Seven kinds of ii–V–I

1Major

ii – V – I
DCFAGBFGCBEG
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Listen for: The ii’s seventh falls a half step to the V’s third, which holds as the major seventh.

2Extended

ii9 – V13 – Imaj9
DFCEGBFAECEBD
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Listen for: The ii’s ninth holds as the V’s thirteenth, then falls a whole step to the I’s ninth.

3Minor

iiø – V7♭9 – i
DCFA♭GBFA♭CAE♭G
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Listen for: The ii’s flat fifth holds as the V’s flat nine, then falls a half step to the fifth, in minor or major.

Heard in“There Will Never Be Another You”“Night and Day”, resolving to major

4Minor, altered

iiø – V7alt – i
DA♭CFGBFA♯E♭CGAE♭
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Listen for: The ii’s minor third falls a whole step to the V’s ♭13, which holds as the minor third of the i.

5Tritone substitute

ii – ♭II7 – I
DCFAD♭C♭FA♭CBEG
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Listen for: The bass walks down by half steps. Swap in the V and the third and seventh stay where they are.

6Back door

iv – ♭VII7 – I

Fm7 and Bb7 are the ii–V of the key a minor third above C major.

FE♭A♭CB♭DA♭B♭CEGB
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Listen for: The key’s flat sixth holds through the first two chords, then falls a half step to the fifth of the I.

7Sus V

ii – V7sus4 – I

G7sus4 is close to Dm7 over the V’s root, a ii–V in one chord.

DCFAGCFGCBEG
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Listen for: The ii’s seventh and third hold over the new bass, then each falls a half step.

Midi Settings

7.5
Play Style
One pass of the pick from the lowest string up, everything left ringing.
Instrument
350
150

Style

Shows each chord the way this style would voice it, and marks which of its alternatives belong to the idiom.

Layout

Left Handed Mode