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Chord Progression
 IIø - V7 - Imin
of the harmonic minor scale

Description
C | Db | D | Eb | E | F | F# - Gb | G | Ab | A | Bb | B

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The IIø - V7 - Imin Chord Progression of the Harmonic minor scale

Below are the first (ImM7), second (IIø) and fifth (V7) scale-tone chords of the harmonic minor scale.

Audio 1
I chord, II chord and V chord of the C harmonic minor scale

Placed in Circle of Fifths order they form the commonly used scale-tone chord progression of the harmonic minor scale.
The minorMajor I chord however is not a good ending chord in this segment and it is replaced by the minor triad, which also fits in the harmonic minor scale, or by the minor 7th chord which does not fit into the scale.

Audio 2
IIø-V7-Imin progression of the C major scale

This chord segment and the parts thereof (IIø-V7, V7-Im and V7-Im7) are the most commonly used segments to reflect the minor mood and tonality in most Western music, but especially in Jazz standards, Latin and Popular music .

Improvisation practice over this segment in all keys is therefore important for the Jazz improviser.
Below a typical practice routine, where you play
  • the harmonic minor 2-mode over the IIø chord

  • the harmonic minor 5-mode over the V7 chord, and

  • the harmonic minor scale over the Imin triad chord.
Audio 3
IIø-V7-Imin and corresponding modes

The D harmonic minor 2-mode and G harmonic minor 5-mode are both derived from the C harmonic minor scale. The same seven notes are therefore used for the entire II-V-I segment.

The mode, and as a result, the perceived tonality changes from one chord to the next.
Even if you do not consciously think of different modes, the underlying chords will produce the associated mode sound and your ear will select the notes accordingly.

There are, to my knowledge, no specific names for these two modes. I call them conveniently "harmonic minor 2-mode" and "harmonic minor 5-mode", as this indicates the starting note ("tonic") and focal centre for each mode.


In many song progressions the I minor triad is replaced by the I minor 7th chord :

(IIø -) V7 - Imin7
.

This chord does not belong to the harmonic minor scale (its b7 is not included in the scale).
In these instances use

  • the harmonic minor 2-mode over the IIø chord, and

  • the harmonic minor 5-mode over the V7 chord, and

  • the Dorian mode over the Imin7 chord.


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The IIø-V7-Imin chord progression and corresponding modes in all 12 keys are listed below in Circle of Fifths order. Chord tones are shown in bold.

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1. Dø - G7 - Cmin     D   Eb   F   G   Ab   B   C   D

G   Ab   B   C   D   Eb   F   G

C   D   Eb   F   G   Ab   B   C 		= D harmonic minor 2-mode

= G harmonic minor 5-mode

= C harmonic minor scale

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2. Aø - D7 - Gmin     A   Bb   C   D   Eb   F#   G   A

D   Eb   F#   G   A   Bb   C   D

G   A   Bb   C   D   Eb   F#   G 		= A harmonic minor 2-mode

= D harmonic minor 5-mode

= G harmonic minor scale

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3. Eø - A7 - Dmin     E   F   G   A   Bb   C#   D   E

A   Bb   C#   D   E   F   G   A

D   E   F   G   A   Bb   C#   D 		= E harmonic minor 2-mode

= A harmonic minor 5-mode

= D harmonic minor scale

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4. Bø - E7 - Amin     B   C   D   E   F   G#   A   B

E   F   G#   A   B   C   D   E

A   B   C   D   E   F   G#   A 		= B harmonic minor 2-mode

= E harmonic minor 5-mode

= A harmonic minor scale

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5. F#ø - B7 - Emin     F#   G   A   B   C   D#   E   F#

B   C   D#   E   F#   G   A   B

E   F#   G   A   B   C   D#   E 		= F# harmonic minor 2-mode

= B harmonic minor 5-mode

= E harmonic minor scale

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6. C#ø - F#7 - Bmin     C#   D   E   F#   G   A#   B   C#

F#   G   A#   B   C#   D   E   F#

B   C#   D   E   F#   G   A#   B 		= C# harmonic minor 2-mode

= F# harmonic minor 5-mode

= B harmonic minor scale

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7. G#ø - C#7 - F#min     G#   A   B   C#   D   F   F#   G#

C#   D   F   F#   G#   A   B   C#

F#   G#   A   B   C#   D   F   F# 		= G# harmonic minor 2-mode

= C# harmonic minor 5-mode

= F# harmonic minor scale



7a. Abø - Db7 - Gbmin    


Ab   A   B   Db   D   F   Gb   Ab

Db   D   F   Gb   Ab   A   B   Db

Gb   Ab   A   B   Db   D   F   Gb


= Ab harmonic minor 2-mode

= Db harmonic minor 5-mode

= Gb harmonic minor scale

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8. Ebø - Ab7 - Dbmin     Eb   E   Gb   Ab   A   C   Db   Eb

Ab   A   C   Db   Eb   E   Gb   Ab

Db   Eb   E   Gb   Ab   A   C   Db 		= Eb harmonic minor 2-mode

= Ab harmonic minor 5-mode

= Db harmonic minor scale

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9. Bbø - Eb7 - Abmin     Bb   B   Db   Eb   E   G   Ab   Bb

Eb   E   G   Ab   Bb   B   Db   Eb

Ab   Bb   B   Db   Eb   E   G   Ab


= Bb harmonic minor 2-mode

= Eb harmonic minor 5-mode

= Ab harmonic minor scale

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10. Fø - Bb7 - Ebmin     F   Gb   Ab   Bb   B   D   Eb   F

Bb   B   D   Eb   F   Gb   Ab   Bb

Eb   F   Gb   Ab   Bb   B   D   Eb 		= F harmonic minor 2-mode

= Bb harmonic minor 5-mode

= Eb harmonic minor scale

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11. Cø - F7 - Bbmin     C   Db   Eb   F   Gb   A   Bb   C

F   Gb   A   Bb   C   Db   Eb   F

Bb   C   Db   Eb   F   Gb   A   Bb 		= C harmonic minor 2-mode

= F harmonic minor 5-mode

= Bb harmonic minor scale

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12. Gø - C7 - Fmin     G   Ab   Bb   C   Db   E   F   G

C   Db   E   F   G   Ab   Bb   C

F   G   Ab   Bb   C   Db   E   F 		= G harmonic minor 2-mode

= C harmonic minor 5-mode

= F harmonic minor scale



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