iiø7–V7–i

The iiø7–V7–i progression is the minor-key counterpart to the major ii–V7–I. The half-diminished chord on the second degree creates a dark, tense pre-dominant that moves to the dominant seventh before resolving to the minor tonic. This cadence is essential to minor-key jazz harmony and appears throughout the Great American Songbook whenever a tune modulates to or establishes a minor key.

Pattern: iiø7 – V7 – i   Example in A Minor: Bø7 – E7 – Am

Genre: jazz, classical, film   Difficulty: intermediate

Choose a Key

A Minor Bø7 – E7 – Am E Minor F♯ø7 – B7 – Em B Minor C♯ø7 – F♯7 – Bm F♯ Minor G♯ø7 – C♯7 – F♯m C♯ Minor D♯ø7 – G♯7 – C♯m G♯ Minor A♯ø7 – D♯7 – G♯m D Minor Eø7 – A7 – Dm G Minor Aø7 – D7 – Gm C Minor Dø7 – G7 – Cm F Minor Gø7 – C7 – Fm B♭ Minor Cø7 – F7 – Bbm E♭ Minor Fø7 – B♭7 – Ebm

Song Examples

Related Progressions

ii–V7–I viihd7–I i–iv–V