Practice Lab

Guitar · progressions

ii–V–I in C minor on guitar

ii–V–I in C minor: Dm7♭5 – G7 – Cm7 – Cm7. Minor cadence with a half-diminished ii chord.

ChordNumeralNotesPages
Dm7♭5iiø7D F A♭ CDm7♭5 arpeggio · Dm7♭5 drop 2 voicings · D Locrian scale
G7V7G B D FG7 arpeggio · G7 drop 2 voicings · G Phrygian dominant scale
Cm7i7C E♭ G B♭Cm7 arpeggio · Cm7 drop 2 voicings · C minor scale
Cm7i7C E♭ G B♭Cm7 arpeggio · Cm7 drop 2 voicings · C minor scale

Drop 2 voicings

Four notes on four neighboring strings, the second 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.

34567E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 3, b3b3String 3, fret 5, b7b7String 2, fret 3, 11String 1, fret 4, b5b5
Dm7♭5 (iiø7)
Grip x-x-3-5-3-4 · frets 3–5
34567E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 3, b7b7String 3, fret 4, 33String 2, fret 3, 55String 1, fret 4, b9b9
G7♭9 (V7)
Grip x-x-3-4-3-4 · frets 3–4Voiced: ♭7 3 5 ♭9
12345E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 1, b3b3String 3, fret 2, 66String 2, fret 3, 99String 1, fret 3, 55
Cm6/9 (i7)
Grip x-x-1-2-3-3 · frets 1–3Voiced: ♭3 6 9 5
Show 1 more chordShow 2 more chordsShow less
12345E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 1, b3b3String 3, fret 2, 66String 2, fret 3, 99String 1, fret 3, 55
Cm6/9 (i7)
Grip x-x-1-2-3-3 · frets 1–3Voiced: ♭3 6 9 5
12345E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 1, b3b3String 3, fret 2, 66String 2, fret 3, 99String 1, fret 3, 55
Cm6/9 (i7)
Grip x-x-1-2-3-3 · frets 1–3Voiced: ♭3 6 9 5Bar 4: the same chord held

Top line: A♭ – A♭ – G – G

Practice ii–V–I in C 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.

7891011E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 8, b3b3String 3, fret 7, 11String 2, fret 9, b5b5String 1, fret 8, b7b7
Dm7♭5 (iiø7)
Grip x-8-x-7-9-8 · frets 7–9
7891011E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 8, b7b7String 3, fret 7, 55String 2, fret 9, b9b9String 1, fret 7, 33
G7♭9 (V7)
Grip x-8-x-7-9-7 · frets 7–9Voiced: ♭7 5 ♭9 3
1011121314E4B3G3D3A2E2String 6, fret 11, b3b3String 4, fret 12, 99String 3, fret 12, 55String 2, fret 10, 66
Cm6/9 (i7)
Grip 11-x-12-12-10-x · frets 10–12Voiced: ♭3 9 5 6
Show 1 more chordShow 2 more chordsShow less
1011121314E4B3G3D3A2E2String 6, fret 11, b3b3String 4, fret 12, 99String 3, fret 12, 55String 2, fret 10, 66
Cm6/9 (i7)
Grip 11-x-12-12-10-x · frets 10–12Voiced: ♭3 9 5 6
1011121314E4B3G3D3A2E2String 6, fret 11, b3b3String 4, fret 12, 99String 3, fret 12, 55String 2, fret 10, 66
Cm6/9 (i7)
Grip 11-x-12-12-10-x · frets 10–12Voiced: ♭3 9 5 6Bar 4: the same chord held

Top line: C – B – A – A

Practice ii–V–I in C 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.

1011121314E4B3G3D3A2E2String 6, fret 10, 11String 5, fret 11, b5b5String 3, fret 10, b3b3
Dm7♭5 (iiø7)
Grip 10-11-x-10-x-x · frets 10–11
910111213E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 10, 11String 4, fret 9, 33String 3, fret 10, b7b7
G7 (V7)
Grip x-10-9-10-x-x · frets 9–10
89101112E4B3G3D3A2E2String 6, fret 8, 11String 4, fret 8, b7b7String 3, fret 8, b3b3
Cm7 (i7)
Grip 8-x-8-8-x-x · fret 8
Show 1 more chordShow 2 more chordsShow less
89101112E4B3G3D3A2E2String 6, fret 8, 11String 4, fret 8, b7b7String 3, fret 8, b3b3
Cm7 (i7)
Grip 8-x-8-8-x-x · fret 8
89101112E4B3G3D3A2E2String 6, fret 8, 11String 4, fret 8, b7b7String 3, fret 8, b3b3
Cm7 (i7)
Grip 8-x-8-8-x-x · fret 8Bar 4: the same chord held

Top line: F – F – E♭ – E♭

Practice ii–V–I in C 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.

678910E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 8, b3b3String 4, fret 6, b5b5String 2, fret 8, 1111String 1, fret 8, b7b7
Dm7♭5(11) (iiø7)
Grip x-8-6-x-8-8 · frets 6–8Rootless: ♭3 ♭5 11 ♭7
678910E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 8, b7b7String 4, fret 6, b9b9String 3, fret 7, 55String 1, fret 7, 33
G7♭9 (V7)
Grip x-8-6-7-x-7 · frets 6–8Rootless: ♭7 ♭9 5 3
56789E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 6, b3b3String 4, fret 5, 55String 3, fret 7, 99String 1, fret 5, 66
Cm6/9 (i7)
Grip x-6-5-7-x-5 · frets 5–7Rootless: ♭3 5 9 6
Show 1 more chordShow 2 more chordsShow less
56789E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 6, b3b3String 4, fret 5, 55String 3, fret 7, 99String 1, fret 5, 66
Cm6/9 (i7)
Grip x-6-5-7-x-5 · frets 5–7Rootless: ♭3 5 9 6
56789E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 6, b3b3String 4, fret 5, 55String 3, fret 7, 99String 1, fret 5, 66
Cm6/9 (i7)
Grip x-6-5-7-x-5 · frets 5–7Rootless: ♭3 5 9 6Bar 4: the same chord held

Top line: C – B – A – A

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

With the tritone substitute: Dm7♭5 – D♭7 – Cm7 – Cm7

Dominant a tritone away; preserves the 3rd/7th guide tones and often creates chromatic bass motion. In drop 2 voicings. The voices move 14 semitones in all; the largest single step is 3. Notes that moved from the chord before are in the darker color.

12345E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 3, b3b3String 3, fret 1, b5b5String 2, fret 1, b7b7String 1, fret 3, 1111
Dm7♭5(11) (iiø7)
Grip x-x-3-1-1-3 · frets 1–3Voiced: ♭3 ♭5 ♭7 11
23456E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 3, 33String 3, fret 4, b7b7String 2, fret 2, 11String 1, fret 4, 55
D♭7 (tritone sub)
Grip x-x-3-4-2-4 · frets 2–4
12345E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 1, b3b3String 3, fret 2, 66String 2, fret 3, 99String 1, fret 3, 55
Cm6/9 (i7)
Grip x-x-1-2-3-3 · frets 1–3Voiced: ♭3 6 9 5
Show 1 more chordShow 2 more chordsShow less
12345E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 1, b3b3String 3, fret 2, 66String 2, fret 3, 99String 1, fret 3, 55
Cm6/9 (i7)
Grip x-x-1-2-3-3 · frets 1–3Voiced: ♭3 6 9 5
12345E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 1, b3b3String 3, fret 3, b7b7String 2, fret 1, 11String 1, fret 3, 55
Cm7 (i7)
Grip x-x-1-3-1-3 · frets 1–3Bar 4: the same chord held, another voicing

Top line: G – A♭ – G – G

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

Hear it in a tune

Tunes with this ii–V–I in their changes, comped through the whole form.

ii–V–I (minor) in every key

Practice it in Practice Lab

Comp ii–V–I in C 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