Cycles & Chains

Half-Step ii-V Chain

ii-Vs falling by half steps: iii-VI, the ii-V a half step lower, then ii-V-I.

Tempo 120 BPM

Practice in all 12 keys

Bar 1: Em7 iii7 A7 VI7
Bar 2: E♭m7 ♭iii7 A♭7 ♭VI7
Bar 3: Dm7 ii7 G7 V7
Bar 4: Cmaj7 Imaj7

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

Em7
A7
Ebm7
Ab7
Dm7
G7
Cmaj7

Meter: 4/4
Bars: 4

The middle ii-V (Ebm7 Ab7 in C) is a chromatic step between the other two, and Ab7 is also the tritone substitute for D7, the V of V. Sliding ii-Vs like these are a staple of bebop reharmonization. Practice them as a sequence: play one idea on the first ii-V and move it down a half step for each of the others.

Reharmonize Analyze these changes

Tritone substitutes

Em7 A7 Ebm7 Ab7 Dm7 Db7 Cmaj7

Each dominant 7th that resolves down a fifth becomes the dominant a tritone away, which shares its 3rd and 7th, so the bass moves by half steps.
Backdoor dominants

Em7 A7 Ebm7 Ab7 Fm7 Bb7 Cmaj7

Each V7 resolving to a major chord comes in by the back door from bVII7, with iv7 for its ii, borrowed from the minor key.

Reharmonize Analyze these changes

Tritone substitutes

Backdoor dominants