ii–V–I · D major
The ii–V–I in D major is Em7 – A7 – D△7. Over Em7 play Dorian (E F♯ G A B C♯ D); Over A7 play Mixolydian (A B C♯ D E F♯ G); Over D△7 play Ionian (major) (D E F♯ G A B C♯). D major is a natural key for guitarists and violinists; the ii chord, Em7, uses open strings in first position, so start there and then move the shape up the neck.
Interactive trainer
Piano · Em7 with Dorian
Guitar · standard tuning
Piano · A7 with Mixolydian
Guitar · standard tuning
Piano · D△7 with Ionian (major)
Guitar · standard tuning
Click any chord card to see its scale, and tap any key or fret to hear that note. Turn on “+ Arpeggios” or “+ Scales” and the guitar or piano plays the line live over the vamp, lighting each note on the diagram as it sounds. All audio is synthesized in your browser — nothing is recorded or copyrighted.
Reference
| Function | Chord | Chord tones (1–3–5–7) | Chord-scale | Scale notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ii⁷ | Em7 | E – G – B – D | Dorian | E F♯ G A B C♯ D |
| V⁷ | A7 | A – C♯ – E – G | Mixolydian | A B C♯ D E F♯ G |
| I△ | D△7 | D – F♯ – A – C♯ | Ionian (major) | D E F♯ G A B C♯ |
| Guide tones | Em7 | A7 | D△7 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3rd | G | C♯ | F♯ |
| 7th | D | G | C♯ |
How to practise this
1. Arpeggios in time. Loop the vamp at 70–90 bpm and play Em7, A7, D△7 as 1–3–5–7 quarter notes, one chord per bar. Use the “+ Arpeggios” loop above to hear it played and copy the line.
2. Guide tones. Play only the 3rd and 7th of each chord: G–D → C♯–G → F♯–C♯. Notice that G, the 7th of A7, falls a half-step to F♯, the 3rd of D△7 — that is the resolution.
3. Chord-scales. Run Dorian on Em7, Mixolydian on A7, Ionian (major) on D△7, then improvise keeping chord tones on beats 1 and 3.
4. Move it. When D is clean, go to G major — a fourth up — and keep going around the circle.
Common questions
Em7 – A7 – D△7. The ii chord is Em7 (E, G, B, D); The V chord is A7 (A, C♯, E, G); The I chord is D△7 (D, F♯, A, C♯).
Em7: Dorian (E F♯ G A B C♯ D). A7: Mixolydian (A B C♯ D E F♯ G). D△7: Ionian (major) (D E F♯ G A B C♯).
The thirds and sevenths: G and D over Em7, C♯ and G over A7, F♯ and C♯ over D△7. Each voice moves by a half-step or stays put — that is what makes the progression sound like it resolves.
Loop the vamp at a slow tempo, play each arpeggio 1–3–5–7 in time, then play each chord-scale up and down, then improvise using only chord tones on the strong beats. When it is clean, move to the next key around the circle of fourths.
All twelve keys
Same tonic, other quality: B minor (the relative minor). The same key’s I–vi–ii–V turnaround adds the vi chord in front of this cadence. Read the theory in What is a ii–V–I?, or see the scales on their own pages: E Dorian, A Mixolydian, D Major.