The ii-V-I progression is probably the most common chord progression encountered in jazz.

It is found in
virtually all the jazz standards a jazz guitarist will play. Because of the frequent use of this progression, it is
very important that jazz musicians learn and understand as many techniques and ideas as possible to
improvise over this crucial element of jazz. This article will focus on the use of digital patterns for playing
over the ii-V-I progression in major keys.
The ii-V-I progression in the key of C would yield the following chords: Dm7 (ii), G7 (V), and Cmaj. 7 (1).
Digital patterns are usually four to eight note cells or groups that are structured according to the numerical
relationship to the root note of a chord scale. For example, if a D minor seventh (Dm7) is the chord being
played, the dorian mode that compliments that chord would be comprised of the notes D, E, F, G, A, B, and
C. The notes would then be assigned a number according to the order in which they occur. The note D would
be 1, E would be 2, F would be 3 and so on until all of the notes in the scale have been assigned a number.

Dm7

&w w w w w 6
w w R 1 4 7 V
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Numerical Value

T 2 5 (1)
A 4 5
5 7
B 5 7 8
3

While a G seventh (G7) chord is being played, the dominant scale (mixolydian mode) that will compliment
that chord will consist of the notes G, A, B, C, D, E, and F. The note G will be 1, the A assigned 2, the B
will be 3, and the other notes will receive their numbers based on where they fall in the scale.

G7
w w w w
w
3
&w w R 1 4 6 V
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Numerical Value 7

T 5 6 2 5
A 4 5 7
5 7 (1)
B
OR
G7

& w w w 3 6

w w w w R 1 4 7 III
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Numerical Value
T 2 5 (1)
A 2 3
B 2 3 5
3 5
. The C major seventh (Cmaj7) chord scale (major scale) consists of the notes C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. With
the numbering system C is 1, B is 2, E is 3, and the numbering continues until all of the notes in the scale are
accounted for,

CMaj7

& w w w w w 3 6
w w R 1 4 III
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Numerical Value 7
T 2 5 (1)
A 2 4
2 3 5
B 3 5

To play a basic four note cell against Dm7, G7, and Cmaj.7, play the notes 1, 2, 3, and 5 for each chord.

Dm7 G7 CMaj7
4
& 4 œ œ œ œ œ Ó
œ œ œ
1
5
2 3 œ œ œ 3 5 œ 1 2 3 5
1 2

T
A
Ó
7 2 5
B 5 7 8 2 5 3 5
3 5

By skipping the fourth note and replacing it with five, the simple sound of running a scale is avoided. Now
play another common digital patter for the Dm7 chords which is made up of 1, 3, 4, and 5. (These are the
first four notes of the minor pentatonic scale.)

Dm7
4
& 4 œ œ œ
œ
1 3 4 5
Numerical Value

T
A 5 7
B 5 8
 When a sufficient amount of comfort is achieved in playing these digital patterns, begin working on
permutations of the cell. There are twenty four permutations for each four note cell. (These cells also make
great warm-up exercises for your daily practice routine.)

Permutations for 1235 Digital Pattern

1235 2135 3125 5123

1253 2153 3152 5132
1325 2315 3215 5213
1352 2351 3251 5231
1523 2513 3512 5312
1532 2531 3521 5321

Permutations for 1345 (used for minor chords)

1345 3145 4135 5134

1354 3154 4153 5143
1435 3415 4315 5314
1453 3451 4351 5341
1534 3514 4513 5413
1543 3541 4531 5431

To avoid sounding predictable, mix and match digital patterns through the changes. For example, play 1, 2,
3, 5 for Dm7, 1, 5, 3, 2 for G7, and 5, 1, 3, 2 for Cmaj.7. By mixing up digital patterns, a nice sense of
motion is created and the player doesn t get locked into any finger patterns that will sound boring.

G7 CMaj7
Dm7
4 œ œ œ Ó
& 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
2 3 5 1 5 3 2 5 1 3 2
1

T
A 7 4 5
5
7 Ó
7 5 7 5
B 5 7 8

The creation of original digital patterns is vast. By learning these ideas, as well as original digital patterns,
in all twelve keys for each chord in the ii-V-I progression, the player will have almost limitless ideas at their
fingertips. Also, the student may wish to explore the realm of 8 note cells for each chord such as,
1,2,3,4,5,7,6,5, or 1,5,3,2, 1, 2, 3, 5 and their related permutations. (There are many permutations for each of
these eight note cells.) An easy way to get started with creating eight note cells is by combining two different
four note cells that have already been learned, or a four note cell and one permutation of that same cell.
 Play the following solo which uses digital patterns over simple ii-V-I.
± ±
œ œ œ œ
G G
# 4 œ œ œ
Am7 D7
œ œ
Am7 D7
œ œ
œ œ
& 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Ó œ œ œ œ Œ
œ
5 3 2 1 5 1 3 4 3 2 1 5 3 5 2 1 3 1 5 (4) 3 5
1 3 5 4

Ó Œ
7 10 7
T 5 7 5 10 10 8 8
A 5 7 5 7 7 7 5 4 7
7 7 4 7
B 7 5 7

G ± G ±
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
Am7 D7 Am7 D7
# œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
& œ œ œ œ œ œ Ó œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ
3 5 2 1 3 5 2 1
5 3 1 4 5 1 3 2 3 1 2 5

5
5 7 7
7 5
5 4
5 7 10
9 7 4 7 Ó 4 5 7
5
7 7 7 7 5 4 5 7
7

Dm7
œ
G7
œ œ œ œ Cm7 F7
# n œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ b œ œ œ œ œ
& œ œ n œ œ œ Ó
3 1 5 4 3 4 2 1 1 5 3 2 3 1 2 5
3 5 1 2 5 4 3 1 4 5 3 1

Ó
5 10 7
6 8 6 8 5 8 10 8 10 8 8
7 7 4 7 10 8 10 8
10 10 7 10
8 10

± G ±
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
Am7 D7 Am7 D7 G
# œ œ œ œ
& œ œ œ œ œ œ Œ
3 4 5 1 3 1 2 5
5 4 3 1 3 5 1 2

Œ
5
5 5 5 7 10 7 10 8 7
7 5 7 5 7 7 9 9 7 5 4 7 5
7 4 7 9 4 7 5

This article has focused on using four and eight note digital patterns that have been built using the first five
notes of each chord scale. More possibilities can be achieved by using all of the notes of each scale (notes 6,
7, and 8). Enjoy practicing.