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.

Jazz Chords Made Easy For Beginners Video

Transcript

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!

Our Honeysuckle Rose Resources: