Chord progression · D major

The jazz cadence (ii–V–I) in D major

The most important progression in jazz: ii7 sets up the tension of V7, which resolves home to Imaj7. Jazz standards are full of ii–V–I’s moving through different keys.

Heard in “Autumn Leaves” (built from ii–V–I’s) and many more.

Chords in D major: Em7→A7→Dmaj7
Numerals: ii7V7Imaj7

Play along

4 bars of 4 beats, looping · pick a key above to transpose

Tempo 90 BPM Click

1Em7ii7

2A7V7

3Dmaj7Imaj7

4Dmaj7Imaj7

Strum pattern: ↓ ↓↑ ↑↓↑ (down, down-up, up-down-up) — count “1 2 & 3 & 4 &”. Learn this strum →

The chords

ii7 Em7

E G B D

V7 A7

A7/E

Imaj7 Dmaj7

Dmaj7/F♯

Piano voicings use inversions so each chord is as close as possible to the one before — your hand barely moves. Switch to “Root position” to compare.

ii–V–I in every key

C D♭D E♭E F F♯G A♭A B♭B

More progressions in D major

I–V–vi–IV I–IV–V–IV I–vi–IV–V vi–IV–I–V 12-bar blues I–vi–ii–V I–V–vi–iii–IV–I–IV–V I–♭VII–IV–I