Jazz · Intermediate · major key

ii–V–I–IV

ii7 – V7 – Imaj7 – IVmaj7 — A ii–V–I that drifts on to the IV — the opening of many standards.

Chord shapes in G major (standard tuning)

Using a different tuning? Open it in the Looper — it finds playable shapes for whatever tuning you choose.

How the chords work

Written in Roman numerals, this progression is ii7 – V7 – Imaj7 – IVmaj7 — in C major that is Dm7 – G7 – Cmaj7 – Fmaj7. Each numeral is a step of the scale; upper case is a major chord, lower case minor.

• ii7 — a soft minor chord that leads towards V (a "pre-dominant").
• V7 — the tension chord that wants to resolve home.
• Imaj7 — the home chord — the progression feels finished when it lands here.
• IVmaj7 — a bright, open chord a fourth above home — the "amen" chord.

ii–V–I–IV in all 12 keys

Practice ideas

• Beginners: play one strum per chord and say the chord names out loud, then two strums, then a steady down-down-up-up-down-up pattern.
• Change keys with a capo: keep the G major shapes and move a capo up — the capo calculator shows which fret gives the key you want.
• Solo over it: loop it in the Looper and improvise with the G major pentatonic or G major scale — the scale pages show every position and play a backing track.
• Train your ear: the progression ear trainer mixes this with similar progressions until you can tell them apart.

Similar progressions

• "Fly Me to the Moon" cycle vi7 – ii7 – V7 – Imaj7 – IVmaj7 – viiø7 – III7 – vi7
• Jazz blues I7 – IV7 – I7 – I7 – IV7 – ♯iv°7 – I7 – VI7 – ii7 – V7 – I7 – V7
• Bird blues (Parker changes) Imaj7 – viiø7 – III7 – vi7 – II7 – v7 – I7 – IV7 – iv7 – ♭VII7 – iii7 – VI7 – ii7 – ♭III7 – ii7 – V7
• Imaj7–vi7–ii7–V7 Imaj7 – vi7 – ii7 – V7
• Circle progression (vi–ii–V–I) vi – ii – V – I
• I6–vi7 swing vamp I6 – vi7 – ii7 – V7

← ii–V–iii–vi chain · Imaj7–vi7–ii7–V7 →

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