Practice Lab

Guitar · progressions

ii–V–I in E minor on guitar

ii–V–I in E minor: F♯m7♭5 – B7 – Em7 – Em7. Minor cadence with a half-diminished ii chord.

ChordNumeralNotesPages
F♯m7♭5iiø7F♯ A C EF♯m7♭5 arpeggio · F♯m7♭5 drop 2 voicings · F♯ Locrian scale
B7V7B D♯ F♯ AB7 arpeggio · B7 drop 2 voicings · B Phrygian dominant scale
Em7i7E G B DEm7 arpeggio · Em7 drop 2 voicings · E minor scale
Em7i7E G B DEm7 arpeggio · Em7 drop 2 voicings · E 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.

7891011E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 7, b3b3String 3, fret 9, b7b7String 2, fret 7, 11String 1, fret 8, b5b5
F♯m7♭5 (iiø7)
Grip x-x-7-9-7-8 · frets 7–9
7891011E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 7, b7b7String 3, fret 8, 33String 2, fret 7, 55String 1, fret 8, b9b9
B7♭9 (V7)
Grip x-x-7-8-7-8 · frets 7–8Voiced: ♭7 3 5 ♭9
56789E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 5, b3b3String 3, fret 6, 66String 2, fret 7, 99String 1, fret 7, 55
Em6/9 (i7)
Grip x-x-5-6-7-7 · frets 5–7Voiced: ♭3 6 9 5
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56789E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 5, b3b3String 3, fret 6, 66String 2, fret 7, 99String 1, fret 7, 55
Em6/9 (i7)
Grip x-x-5-6-7-7 · frets 5–7Voiced: ♭3 6 9 5
56789E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 5, b3b3String 3, fret 6, 66String 2, fret 7, 99String 1, fret 7, 55
Em6/9 (i7)
Grip x-x-5-6-7-7 · frets 5–7Voiced: ♭3 6 9 5Bar 4: the same chord held

Top line: C – C – B – B

Practice ii–V–I in E 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 8 semitones in all; the largest single step is 2. Notes that moved from the chord before are in the darker color.

89101112E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 9, 11String 3, fret 9, b7b7String 2, fret 10, b3b3String 1, fret 8, b5b5
F♯m7♭5 (iiø7)
Grip x-9-x-9-10-8 · frets 8–10
89101112E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 9, 55String 3, fret 8, 33String 2, fret 10, b7b7String 1, fret 8, b9b9
B7♭9 (V7)
Grip x-9-x-8-10-8 · frets 8–10Voiced: 5 3 ♭7 ♭9
7891011E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 7, 11String 3, fret 7, b7b7String 2, fret 8, b3b3String 1, fret 7, 55
Em7 (i7)
Grip x-7-x-7-8-7 · frets 7–8
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7891011E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 7, 11String 3, fret 7, b7b7String 2, fret 8, b3b3String 1, fret 7, 55
Em7 (i7)
Grip x-7-x-7-8-7 · frets 7–8
678910E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 7, 11String 3, fret 6, 66String 2, fret 8, b3b3String 1, fret 7, 55
Em6 (i7)
Grip x-7-x-6-8-7 · frets 6–8Voiced: 1 6 ♭3 5Bar 4: the same chord held, another voicing

Top line: C – C – B – B

Practice ii–V–I in E 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 19 semitones in all; the largest single step is 7. Notes that moved from the chord before are in the darker color.

910111213E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 9, 11String 4, fret 10, b5b5String 3, fret 9, b7b7
F♯m7♭5 (iiø7)
Grip x-9-10-9-x-x · frets 9–10
7891011E4B3G3D3A2E2String 6, fret 7, 11String 4, fret 7, b7b7String 3, fret 8, 33
B7 (V7)
Grip 7-x-7-8-x-x · frets 7–8
56789E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 7, 11String 4, fret 5, b3b3String 3, fret 7, b7b7
Em7 (i7)
Grip x-7-5-7-x-x · frets 5–7
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56789E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 7, 11String 4, fret 5, b3b3String 3, fret 7, b7b7
Em7 (i7)
Grip x-7-5-7-x-x · frets 5–7
1011121314E4B3G3D3A2E2String 6, fret 12, 11String 5, fret 10, b3b3String 4, fret 12, b7b7
Em7 (i7)
Grip 12-10-12-x-x-x · frets 10–12Bar 4: the same chord held, another voicing

Top line: E – D♯ – D – D

Practice ii–V–I in E 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.

1011121314E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 12, b3b3String 4, fret 10, b5b5String 2, fret 12, 1111String 1, fret 12, b7b7
F♯m7♭5(11) (iiø7)
Grip x-12-10-x-12-12 · frets 10–12Rootless: ♭3 ♭5 11 ♭7
1011121314E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 12, b7b7String 4, fret 10, b9b9String 3, fret 11, 55String 1, fret 11, 33
B7♭9 (V7)
Grip x-12-10-11-x-11 · frets 10–12Rootless: ♭7 ♭9 5 3
910111213E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 10, b3b3String 4, fret 9, 55String 3, fret 11, 99String 1, fret 9, 66
Em6/9 (i7)
Grip x-10-9-11-x-9 · frets 9–11Rootless: ♭3 5 9 6
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910111213E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 10, b3b3String 4, fret 9, 55String 3, fret 11, 99String 1, fret 9, 66
Em6/9 (i7)
Grip x-10-9-11-x-9 · frets 9–11Rootless: ♭3 5 9 6
910111213E4B3G3D3A2E2String 5, fret 10, b3b3String 4, fret 9, 55String 3, fret 11, 99String 1, fret 9, 66
Em6/9 (i7)
Grip x-10-9-11-x-9 · frets 9–11Rootless: ♭3 5 9 6Bar 4: the same chord held

Top line: E – D♯ – C♯ – C♯

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

With the tritone substitute: F♯m7♭5 – F7 – Em7 – Em7

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.

56789E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 7, b3b3String 3, fret 5, b5b5String 2, fret 5, b7b7String 1, fret 7, 1111
F♯m7♭5(11) (iiø7)
Grip x-x-7-5-5-7 · frets 5–7Voiced: ♭3 ♭5 ♭7 11
678910E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 7, 33String 3, fret 8, b7b7String 2, fret 6, 11String 1, fret 8, 55
F7 (tritone sub)
Grip x-x-7-8-6-8 · frets 6–8
56789E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 5, b3b3String 3, fret 6, 66String 2, fret 7, 99String 1, fret 7, 55
Em6/9 (i7)
Grip x-x-5-6-7-7 · frets 5–7Voiced: ♭3 6 9 5
Show 1 more chordShow 2 more chordsShow less
56789E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 5, b3b3String 3, fret 6, 66String 2, fret 7, 99String 1, fret 7, 55
Em6/9 (i7)
Grip x-x-5-6-7-7 · frets 5–7Voiced: ♭3 6 9 5
56789E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 5, b3b3String 3, fret 7, b7b7String 2, fret 5, 11String 1, fret 7, 55
Em7 (i7)
Grip x-x-5-7-5-7 · frets 5–7Bar 4: the same chord held, another voicing

Top line: B – C – B – B

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

ii–V–I (minor) in every key

Practice it in Practice Lab

Comp ii–V–I in E 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.

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