Minor ii-V-i options

by Per Danielsson

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In jazz studies we spend a great deal of time practicing voicings and the scales that relate to them. The first step is to learn Dorian scale over the ii chord, Mixolydian scale over the V chord and Major scale over the I chord. The next step is to explore what we can do over the V chord in order to create a tension that then releases when the I chord is played. To create tension over dominant chords, scales such as Diminished, Altered, Harmonic minor, Lydian b7, Whole-tone, etc. are used.

Sound wise, the minor ii-V-i progression differs from the Major ii-V-I in that the tension starts already on the ii chord. To create that tension there are different scales that can be used to cover both the ii chord and the V chord. When a scale covers several chords it’s called a blanket scale. What you will notice with blanket scales is that some notes sound better than other notes and some you have to compromise with to make them fit. It helps to think about the blanket scales as a sound that creates tension over several chords. It is very important to experiment with sounds in jazz, it gives you a more open minded approach, both to improvisation and composition. In this article we will explore how the major, melodic minor, harmonic minor and diminished scales are used in a minor ii-V-i progression. There are many other scales that can be used and should be studied, but the four scales mentioned above will serve as a solid foundation for understanding the minor ii-V-i sound.