Welcome to your first step on the road to ii–V–I mastery. This first step contains 3 videos that cover ii-V-I harmony.

The ii–V–I progression is the backbone of countless jazz standards and appears across styles from blues to pop. From the fluid lines of Wes Montgomery to the refined voicings of Joe Pass, this timeless sequence has shaped the sound of generations. In this course, we’ll explore both the fundamentals and more advanced concepts—diving into creative substitutions and harmonic possibilities to help expand your musical vocabulary and deepen your understanding of this essential progression.

Before we dive into the next steps—where we’ll explore a wide variety of melodic phrases over all kinds of ii–V–I settings—let’s take a moment to set the stage.

The topic of learning and practicing vocabulary is often discussed, and occasionally debated, but one thing most agree on is this: learning lines you love—especially ones drawn from the masters—is a vital part of the jazz guitar journey.

That said, how we approach learning vocabulary can make all the difference. It’s not just about memorizing licks—it’s about absorbing them in a way that helps us internalize the sound, feel, and purpose behind each phrase. So before we jump into all the musical material, I’d like to share a few thoughts on how to approach vocabulary in a way that sets you up for long-term success and creativity.

As we continue down the road to ii–V–I mastery, we’re shifting our focus to long-form major ii–V–I phrases.

It can feel overwhelming to encounter so many musical lines at once, but remember—this is just the beginning. Take your time, listen closely, and let your ear guide you. The phrases that naturally catch your attention are the ones worth learning and adding to your personal vocabulary. From there, you can apply the concepts from the Sourdough Starter lesson to stretch, reshape, and build entirely new ideas from just one—or a handful—of favorites.

Let’s dive in!

As with every lesson on this website, it’s really important that we bring things back to the world of music and repertoire as early and as often as possible. That’s why, after each phrase pack, I’ll give you a selection of four or five tunes that feature the progression we’re working on. This way, you’re not only guided toward a musical application for the phrases, but you’ll also be expanding your repertoire as you learn the tune(s).

I don’t just want you to grab a play-along track or open iReal Pro and blow a bunch of choruses over the changes like it’s just a sandbox for your cool new phrases. Instead, I want you to take a step back and actually learn the tune—internalize it—so that your repertoire is growing alongside your vocabulary. After all, when we play, we want to serve the song. So, to practice this mindset, we need to learn the songs and keep them in mind as we shed the phrases.

Some great tunes that feature long major ii–V–I progressions are:

• Autumn Leaves

• Green Dolphin Street

• Solar

• How High the Moon

Pick one or more of these tunes to work on over the next few weeks alongside the melodic vocabulary we covered in the previous step. Once you’ve memorized a tune and feel ready to move on, head over to the next step.

Not too far down the road from our long-form major ii–V–I phrases, we arrive at their short-form counterparts.

The key difference here is in the rhythm: instead of one bar per chord, the ii and V are squeezed into a single bar—two beats each—before resolving to the I. Just like before, let your ear lead the way. Focus on the phrases that resonate with you, and don’t forget to apply the Sourdough Starter mindset—those small ideas can still yield big results.

Here’s a little trade secret: you can often take a long-form phrase and start it from the V chord—it’ll still work beautifully in the short-form. In fact, it’s common to treat the entire ii–V as if it were just the V, especially when time is tight.

Have fun with it—and see where these compact ideas can take you!

As always, I want to make sure you’re connecting the vocabulary to real music as soon as possible. So I’ve included a list of tunes that feature short major ii–V–I progressions. These are perfect for putting the phrases into context and developing a real-world feel for how they work in action.

Here are some great tunes to explore that feature short major ii–V–Is:

• Joy Spring

• Star Eyes

• Four on Six

• God Bless the Child

• I Remember You

Pick one or two to work on while you’re internalizing the phrases from this section. Try to identify where the ii–V–Is happen in the tune, and then experiment with inserting some of the lines you’ve just learned. Over time, this will help you develop the instinct for when and how to use these phrases in your own solos.

Once you feel comfortable with these shorter ideas and you’ve got at least one of the tunes under your fingers, go ahead and move on to the next step.

Now that we’ve covered both long and short-form major phrases, it’s time we take a turn on journey into less familiar territory and take turn our attention to the minor form! As we’ve mentioned before, let your ear lead you and apply those Sourdough Starter methods here.

Take your time, experiment with these new sounds, and most importantly—have fun with it.

Now that you’ve worked through some long minor ii–V–I phrases, it’s time to put them into a musical context. Minor ii–V–Is tend to have a darker, more introspective quality, and when they’re stretched out over multiple bars, they give you plenty of space to explore tension, resolution, and color. The phrases you’ve just learned are designed to highlight those qualities and give you a solid foundation for navigating this sound world.

To help you connect these lines to real music, here’s a selection of tunes that feature long minor ii–V–I progressions. These tunes often sit in a minor key for extended periods, giving you time to stretch out and really say something with the vocabulary.

Some great examples of tunes with long minor ii–V–Is include:

• Beautiful Love

• Blue Bossa

• The Shadow of Your Smile

• Gentle Rain

• Autumn Leaves

Pick one or more of these to dig into alongside the phrases from this lesson. Listen closely for how the harmony unfolds and try to identify where the ii–V–I is happening in the minor key. Once you’ve got a tune under your fingers and feel confident applying the vocabulary in context, go ahead and move on to the next step.

Further down the road—just like with our major-form cousin—we arrive at the short-form minor ii–V–i.

As with the short major phrases, we can zoom in on that single bar of ii–V and treat it as one dominant space leading into the resolution. This approach simplifies our thinking and opens the door to more fluid, natural phrasing.

And just like before, bring everything we’ve covered with you: keep the Sourdough Starter mindset, trust your ear to guide you, and stay curious as you shape these ideas into something personal and musical.

To help you hear and feel these short minor progressions in action, here’s a list of tunes that make great use of them.

Check out the following tunes, all of which include short minor ii–V–I movements:

• Alone Together

• But Beautiful

• Come Rain or Come Shine

• Black Orpheus

• Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise

Choose one or two to focus on as you internalize the phrases from this section. Try to spot the short minor ii–V–I progressions and experiment with plugging in some of the licks you’ve just learned alongside the melody. The more you practice in real musical contexts, the more naturally these ideas will find their way into your playing.

When you’re feeling solid with the phrases and the tunes, head over to the next lesson and we’ll keep building from there.

As we near the end of this journey, we arrive at another classic progression in the jazz world—the I–VI–ii–V.

It’s a staple in countless standards and often shows up as a turnaround in blues tunes as well. There are a few great ways to approach this: one is to lean into traditional blues vocabulary—many classic blues phrases sound right at home over this progression. Another option is to take a more jazz-oriented path, targeting each chord individually with clear voice leading and harmonic awareness. Or, better yet, combine the two!

Experimentation is half the fun. Trust your ears to guide you—they’re often the best judge of what feels right. Keep applying everything we’ve covered so far, and let’s keep moving forward.

Now that you’ve worked through some phrases over the 1–6–2–5 progression, let’s connect that vocabulary to real music. The 1–6–2–5 is a classic turnaround that…

Continuing on with the I-VI-ii-V, lets talk about rhythm changes.

Built from the bones of George and Ira Gershwin’s “I Got Rhythm,” this progression has become a cornerstone of the jazz language. It shows up all over the place—in standards, in bebop, in swing—and it’s a form that every serious improviser should feel comfortable with.

We’ll be exploring it through the lens of melodic improvisation, especially in the swing and early bebop styles. There’s something really special about how those early players danced through these changes—it’s lyrical, it’s swinging, and it’s full of charm.

This lesson isn’t just about learning more licks. It’s about deepening our connection to the music, expanding our vocabulary, and finding ways to express ourselves with more nuance and feeling. So whether you’re looking to bring a little old-school flavor into your playing or just want to get more comfortable navigating this foundational form, this is a great place to spend some time.

Grab your guitar, get cozy, and let’s explore the rhythm changes together.

Now that you’ve come to terms with rhythm changes—the harmony, the substitutions, the phrasing—it’s time to bring it all back to the music. The best…