ii-V-I
The most important progression in jazz harmony.
The ii-V-I (also written 2-5-1) is the most common chord progression in jazz. It moves from the ii chord to the V chord to the I chord, and in C major that is Dm7, G7, Cmaj7. The roots fall by a fifth at each step and the upper voices resolve by half step, which is why the progression sounds like it is coming home. Below you can hear it, see it in all twelve keys, and follow the same shape into minor.
The progression in C major
Dm7, G7, Cmaj7. Press play, then change the key with the selector below the keyboard to hear the same three-chord pattern in any key.
Turn on voice leading in the player to hear the chords connect, or learn voice leading.
What is the ii-V-I progression?
The Roman numerals name each chord by its position in a key. The ii is built on the second scale degree and is a minor seventh chord. The V is built on the fifth degree and is a dominant seventh chord. The I is built on the first degree and is a major seventh chord. In C major that is Dm7, G7, Cmaj7. Because the pattern is described in Roman numerals rather than letter names, it works in every key: the shape stays the same and only the chord names change as you transpose.
The major ii-V-I in all twelve keys
The same ii7, V7, Imaj7 shape, spelled in each of the twelve common keys.
| Key | ii | V | I |
|---|---|---|---|
| C major | Dm7 | G7 | Cmaj7 |
| Db major | Ebm7 | Ab7 | Dbmaj7 |
| D major | Em7 | A7 | Dmaj7 |
| Eb major | Fm7 | Bb7 | Ebmaj7 |
| E major | F#m7 | B7 | Emaj7 |
| F major | Gm7 | C7 | Fmaj7 |
| Gb major | Abm7 | Db7 | Gbmaj7 |
| G major | Am7 | D7 | Gmaj7 |
| Ab major | Bbm7 | Eb7 | Abmaj7 |
| A major | Bm7 | E7 | Amaj7 |
| Bb major | Cm7 | F7 | Bbmaj7 |
| B major | C#m7 | F#7 | Bmaj7 |
Why it resolves so strongly
Two forces pull the progression home at the same time. First, the roots fall by a perfect fifth at each step, from D to G to C, the strongest root motion in tonal harmony. Second, the guide tones (the third and seventh of each chord) move by half step: the seventh of Dm7 (C) falls to the third of G7 (B), and the seventh of G7 (F) falls to the third of Cmaj7 (E). The shared tone F, held from the third of Dm7 into the seventh of G7, keeps the line smooth. Strong bass motion plus stepwise inner voices is the whole reason the ii-V-I sounds like an arrival.
Major ii-V-I versus minor ii-V-i
The minor form keeps the same fifth-falling roots but changes two chords. The ii becomes half-diminished (a minor seventh flat five, written iiø7) and the tonic becomes minor. In C minor that is Dø7 (also written Dm7b5), G7, Cm. The dominant often adds a flat ninth in minor for an even stronger pull. Hear it, then read it in all twelve keys.
The minor form in C minor
Dø7, G7, Cm. The half-diminished ii (also written Dm7b5) is the tell that you are in a minor key.
| Key | ii | V | I |
|---|---|---|---|
| C major | Dø7 | G7 | Cm |
| Db major | Ebø7 | Ab7 | Dbm |
| D major | Eø7 | A7 | Dm |
| Eb major | Fø7 | Bb7 | Ebm |
| E major | F#ø7 | B7 | Em |
| F major | Gø7 | C7 | Fm |
| Gb major | Abø7 | Db7 | Gbm |
| G major | Aø7 | D7 | Gm |
| Ab major | Bbø7 | Eb7 | Abm |
| A major | Bø7 | E7 | Am |
| Bb major | Cø7 | F7 | Bbm |
| B major | C#ø7 | F#7 | Bm |
How it is used in jazz and gospel
In jazz the ii-V-I is the unit of harmony. Whole standards are chains of ii-V-I moves into different keys, and improvisers practice it in all twelve keys precisely because it turns up everywhere. Players color it with extensions (ninths, thirteenths), tritone substitutions on the V, and the related circle-of-fifths motion.
Gospel and neo-soul lean on the same progression but voice it richly, stacking extended and altered chords and adding passing dominants and chromatic approach chords between the ii, the V, and the I. The skeleton is still ii-V-I; the voicings are what give the style its lush, church-organ sound.