12/18/2017 JAZCLASS : The 2-5-1 Chord Progression of the harmonic minor scale by Michael Furstner

Chord Progression
IIø - V7 - Imin
of the harmonic minor scale

Description
C | Db | D | Eb | E | F | F# - Gb | G | Ab | A | Bb | B

SCALES CHORDS
major triad chords
pentatonic 7th chord qualities
minor scale-tone chords
pentatonic IIm7 - V7 - Imaj7
blues scale progression
major scale IIø - V7 - Imin
natural minor progression
harmonic
minor Key signatures
melodic
minor

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The IIø - V7 - Imin Chord Progression of the Harmonic minor

scale
Below are the first (ImM7), second (IIø) and fifth (V7) scale-tone chords of the
harmonic minor scale.
Audio 1

Placed in Circle of Fifths order they form the commonly used scale-tone chord
progression of the harmonic minor scale.
The minorMajor I chord however is not a good ending chord in this segment and it is
replaced by the minor triad, which also fits in the harmonic minor scale, or by the
minor 7th chord which does not fit into the scale.

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Audio 2

This chord segment and the parts thereof (IIø-V7, V7-Im and V7-Im7) are the most
commonly used segments to reflect the minor mood and tonality in most Western
music, but especially in Jazz standards, Latin and Popular music .

Improvisation practice over this segment in all keys is therefore important for the Jazz
improviser.
Below a typical practice routine, where you play

the harmonic minor 2-mode over the IIø chord

the harmonic minor 5-mode over the V7 chord, and

the harmonic minor scale over the Imin triad chord.

Audio 3

The D harmonic minor 2-mode and G harmonic minor 5-mode are both derived
from the C harmonic minor scale. The same seven notes are therefore used for the
entire II-V-I segment.

The mode, and as a result, the perceived tonality changes from one chord to the next.
Even if you do not consciously think of different modes, the underlying chords will
produce the associated mode sound and your ear will select the notes accordingly.

There are, to my knowledge, no specific names for these two modes. I call them
conveniently "harmonic minor 2-mode" and "harmonic minor 5-mode", as this
indicates the starting note ("tonic") and focal centre for each mode.

In many song progressions the I minor triad is replaced by the I minor 7th chord :

(IIø -) V7 - Imin7
.

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12/18/2017 JAZCLASS : The 2-5-1 Chord Progression of the harmonic minor scale by Michael Furstner

This chord does not belong to the harmonic minor scale (its b7 is not included in the
scale).
In these instances use

the harmonic minor 2-mode over the IIø chord, and

the harmonic minor 5-mode over the V7 chord, and

the Dorian mode over the Imin7 chord.

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The IIø-V7-Imin chord progression and corresponding modes in all 12 keys are listed
below in Circle of Fifths order. Chord tones are shown in bold.
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1. Dø - G7 - Cmin     D   Eb   F   G   Ab   B   C   D = D harmonic minor 2-mode

G   Ab   B   C   D   Eb   F   G = G harmonic minor 5-mode

C   D   Eb   F   G   Ab   B   C = C harmonic minor scale

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2. Aø - D7 - Gmin     A   Bb   C   D   Eb   F#   G   A = A harmonic minor 2-mode

D   Eb   F#   G   A   Bb   C   D = D harmonic minor 5-mode

G   A   Bb   C   D   Eb   F#   G = G harmonic minor scale

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3. Eø - A7 - Dmin     E   F   G   A   Bb   C#   D   E = E harmonic minor 2-mode

A   Bb   C#   D   E   F   G   A = A harmonic minor 5-mode

D   E   F   G   A   Bb   C#   D = D harmonic minor scale

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4. Bø - E7 - Amin     B   C   D   E   F   G#   A   B = B harmonic minor 2-mode

E   F   G#   A   B   C   D   E = E harmonic minor 5-mode

A   B   C   D   E   F   G#   A = A harmonic minor scale

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5. F#ø - B7 - Emin     F#   G   A   B   C   D#   E   F# = F# harmonic minor 2-mode

B   C   D#   E   F#   G   A   B = B harmonic minor 5-mode

E   F#   G   A   B   C   D#   E = E harmonic minor scale

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6. C#ø - F#7 - Bmin     C#   D   E   F#   G   A#   B   C# = C# harmonic minor 2-mode

F#   G   A#   B   C#   D   E   F# = F# harmonic minor 5-mode

B   C#   D   E   F#   G   A#   B = B harmonic minor scale

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7. G#ø - C#7 - F#min     G#   A   B   C#   D   F   F#   G# = G# harmonic minor 2-mode

C#   D   F   F#   G#   A   B   C# = C# harmonic minor 5-mode

F#   G#   A   B   C#   D   F   F# = F# harmonic minor scale

7a. Abø - Db7 - Gbmin     Ab   A   B   Db   D   F   Gb   Ab = Ab harmonic minor 2-mode

Db   D   F   Gb   Ab   A   B   Db = Db harmonic minor 5-mode

Gb   Ab   A   B   Db   D   F   Gb = Gb harmonic minor scale

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8. Ebø - Ab7 - Dbmin     Eb   E   Gb   Ab   A   C   Db   Eb = Eb harmonic minor 2-mode

Ab   A   C   Db   Eb   E   Gb   Ab = Ab harmonic minor 5-mode

Db   Eb   E   Gb   Ab   A   C   Db = Db harmonic minor scale

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9. Bbø - Eb7 - Abmin    

Bb   B   Db   Eb   E   G   Ab   Bb
= Bb harmonic minor 2-mode
Eb   E   G   Ab   Bb   B   Db   Eb
= Eb harmonic minor 5-mode
Ab   Bb   B   Db   Eb   E   G   Ab
= Ab harmonic minor scale

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10. Fø - Bb7 - Ebmin     F   Gb   Ab   Bb   B   D   Eb   F = F harmonic minor 2-mode

Bb   B   D   Eb   F   Gb   Ab   Bb = Bb harmonic minor 5-mode

Eb   F   Gb   Ab   Bb   B   D   Eb = Eb harmonic minor scale

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11. Cø - F7 - Bbmin     C   Db   Eb   F   Gb   A   Bb   C = C harmonic minor 2-mode

F   Gb   A   Bb   C   Db   Eb   F = F harmonic minor 5-mode

Bb   C   Db   Eb   F   Gb   A   Bb = Bb harmonic minor scale

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12. Gø - C7 - Fmin     G   Ab   Bb   C   Db   E   F   G = G harmonic minor 2-mode

C   Db   E   F   G   Ab   Bb   C = C harmonic minor 5-mode

F   G   Ab   Bb   C   Db   E   F = F harmonic minor scale

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Copyright © 2005 Michael Furstner. All rights reserved.

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