Haunting Jazz Piano Progressions: 5 Minor Chord Sequences That Send Chills

Looking to give your jazz piano playing a dark, cinematic edge this Halloween?

In this episode, I’ll show you 5 haunting minor progressions that completely transform the mood of your playing — from eerie to elegant, from ghostly to film-score beautiful.

You’ll learn how to:

Create the smoky “noir” sound with a looping minor progression that never resolves
Use mysterious chromatic movement to make your chords feel alive and shifting
Add emotional tension with one simple inner-voice motion
Borrow unexpected chords that surprise the ear and pull your listeners in
Build ghostly ii–V cycles that sound like they’re falling endlessly through the dark

These are the sounds of jazz at its most cinematic — perfect for intros, ballads, or anytime you want to give your harmony that haunted, late-night glow.