Piano · Level 5 · Intermediate
The major ii–V–I in D♭ major on Piano
Don’t just read about The major ii–V–I in D♭ major. Play it.
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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.
E♭m7
Notes: E♭ · G♭ · B♭ · D♭
A♭7
Notes: A♭ · C · E♭ · G♭
D♭maj7
Notes: D♭ · F · A♭ · C
HOW TO PRACTISE IT
Six steps to a clean loop.
- Play each chord on its own: E♭m7, A♭7 and D♭maj7. Press play on the chord card, then match the sound.
- Keep the right hand curved over the keys and move it as one unit between chords.
- 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 left-hand bass note on beat one and the right-hand chord on every beat.
- 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.
D♭ major has 5 flats; its relative minor key is B♭ minor.
Questions
What are the chords in ii7–V7–Imaj7 in D♭ major?
In D♭ major the progression is E♭m7 | A♭7 | D♭maj7 | D♭maj7.
What is the key signature of D♭ major?
D♭ major has 5 flats. Its relative minor is B♭ 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”.
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