Jazz · Advanced · major key

Tritone-substitute ii–♭II–I

ii7 – ♭II7 – Imaj7 — A ii–V–I where the V is swapped for the chord a tritone away: the bass slides down chromatically.

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 – ♭II7 – Imaj7 — in C major that is Dm7 – Db7 – Cmaj7. 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").
• ♭II7 — a major chord a half step above home: exotic and tense.
• Imaj7 — the home chord — the progression feels finished when it lands here.

Tritone-substitute ii–♭II–I 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

• ii–V–I–VI turnaround ii7 – V7 – Imaj7 – VI7
• Jazz blues I7 – IV7 – I7 – I7 – IV7 – ♯iv°7 – I7 – VI7 – ii7 – V7 – I7 – V7
• "Fly Me to the Moon" cycle vi7 – ii7 – V7 – Imaj7 – IVmaj7 – viiø7 – III7 – vi7
• Diminished passing chord (I–#i°7–ii–V) I – ♯i°7 – ii – V
• Bird blues (Parker changes) Imaj7 – viiø7 – III7 – vi7 – II7 – v7 – I7 – IV7 – iv7 – ♭VII7 – iii7 – VI7 – ii7 – ♭III7 – ii7 – V7
• Rhythm changes A section Imaj7 – vi7 – ii7 – V7 – iii7 – VI7 – ii7 – V7

← Bossa nova I–II7–ii–♭II7 · Backdoor ii–V (iv7–♭VII7–I) →

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