Flute · Level 5 · Intermediate
The major ii–V–I in A major on Flute
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ii–V–I is the fundamental cadence of jazz. Learning it in every key builds the vocabulary you need for standards.
Bm7
Notes: B · D · F♯ · A
E7
Notes: E · G♯ · B · D
Amaj7
Notes: A · C♯ · E · G♯
HOW TO PRACTISE IT
Six steps to a clean loop.
- Play each chord as an arpeggio, one note at a time: Bm7, E7 and Amaj7. Press play on the card, then match each note.
- Keep a steady air stream between notes; for the higher notes, aim the air a little higher instead of blowing harder.
- Set the tempo to 60 BPM and play the progression with one chord per bar. Notice which notes stay and which move by one step between chords.
- Play the chord tones one at a time, one note per beat, tonguing each note lightly (“too”).
- Raise the tempo to 80 BPM once you can play the loop three times without stopping.
- Record one take, listen back and check for the smooth voice leading from ii7 into V7 and the release on Imaj7.
Listen for
Aim for the smooth voice leading from ii7 into V7 and the release on Imaj7. A common mistake is jumping to a distant shape instead of the nearest voicing.
Why it works
The seventh of each chord falls a half step to become the third of the next, a pattern called guide-tone voice leading.
A major has 3 sharps; its relative minor key is F♯ minor.
Questions
What are the chords in ii7–V7–Imaj7 in A major?
In A major the progression is Bm7 | E7 | Amaj7 | Amaj7.
What is the key signature of A major?
A major has 3 sharps. Its relative minor is F♯ minor.
Is this lesson right for my level?
This is a level 5 lesson (intermediate). If it feels too hard, start with “Minor seventh chords”.
Your hands learn faster than your eyes.
Reading a chord chart is step one. Play it to a metronome, record it, and hear yourself get better, all in one app.
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