Violin · Level 5 · Intermediate
The major ii–V–I in C major on Violin
Don’t just read about The major ii–V–I in C 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.
Dm7
Notes: D · F · A · C
G7
Notes: G · B · D · F
Cmaj7
Notes: C · E · G · B
HOW TO PRACTISE IT
Six steps to a clean loop.
- Play each chord as an arpeggio, one note at a time: Dm7, G7 and Cmaj7. Press play on the card, then match each note.
- Stay in first position: use the open string where you can and keep the fingers close to the string.
- 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, with a full, even bow on each.
- 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.
C major has no sharps or flats; its relative minor key is A minor.
Questions
What are the chords in ii7–V7–Imaj7 in C major?
In C major the progression is Dm7 | G7 | Cmaj7 | Cmaj7.
What is the key signature of C major?
C major has no sharps or flats. Its relative minor is A 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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