Practice Lab

Guitar · progressions

I–vi–ii–V in C on guitar

I–vi–ii–V in C: Cmaj7 – Am7 – Dm7 – G7. The common 1625 turnaround, voiced for smooth voice leading.

ChordNumeralNotesPages
Cmaj7IC E G BCmaj7 arpeggio · Cmaj7 drop 2 voicings · C major scale
Am7viA C E GAm7 arpeggio · Am7 drop 2 voicings · A minor scale
Dm7iiD F A CDm7 arpeggio · Dm7 drop 2 voicings · D Dorian scale
G7VG B D FG7 arpeggio · G7 drop 2 voicings · G Mixolydian scale

Drop 2 voicings

Four notes on four neighboring strings, the second voice from the top dropped an octave. The voices move 5 semitones in all; the largest single step is 2. Notes that moved from the chord before are in the darker color.

34567E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 3, 11String 4, fret 5, 55String 3, fret 4, 77String 2, fret 5, 33
Cmaj7 (I)
Grip x-3-5-4-5-x · frets 3–5
34567E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 3, b3b3String 4, fret 5, b7b7String 3, fret 4, 99String 2, fret 5, 55
Am9 (vi)
Grip x-3-5-4-5-x · frets 3–5Voiced: ♭3 ♭7 9 5
56789E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 5, 11String 4, fret 5, 1111String 3, fret 5, b7b7String 2, fret 6, b3b3
Dm7(11) (ii)
Grip x-5-5-5-6-x · frets 5–6Voiced: 1 11 ♭7 ♭3
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56789E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 5, 11String 4, fret 5, 1111String 3, fret 5, b7b7String 2, fret 6, b3b3
Dm7(11) (ii)
Grip x-5-5-5-6-x · frets 5–6Voiced: 1 11 ♭7 ♭3
45678E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 5, 55String 4, fret 5, 11String 3, fret 4, 33String 2, fret 6, b7b7
G7 (V)
Grip x-5-5-4-6-x · frets 4–6

Top line: E – E – F – F

Practice I–vi–ii–V in C in drop 2 voicings

Drop 3 voicings

Four notes with a string skipped above the bass, the third voice from the top dropped an octave. The voices move 7 semitones in all; the largest single step is 2. Notes that moved from the chord before are in the darker color.

34567E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 3, 11String 3, fret 4, 77String 2, fret 5, 33String 1, fret 3, 55
Cmaj7 (I)
Grip x-3-x-4-5-3 · frets 3–5
34567E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 3, b3b3String 3, fret 4, 99String 2, fret 5, 55String 1, fret 3, b7b7
Am9 (vi)
Grip x-3-x-4-5-3 · frets 3–5Voiced: ♭3 9 5 ♭7
56789E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 5, 11String 3, fret 5, b7b7String 2, fret 6, b3b3String 1, fret 5, 55
Dm7 (ii)
Grip x-5-x-5-6-5 · frets 5–6
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56789E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 5, 11String 3, fret 5, b7b7String 2, fret 6, b3b3String 1, fret 5, 55
Dm7 (ii)
Grip x-5-x-5-6-5 · frets 5–6
45678E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 5, 55String 3, fret 4, 33String 2, fret 6, b7b7String 1, fret 5, 99
G9 (V)
Grip x-5-x-4-6-5 · frets 4–6Voiced: 5 3 ♭7 9

Top line: G – G – A – A

Practice I–vi–ii–V in C in drop 3 voicings

Shell voicings

Three notes: the root in the bass with the 3rd and 7th, the notes that name the chord. The voices move 22 semitones in all; the largest single step is 7. Notes that moved from the chord before are in the darker color.

23456E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 3, 11String 4, fret 2, 33String 3, fret 4, 77
Cmaj7 (I)
Grip x-3-2-4-x-x · frets 2–4
56789E4B3G3D3A2E2String 6, fret 5, 11String 4, fret 5, b7b7String 3, fret 5, b3b3
Am7 (vi)
Grip 5-x-5-5-x-x · fret 5
34567E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 5, 11String 4, fret 3, b3b3String 3, fret 5, b7b7
Dm7 (ii)
Grip x-5-3-5-x-x · frets 3–5
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34567E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 5, 11String 4, fret 3, b3b3String 3, fret 5, b7b7
Dm7 (ii)
Grip x-5-3-5-x-x · frets 3–5
34567E4B3G3D3A2E2String 6, fret 3, 11String 4, fret 3, b7b7String 3, fret 4, 33
G7 (V)
Grip 3-x-3-4-x-x · frets 3–4

Top line: B – C – C – B

Practice I–vi–ii–V in C in shell voicings

Rootless voicings

Four notes without the root, with a 9th or 13th in its place: the bass player plays the root. The voices move 11 semitones in all; the largest single step is 5. Notes that moved from the chord before are in the darker color.

7891011E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 7, 33String 3, fret 7, 99String 2, fret 8, 55String 1, fret 7, 77
Cmaj9 (I)
Grip x-7-x-7-8-7 · frets 7–8Rootless: 3 9 5 7
7891011E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 7, 55String 3, fret 7, 1111String 2, fret 8, b7b7String 1, fret 8, b3b3
Am7(11) (vi)
Grip x-7-x-7-8-8 · frets 7–8Rootless: 5 11 ♭7 ♭3
7891011E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 8, b3b3String 4, fret 7, 55String 3, fret 9, 99String 1, fret 8, b7b7
Dm9 (ii)
Grip x-8-7-9-x-8 · frets 7–9Rootless: ♭3 5 9 ♭7
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7891011E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 8, b3b3String 4, fret 7, 55String 3, fret 9, 99String 1, fret 8, b7b7
Dm9 (ii)
Grip x-8-7-9-x-8 · frets 7–9Rootless: ♭3 5 9 ♭7
7891011E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 8, b7b7String 4, fret 7, 99String 3, fret 9, 1313String 1, fret 7, 33
G13 (V)
Grip x-8-7-9-x-7 · frets 7–9Rootless: ♭7 9 13 3

Top line: B – C – C – B

Practice I–vi–ii–V in C in rootless voicings

With the tritone substitute: Cmaj7 – Am7 – Dm7 – D♭7

Dominant a tritone away; preserves the 3rd/7th guide tones and often creates chromatic bass motion. In drop 2 voicings. The voices move 7 semitones in all; the largest single step is 2. Notes that moved from the chord before are in the darker color.

89101112E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 9, 77String 3, fret 9, 33String 2, fret 8, 55String 1, fret 10, 99
Cmaj9 (I)
Grip x-x-9-9-8-10 · frets 8–10Voiced: 7 3 5 9
89101112E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 10, b3b3String 3, fret 9, 55String 2, fret 8, b7b7String 1, fret 10, 1111
Am7(11) (vi)
Grip x-x-10-9-8-10 · frets 8–10Voiced: ♭3 5 ♭7 11
1011121314E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 10, b7b7String 3, fret 10, b3b3String 2, fret 10, 55String 1, fret 10, 11
Dm7 (ii)
Grip x-x-10-10-10-10 · fret 10
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1011121314E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 10, b7b7String 3, fret 10, b3b3String 2, fret 10, 55String 1, fret 10, 11
Dm7 (ii)
Grip x-x-10-10-10-10 · fret 10
910111213E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 9, b7b7String 3, fret 10, 33String 2, fret 9, 55String 1, fret 9, 11
D♭7 (tritone sub)
Grip x-x-9-10-9-9 · frets 9–10

Top line: D – D – D – D♭

Practice I–vi–ii–V in C with the tritone substitute

Try a substitution

The same progression with a substitution the app offers, voice-led the same way, with the chords in every key.

I–vi–ii–V (1625) in every key

Practice it in Practice Lab

Comp I–vi–ii–V in C in Practice Lab: voicings chosen to move smoothly, which voice moves where, and substitutions such as the tritone sub to hear what they change. Free, in your browser, no account.

Open it in Practice Lab