E major at the end instead of E minor. The first three chords keep it moody and catchy, and the E major at the end gives the loop a Spanish twist right before it starts again. Easy to sing over, which makes it a strong choice for a hook.

6. The dramatic three: i, iv, V7 (Am, Dm, E7)

Short and heavy. E7 adds a D on top of E major, so the pull back to Am gets even stronger. Hold each chord for a full bar, or play Am for two bars and Dm and E7 for one bar each. This works really well for slower, emotional Latin records and serenade-style hooks.

Cheat sheet: notes in every chord

• Am: A, C, E
• A: A, C#, E
• Bb: Bb, D, F
• C7: C, E, G, Bb
• Dm: D, F, A
• E: E, G#, B
• E7: E, G#, B, D
• F: F, A, C
• G: G, B, D
• G7: G, B, D, F

Need another key? Use the Roman numerals, or look up the chords in every key on our chords by key page. In D minor, the Andalusian cadence becomes Dm, C, Bb, A.

Which scale do you use for the melody?

Over these chords you can write in A harmonic minor: A, B, C, D, E, F, G#. That G# is the same note that turns E minor into E major, so your melody and chords always agree.

Want it even more flamenco? Start the same notes on E and you get E Phrygian dominant: E, F, G#, A, B, C, D. Land your phrases on E and lean on that F right above it. It's the sound of a Spanish guitar run in one scale. More about both scales, with notes in A and C, is in best scales for trap melodies.

How to make them sound Spanish in your beat

1. Pick the right sound. A nylon or classical guitar does most of the work. No guitar plugin? A plucky harp, a short piano or a muted pluck can get you close.
2. Don't hold the chords, strum them. Instead of one long block chord, spread the notes out a little (a strum effect or a few milliseconds between notes) and repeat them in a rhythm. Short, fast repeats sound much more like a real guitarist.
3. Let the bass walk down. For progression 1, have your 808 or sub play A, G, F, E. That descending line is a big part of the sound.
4. Add claps and percussion. Hand claps, shakers or a dembow pattern under the chords make the loop feel alive. Building a reggaeton beat? The tempo range is on our what BPM is reggaeton page.
5. Leave room for the vocal. Keep the guitar busy in the intro and the gaps, and simpler under the verses.

Get the chords as free MIDI

Don't want to click every note into the piano roll? Open our free chord progression generator. Choose the Dark or Sad mood, set it to minor, pick A as your key and listen right in your browser. Download the MIDI and you get a chords track plus a bass line on the root notes, ready for FL Studio, Logic Pro, Ableton or any other DAW.

Then add the Spanish twist yourself: put an E major chord (E, G#, B) at the end of the loop, or change any E minor chord to E major by moving the G up to G#. That one note is the whole trick.

Working from a guitar sample or loop you found? Check its key and BPM first with Beat Lab, so the chords and melody you add actually fit.

Rather write than build a beat?

Listen to "Locura", a dancehall x reggaeton x salsa type beat by NameOnTheBeat, or browse all beats. Type beats are inspired by an artist's style, the artist is not involved. For more minor loops in the same world, check out these reggaeton chord progressions or the sad chord progressions.

FAQ

What is the most Spanish sounding chord progression?

The Andalusian cadence: Am, G, F, E. It walks down step by step and lands on E major. If you want one progression that sounds Spanish right away, this is it.

What scale do Spanish guitar melodies use?

A lot of them use the Phrygian sound, with a half step right above the root. Over the chords in this article, E Phrygian dominant (E, F, G#, A, B, C, D) or A harmonic minor (the same notes, starting on A) fits.

Why E major and not E minor?

In A minor the natural fifth chord is E minor. E major has a G#, which sits just a half step below A and pulls back to it. That pull is what makes the loop sound dramatic and Spanish instead of just sad.

Do these chords work for reggaeton and Latin trap?

Yes. Progressions 1, 5 and 6 sit well on a dembow or a trap beat. Keep the chords short and rhythmic and let the drums and bass carry the groove.

Can I use these chord progressions in a song I release?

Yes. Chord progressions are common building blocks in music, and the MIDI from our generator is free to use in your own tracks, also commercially. Just don't copy someone else's recording or melody.

Want more free help for your beats, like a BPM finder, master checker and audio converter? Check out all our free music tools.

Source for the Andalusian cadence and flamenco key: John Moore, "The Flamenco Key: Phrygian Mode, Andalucian Cadence, and Cambios" (UC San Diego).