What Scale Do You Play Over a ii-V-I in Jazz?

Feb 9

Which scale goes over a ii-V-I in jazz?

This is one of the most often asked questions I hear, and the answer is simpler than you think!

The Short Answer

For beginners, I teach students to use the parent scale for a ii-V-I. The “two to the five” are like sister and brother, and the parent scale is like the family they belong to. Go down a whole step from the “ii” and you will find the parent scale.

For example:

Dm7 - G7 - Cmaj7
Use the C major scale over all of it!
Go down a whole step from D to find the parent scale

Another example:

Gm - C7 - Fmaj7
Use the F Major Scale over all of it!
Go down a whole step from G to find the parent scale

By focusing on one scale, you can see the patterns in jazz and develop fluency in improvisation faster.

Important Limitation

This trick applies to:

Major keys
Diatonic ii-V-I chord progressions

Minor keys and altered dominants follow a different logic (a topic for another lesson).

How to Apply This to a Real Song

I encourage you to apply this concept to Honeysuckle Rose as a starter tune. Use the F Major scale over the first 16 measures, for fluency! The Gm to C7 in the first four bars is a ii V in the key of F, so you can use the F major scale over the first 5 measures. Don’t worry about the Bb7 to C7 as a beginner, that is just a turnaround and it will resolve quickly. Keep playing the F major scale over the first 8 measures, and you will sound great and have fun while playing!

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