II–V–I

What it means

The II–V–I cadence is a chord progression made of the chord on the second degree, that on the fifth degree, and that on the first degree of a key. In major it corresponds to the supertonic (often functioning as a subdominant substitute), the dominant, and the tonic; in minor it is adjusted accordingly. It counts as a basic building block of jazz harmony.

Musical use

In C major the progression runs roughly Dm7–G7–Cmaj7, usually played with seventh chords, which bring out the function of each chord more clearly. The cadence produces a smooth bass line falling in fourths and a clear tension-resolution motion toward the tonic. Jazz musicians practise II–V–I progressions in all keys to be able to improvise over chord changes, and composers string several II–V–I turns together to move through different keys.

The II–V–I cadence should be distinguished from the simple dominant-to-tonic cadence without a preparatory intermediate step, and from the secondary dominant, which forms a dominant to a degree other than the tonic. The II–V–I progression combines preparation, tension, and resolution in three clearly successive steps.

Performance practice

Practise the II–V–I progression in all twelve keys, first as chords, then as improvised melodic lines over them. Listen especially to the bass line in fourths and to the resolution of the dominant chord's seventh, which usually leads a semitone down to the root of the tonic.