ii-V-I Chord Progression
The ii-V-I chord progression is one of the two most frequently encountered harmonic progressions found in the jazz language.
It describes the following harmonic sequence:
It also occurs in minor keys as:
The ii-V-I progression is extremely common in standard jazz harmony. Because thousands of jazz tunes use this progression, it is essential that you develop skills in playing solo lines, voicings, and bass lines over the ii-V-I progression in both major and minor.
It describes the following harmonic sequence:
- a minor 7th chord built on the 2nd degree of a major scale, moving to
- a dominant 7th chord built on the 5th degree of that major scale, resolving to
- a major 7th chord based on the root of that major scale
It also occurs in minor keys as:
- a ii minor 7th (b5), moving to
- a V7(#9), resolving to
- a I minor chord
The ii-V-I progression is extremely common in standard jazz harmony. Because thousands of jazz tunes use this progression, it is essential that you develop skills in playing solo lines, voicings, and bass lines over the ii-V-I progression in both major and minor.