Jazz · Advanced · major key
Rhythm changes A section
Imaj7 – vi7 – ii7 – V7 – iii7 – VI7 – ii7 – V7 — The fast-moving changes behind hundreds of bebop tunes.
Easiest guitar key: G major
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 Imaj7 – vi7 – ii7 – V7 – iii7 – VI7 – ii7 – V7 — in C major that is Cmaj7 – Am7 – Dm7 – G7 – Em7 – A7 – Dm7 – G7. Each numeral is a step of the scale; upper case is a major chord, lower case minor.
- Imaj7 — the home chord — the progression feels finished when it lands here.
- vi7 — the relative minor — the "sad" chord of a major key.
- ii7 — a soft minor chord that leads towards V (a "pre-dominant").
- V7 — the tension chord that wants to resolve home.
- iii7 — a gentle minor chord that shares two notes with I.
- VI7 — a major VI — the "V of ii".
Rhythm changes A section in all 12 keys
| Key | Chords | Hear / play |
|---|---|---|
| C major | Cmaj7Am7Dm7G7Em7A7Dm7G7 | Looper |
| G major | Gmaj7Em7Am7D7Bm7E7Am7D7 | Looper |
| D major | Dmaj7Bm7Em7A7F#m7B7Em7A7 | Looper |
| A major | Amaj7F#m7Bm7E7C#m7F#7Bm7E7 | Looper |
| E major | Emaj7C#m7F#m7B7G#m7C#7F#m7B7 | Looper |
| B major | Bmaj7G#m7C#m7F#7D#m7G#7C#m7F#7 | Looper |
| F# major | F#maj7D#m7G#m7C#7A#m7D#7G#m7C#7 | Looper |
| Db major | Dbmaj7Bbm7Ebm7Ab7Fm7Bb7Ebm7Ab7 | Looper |
| Ab major | Abmaj7Fm7Bbm7Eb7Cm7F7Bbm7Eb7 | Looper |
| Eb major | Ebmaj7Cm7Fm7Bb7Gm7C7Fm7Bb7 | Looper |
| Bb major | Bbmaj7Gm7Cm7F7Dm7G7Cm7F7 | Looper |
| F major | Fmaj7Dm7Gm7C7Am7D7Gm7C7 | Looper |
Songs that use it
- I Got Rhythm — George Gershwin
Song examples use this progression (or a very close variant) in at least one main section; keys and voicings differ.
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
- Bird blues (Parker changes) Imaj7 – viiø7 – III7 – vi7 – II7 – v7 – I7 – IV7 – iv7 – ♭VII7 – iii7 – VI7 – ii7 – ♭III7 – ii7 – V7
- Jazz circle iii–vi–ii–V–I iii7 – vi7 – ii7 – V7 – Imaj7
- "Fly Me to the Moon" cycle vi7 – ii7 – V7 – Imaj7 – IVmaj7 – viiø7 – III7 – vi7
- ii–V–iii–vi chain ii7 – V7 – iii7 – vi7
- iii–VI7–ii–V7 turnaround iii7 – VI7 – ii7 – V7
- ii–V–I–VI turnaround ii7 – V7 – Imaj7 – VI7
← Montgomery-Ward bridge (I7–IV–II7–V) · Secondary dominant (I–II7–IV–I) →
← All 198 chord progressions · Generate a new one
Questions
What chords are in the Imaj7 – vi7 – ii7 – V7 – iii7 – VI7 – ii7 – V7 progression?
In G major: Gmaj7 – Em7 – Am7 – D7 – Bm7 – E7 – Am7 – D7. In C major / A minor: Cmaj7 – Am7 – Dm7 – G7 – Em7 – A7 – Dm7 – G7. The table on this page lists all 12 keys.
What is the best key to play Imaj7 – vi7 – ii7 – V7 – iii7 – VI7 – ii7 – V7 on guitar?
G major uses the most open-position chord shapes in standard tuning. Use a capo with those shapes to reach other keys.
What songs use the rhythm changes a section?
For example: I Got Rhythm — George Gershwin.