Practice Lab

Guitar · progressions

ii–V–I in A minor on guitar

ii–V–I in A minor: Bm7♭5 – E7 – Am7 – Am7. Minor cadence with a half-diminished ii chord.

ChordNumeralNotesPages
Bm7♭5iiø7B D F ABm7♭5 arpeggio · Bm7♭5 drop 2 voicings · B Locrian scale
E7V7E G♯ B DE7 arpeggio · E7 drop 2 voicings · E Phrygian dominant scale
Am7i7A C E GAm7 arpeggio · Am7 drop 2 voicings · A minor scale
Am7i7A C E GAm7 arpeggio · Am7 drop 2 voicings · A minor scale

Drop 2 voicings

Four notes on four neighboring strings, the second voice from the top dropped an octave. The voices move 8 semitones in all; the largest single step is 2. Notes that moved from the chord before are in the darker color.

910111213E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 9, 11String 3, fret 10, b5b5String 2, fret 10, b7b7String 1, fret 10, b3b3
Bm7♭5 (iiø7)
Grip x-x-9-10-10-10 · frets 9–10
910111213E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 9, 55String 3, fret 10, b9b9String 2, fret 9, 33String 1, fret 10, b7b7
E7♭9 (V7)
Grip x-x-9-10-9-10 · frets 9–10Voiced: 5 ♭9 3 ♭7
7891011E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 7, 11String 3, fret 9, 55String 2, fret 7, 66String 1, fret 8, b3b3
Am6 (i7)
Grip x-x-7-9-7-8 · frets 7–9Voiced: 1 5 6 ♭3
Show 1 more chordShow 2 more chordsShow less
7891011E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 7, 11String 3, fret 9, 55String 2, fret 7, 66String 1, fret 8, b3b3
Am6 (i7)
Grip x-x-7-9-7-8 · frets 7–9Voiced: 1 5 6 ♭3
7891011E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 7, 11String 3, fret 9, 55String 2, fret 7, 66String 1, fret 8, b3b3
Am6 (i7)
Grip x-x-7-9-7-8 · frets 7–9Voiced: 1 5 6 ♭3Bar 4: the same chord held

Top line: D – D – C – C

Practice ii–V–I in A minor 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 6 semitones in all; the largest single step is 2. Notes that moved from the chord before are in the darker color.

45678E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 5, b3b3String 3, fret 4, 11String 2, fret 6, b5b5String 1, fret 5, b7b7
Bm7♭5 (iiø7)
Grip x-5-x-4-6-5 · frets 4–6
45678E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 5, b7b7String 3, fret 4, 55String 2, fret 6, b9b9String 1, fret 4, 33
E7♭9 (V7)
Grip x-5-x-4-6-4 · frets 4–6Voiced: ♭7 5 ♭9 3
7891011E4B3G3D3A2E2String 6, fret 8, b3b3String 4, fret 9, 99String 3, fret 9, 55String 2, fret 7, 66
Am6/9 (i7)
Grip 8-x-9-9-7-x · frets 7–9Voiced: ♭3 9 5 6
Show 1 more chordShow 2 more chordsShow less
7891011E4B3G3D3A2E2String 6, fret 8, b3b3String 4, fret 9, 99String 3, fret 9, 55String 2, fret 7, 66
Am6/9 (i7)
Grip 8-x-9-9-7-x · frets 7–9Voiced: ♭3 9 5 6
7891011E4B3G3D3A2E2String 6, fret 8, b3b3String 4, fret 9, 99String 3, fret 9, 55String 2, fret 7, 66
Am6/9 (i7)
Grip 8-x-9-9-7-x · frets 7–9Voiced: ♭3 9 5 6Bar 4: the same chord held

Top line: A – G♯ – F♯ – F♯

Practice ii–V–I in A minor 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 18 semitones in all; the largest single step is 7. Notes that moved from the chord before are in the darker color.

7891011E4B3G3D3A2E2String 6, fret 7, 11String 5, fret 8, b5b5String 3, fret 7, b3b3
Bm7♭5 (iiø7)
Grip 7-8-x-7-x-x · frets 7–8
678910E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 7, 11String 4, fret 6, 33String 3, fret 7, b7b7
E7 (V7)
Grip x-7-6-7-x-x · frets 6–7
56789E4B3G3D3A2E2String 6, fret 5, 11String 4, fret 5, b7b7String 3, fret 5, b3b3
Am7 (i7)
Grip 5-x-5-5-x-x · fret 5
Show 1 more chordShow 2 more chordsShow less
56789E4B3G3D3A2E2String 6, fret 5, 11String 4, fret 5, b7b7String 3, fret 5, b3b3
Am7 (i7)
Grip 5-x-5-5-x-x · fret 5
56789E4B3G3D3A2E2String 6, fret 5, 11String 4, fret 5, b7b7String 3, fret 5, b3b3
Am7 (i7)
Grip 5-x-5-5-x-x · fret 5Bar 4: the same chord held

Top line: D – D – C – C

Practice ii–V–I in A minor 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.

34567E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 5, b3b3String 4, fret 3, b5b5String 2, fret 5, 1111String 1, fret 5, b7b7
Bm7♭5(11) (iiø7)
Grip x-5-3-x-5-5 · frets 3–5Rootless: ♭3 ♭5 11 ♭7
34567E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 5, b7b7String 4, fret 3, b9b9String 3, fret 4, 55String 1, fret 4, 33
E7♭9 (V7)
Grip x-5-3-4-x-4 · frets 3–5Rootless: ♭7 ♭9 5 3
23456E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 3, b3b3String 4, fret 2, 55String 3, fret 4, 99String 1, fret 3, b7b7
Am9 (i7)
Grip x-3-2-4-x-3 · frets 2–4Rootless: ♭3 5 9 ♭7
Show 1 more chordShow 2 more chordsShow less
23456E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 3, b3b3String 4, fret 2, 55String 3, fret 4, 99String 1, fret 3, b7b7
Am9 (i7)
Grip x-3-2-4-x-3 · frets 2–4Rootless: ♭3 5 9 ♭7
23456E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 3, b3b3String 4, fret 2, 55String 3, fret 4, 99String 1, fret 2, 66
Am6/9 (i7)
Grip x-3-2-4-x-2 · frets 2–4Rootless: ♭3 5 9 6Bar 4: the same chord held, another voicing

Top line: A – G♯ – G – F♯

Practice ii–V–I in A minor in rootless voicings

With the tritone substitute: Bm7♭5 – B♭7 – Am7 – Am7

Dominant a tritone away; preserves the 3rd/7th guide tones and often creates chromatic bass motion. In drop 2 voicings. The voices move 11 semitones in all; the largest single step is 2. Notes that moved from the chord before are in the darker color.

678910E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 7, b7b7String 3, fret 7, b3b3String 2, fret 6, b5b5String 1, fret 7, 11
Bm7♭5 (iiø7)
Grip x-x-7-7-6-7 · frets 6–7
678910E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 6, b7b7String 3, fret 7, 33String 2, fret 6, 55String 1, fret 8, 99
B♭9 (tritone sub)
Grip x-x-6-7-6-8 · frets 6–8Voiced: ♭7 3 5 9
56789E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 7, 11String 3, fret 5, b3b3String 2, fret 7, 66String 1, fret 7, 99
Am6/9 (i7)
Grip x-x-7-5-7-7 · frets 5–7Voiced: 1 ♭3 6 9
Show 1 more chordShow 2 more chordsShow less
56789E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 7, 11String 3, fret 5, b3b3String 2, fret 7, 66String 1, fret 7, 99
Am6/9 (i7)
Grip x-x-7-5-7-7 · frets 5–7Voiced: 1 ♭3 6 9
56789E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 5, b7b7String 3, fret 5, b3b3String 2, fret 5, 55String 1, fret 7, 99
Am9 (i7)
Grip x-x-5-5-5-7 · frets 5–7Voiced: ♭7 ♭3 5 9Bar 4: the same chord held, another voicing

Top line: B – C – B – B

Practice ii–V–I in A minor with the tritone substitute

ii–V–I (minor) in every key

Practice it in Practice Lab

Comp ii–V–I in A minor 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