How To Play Jazz Guitar Part II: Minor II,V, I by Andy Drudy

Dealing with II, V, I progressions is fundamental to playing over diatonic chord sequences. Asides from
major II, V, I’s we also have to deal with the minor alternative. The chords in this sequence in the key of C
(Am) are..

Bm75 - E79 - Am

The harmony for this sequence is derived from A harmonic minor. Scales for the II and V chords will be
modes of the harmonic minor. However for the I chord, we will revert to natural minor, giving us a minor 7 th
chord instead of a tricky, unresolved sounding minor/major 7th.

For improvising over an 79 chord we can use a diminished arpeggio up a half step. So to play over G79

We could use A diminished arpeggio. A common chord sequence to practice over is as follows.

We can see fro this common chord progression, that after the E79 chord, we revert back into the key
of C.

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Minor 7 5 Arpeggios

Pattern 1

Pattern 2

Pattern 3

Pattern 4

Pattern 5

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Minor Seventh Arpeggios

Pattern 1

Pattern 2

Pattern 3

Pattern 4

Pattern 5

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79 Arpeggios

Pattern 1

Pattern 2

These are diminished arpeggios that will work over the altered 7th chord. For diminished we only
need two patterns as each pattern repeats up a minor third. To recap, a G7th flat 9 chord consist
of….

G–B–D–F

a G7th flat 9 chord consist of….

G – B – D – F – A
If we leave out the root note….

B – D – F – A

All the notes are a minor third apart and therefore a diminished chord. Any note can be the root
note. So for a 7th 9 chord, we can use a diminished arpeggio up a half step. (G7th 9 > A dim).

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Exercise 1

For this exercise we are going to learn to improvise around Am75 - D79 - Gm.

Play each arpeggio over the corresponding chord in the sequence. Try and vary what you play each
time and use all the notes in the arpeggios. Repeat over and over. The three arpeggios we are
going to use are as follows. Attempt to develop your ideas melodically and rhythmically as you go.

Am75

D79 (E Diminished)

Gm7

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Exercise 2

For this exercise we are going to learn to improvise around Dm75 - G79 - Cm.

The three arpeggios we are going to use are as follows.

Dm75

G79 (A Diminished)

Cm7

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Exercise 3

For this exercise we are going to learn to improvise around Gm75 - C79 – Fm7.

The three arpeggios we are going to use are as follows.

Gm75

C79 (D Diminished)

Fm7

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Exercise 4

For this exercise we are going to learn to improvise around Cm75 - F79 – Bm7.

The three arpeggios we are going to use are as follows.

Cm75

F79 (G Diminished)

Bm7

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Exercise 5

For this exercise we are going to learn to improvise around Fm75 - B79 – Em7..

The three arpeggios we are going to use are as follows.

Fm75

B79

Em7

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Scales
In a Minor II- V- I progression, for the II and V chord, the key modulates to the Harmonic Minor.
Therefore we can use modes of the harmonic minor to improvise over these chords. The II chord
(Xm75) we would use the second mode of the harmonic minor. The patterns are as follows.

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For the V chord or 79 chord, we use the fifth mode of the Harmonic Minor. The patterns are…

For the I chord, the scale would be a major/minor type with a major seventh and a minor third if we
remained in the harmonic minor. This harmony for most people is a little too colourful. So at this
point it is best to return to major scale harmony and play the natural minor or sixth mode, the
aolean. It is usually the case, as in the example given at the beginning, that the minor II-V I is used
as a transition to a minor chord in a standard major key. So it is best to examine how the I minor
chord fits into the key center and play the appropriate mode for the minor chord.

Copyright belongs to Andy Drudy. Use by permission only.

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