Lessons

Lesson 49: Common Chord Progressions

II-V(-I)

The II-V(-I) progression is the most common one in jazz. In C major, the progression is:
Dm7 - G7 - Cmaj7
and in C minor, the progression is:
Dm7b5 - G7alt - Cm

I-VI-II-V/ III-VI-II-V

The I-VI-II-V progression is another very common one in jazz. In C major, the progression is:
Cmaj7 - A7 - Dm7 - G7

A very close relative is the III-VI-II-V progression. In C major, the progression is:
Em7 - A7 - Dm7 - G7

The Circle of Fifths

The root progression of a perfect fifth downwards ( a perfect fourth upwards) is very strong. It is very common for this to occur several times in a row, thus the roots of the chords will back-cycle through the circle of fifths ( see picture).

Example 1 ( in C):
The chords can be all diatonic to the the key of C major:
Dm7 - G7 - Cmaj7 - Fmaj7
The cycle can be completed by using the root progression of a tritone once:
Bm7b5 - E7 - Am
or simply continued, yielding new tonal centers:
Bbmaj7 - Ebmaj7 - Abmaj7
and then we need the tritone again to get back to C:
Dm7 - G7 - Cmaj7

Example 2 ( in C):
It is also very common for dominant seventh chords to back-cycle through the circle of fifths:
E7 - A7 - D7 - G7

Diatonic Step-Wise Movement

Diatonic step-wise movement is also very common. In C major, take this type of progression:
Cmaj7 - Dm7 - Em7 - Dm7

Chromatic Movement

Chromatic movement is also very common. In C major, take this type of progression:
Fmaj7 - Fm7 - Em7 - Ebdim - Dm7 - G7 - C or
F#m7b5 - Fm7 - Em7 - Ebdim - Dm7 - G7 - C

Side-Slipping

In a harmonically static situation, the technique of side-slipping can be used. Side-slipping is always a half step up from the original tonal center:

Dm7   |      |      |      | ( original)
Dm7   |      |      |Ebm7  | ( with side-slipping)

Functional Harmony

In ( traditional diatonic western) functional harmony, there are three basic sound groups:

tonic
subdominant
dominant

In C major, the chords are:

tonic: Cmaj7 ( Imaj7)
subdominant: Fmaj7 ( IVmaj7)
dominant: G7 ( V7)

and each one has its relative minor chord:

relative to the tonic: Am7 ( VIm7)
relative to the subdominant: Dm7 ( IIm7)
relative to the dominant: Em7 ( IIIm7)

If we group the chords according to their sound, we get:

tonic sound: Cmaj7, Em7 and Am7 ( Imaj7, IIIm7 and VIm7)
subdominant sound: Fmaj7 and Dm7 ( IVmaj7 and IIm7)
dominant sound: G7 ( V7)

The Relative Strength of Root Progressions

Very strong root progressions are:

down a perfect 5th ( = up a perfect 4th)
down a half step

rather strong root progressions are:

up a whole step
up a perfect 5th ( = down a perfect 4th)

weaker root progressions are:

down a whole step
up a half step

all other root progressions ( 3rd, 6th and tritone) are very weak.