TUTORIALS 1 Intervals 2 Triads 3 7th Chords 4 Major & Minor Scale Tone Harmony 5 Modes of the Major Scale 6 Composite Minor Scale Tone Harmony 7 The Major II-V-I Progression 8 The Minor II-V-I Progression 9 Type A&B Left Hand Piano Voicings HOME ABOUT MIKE NELSON ABOUT JENNY WRENN CONTACT ABOUT US (WNP) JAZZ EDUCATION [including FREE Tutorials] RECORDINGS LINKS CLIENT PAGES GIGS - WHAT'S ON

TUTORIAL 7 - The Major II V I Progression The Major Scale generates a family of seven scale tone chords. [revise: Tutorial 4] While all or any of the seven chords may be used to express a particular tonality, jazz composers tend to use the II V I progression most frequently. The II V I progression is the basic harmonic building block for the bulk of the standard jazz repertoire. This "building block" is often used in "incomplete" forms such as II V, V I or even individual II, V or I chords. In ex.1, the partial building block II V is used in a variety of keys. The piece only comes to rest in measure 7 where we briefly encounter a I chord for the first time. The chords then quickly move away descending in half steps to set up a "Turnback" or "Turnaround" to Cmi7. In ex.2, the complete II V I building block is used. In ex.3, the partial building block V I is used in a variety of keys. Here the key centres are descending in major 3rd intervals (keys of B, G and Eb). Identifying the intervallic relationships between the various key centres is vital to understanding the structure of a piece. [next tutorial] ©Mike Nelson 2001