Chord sequence

Dmaj7, Dm6, Amaj7

Dmaj7 Dm6 Amaj7

Tempo 120 BPM

Rootless Shells Guide tones Rooted shells Rooted Drop 2

Four-note rootless voicings in their two forms, with the 3rd or the 7th on the bottom, played over the root.

Customize each chord

Dmaj7
Dm6
Amaj7

Analysis

Heard in A major

Each chord's roman numeral and role in A major
Chord	Numeral	Role
Dmaj7	IVmaj7	Subdominant
Dm6	iv6	Borrowed from A minor
Amaj7	Imaj7	Tonic

Progressions in these changes

All the chords

Minor Plagal Cadence in A

IV to minor iv to I: a plagal (IV-I) cadence whose IV chord turns minor on the way home, borrowing its b6 from the parallel minor.

Scales to play

Over Dmaj7 · IVmaj7

D Lydian

Mode 4 of Major
Over Dm6 · iv6

D Melodic Minor

The melodic minor scale is similar to the major scale with only one difference - it use...
Over Amaj7 · Imaj7

A Ionian

The major scale and its modes are the most commonly used scales in western music.