The ii7-V7-Imaj7 is an important chord progression in jazz music, and any music for that matter. Thousands of tunes utilize this set of chord changes, and so being able to improvise on them is a must! You name it, Autumn Leaves, You Stepped Out of a Dream, I Love You, Blue Bossa…they all have ii-V-I’s in them.
This play-along we have provided for you, takes the ii7-V7-Imaj7 progression through all 12 keys. Practicing in all 12 keys is an incredible way to master anything you are working on. It forces you to know your instrument better, use your ears more, and translate things you know in comfortable keys to difficult ones.
Each key is played 3X each, and cycles through the Circle of 4ths. If you are not familiar with the Circle of 4ths, it is simply changing keys in intervals of 4ths(Ex. C to F is a perfect 4th interval away). So cycling through the Circle of 4ths would be: C-F-Bb-Eb-Ab-Db-Gb-B-E-A-D-G. Count em’! That’s all 12!
Why do we practice a ii-V-I progression in 4ths? Well, its just one way to organize the exercise, but also think about it…the chords move in 4ths!(Ex. Dm7-G7-Cmaj7) It makes sense!
But what is a ii-V-I progression!? The numbers represent the tones in the key we are in. If we are in the key of C major, our ii would be D. You simply just walk yourself up the major scale. What would be the V? If you go up the scale to the 5th degree, it is G.
The lower case number means it is a minor chord. Upper case means either it is a dominant 7th chord or a major 7th chord. V7 is dominant, Imaj7 is major. So what is a ii7-V7-Imaj7 in C? Dm7-G7-Cmaj7.
Chord Charts
Chord_Progression_Practice_ii7_V7_Imaj7_C_Instruments
Chord_Progression_Practice_ii7_V7_Imaj7_Bb_Instruments
Chord_Progression_Practice_ii7_V7_Imaj7_Eb_Instruments
Play-Along
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