I II ii Chord Progression
In the key of C major the I-II-ii progression is C D Dm. In the Nashville Number System it is written 1 2 2m.
Chords from outside the key of C major: D.
Jump to the chords and audio in C, G, D, A and E
Why it works
II is a secondary dominant shade with an F#, then ii is its diatonic version with F natural. So one voice steps down a half step while the root holds, the same major-to-minor mixture as I-i, moved to the second degree.
How to use it
This was commonly used in many jazz standards. It is generally a chord progression that is used sparingly or with other common jazz riffs.
Songs that use it
These are the chords as played in each song, in the song's own key.
| Song | Artist | Section | Chords | Key |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Girl From Ipanema | Antonio Carlos Jobim | A section | Fmaj7 G7 Gm7 Gb7 | F major |
| Take the A Train | Duke Ellington | A section | C D7 Dm7 G7 | C major |
| Mood Indigo | Duke Ellington | A section | Abmaj7 Bb7 Bbm7 Eb+7 | Ab major |
| Desafinado | Charlie Byrd | A section | Fmaj7 G7b5 Gm7 C7 | F major |
| Turn to Stone | Electric Light Orchestra | verse | E F# F#m Am B (I II ii iv V) | E major |
| Oh Darling | Supertramp | chorus | A B7 Bm7 (I II7 ii7) | A major |
Keep learning
I II ii Chord Progression: Chords and Audio in C, G, D, A and E
Press play to hear each key. The diagrams show the shapes used in the audio, and every chord links to its full page.
Longer progressions that contain it
- Take the A Train changes: Cmaj7 D7 Dm7 G7
- Girl from Ipanema changes: Cmaj7 D7 Dm7 Db7
More progressions like this one
- I-v-ii: C Gm Dm
- Creep progression: C E F Fm
- I-bIII-IV: C Eb F
- I-bIII-IV-bVI: C Eb F Ab
All guitar chord progressions →
Created by
Giancarlo is a musician (teaching guitar since 2000), software engineer, AI consultant and published researcher
FAQ
What are the chords of the I-II-ii progression in each key?
In C major: C D Dm. In G major: G A Am. In D major: D E Em. In A major: A B Bm. In E major: E F# F#m.
Which songs use the I-II-ii progression?
Songs that use it include Girl From Ipanema by Antonio Carlos Jobim, Take the A Train by Duke Ellington, Mood Indigo by Duke Ellington.
