Paul Maine

Software Engineer, Musician and Life Long Learner

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II-V-I

Review of “The Ultimate II-V-I Primer” by Steve Neff

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“The Ultimate II-V-I Primer” is another excellent publication from Steve Neff. This book targets the beginning improvisor but the material is beneficial to any aspiring jazz improvisor.

The book begins with an introduction and a few test progressions. If you can’t play through all of the test progressions, you need to take time to work through all exercises and internalize them.

The exercises are well conceived. The exercises begin with ultra simple exercises and then add rhythmic variety.  One of the goals is to be able to play through the progressions and not lose your place. As the book progresses you are asked to improvise over changes limiting your note selection. For example only use the 1, 3 and 5 of each chord. As the book progresses the parameters are expanded thus providing you with more tools to choose from.

The book is targeted to beginners but many intermediate improvisors could also benefit by learning their chords inside out in all 12 keys. Benefits are also gained on how to connect the notes from one chord to another in a smooth flowing manner.

I highly recommend this book. It can be purchased from Neff Music.

This website has backing tracks that work well with the exercises in the book

Long Sequence Major II-V-I Backing Tracks in All 12 Keys

You can also use the techniques you learn in this book and apply them to the following:

Jazz Standard Workout in All 12 Keys – Backing Tracks

You can also use the techniques in this book to improvise over much faster jazz backing tracks such as the following:

Bebop – Anthropaulogy ( Anthropology contrafact ) in All 12 Keys – Backing Tracks

Have fun improvising!

Review of “Best Minor II-V-I Patterns” book by Steve Neff

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Steve Neff is a wonderful sax player and has written a number of eBooks and other instructional material.  “Best Minor II-V-I Patterns” consists of  80 Minor II-V-I patterns. Each pattern is four bars and includes the pattern in all 12 keys. The first measure is a ii7b5 chord. The second measure is a V7b9 followed by two measures of minor. I have finished playing through all of the patterns in one key. Learning all 80 patterns in all 12 keys will keep you busy for awhile. There are many nice patterns and I suggest that you add this book to your collection.

I have a post on this website entitled II-V-I Minor Long Sequence Backing Tracks that you can use with this book.

You can purchase the book at Neff Music

II-V-I Minor Short Sequence Backing Tracks in All 12 Keys

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Each backing track is in concert so if you wish to practice your Minor II-V-I with the I chord a D minor  on tenor saxophone – you should select the C Minor II-V-I  backing track.

The first two beats of measure one is a IIb5 chord. The second two beats of measure one is a Vb9 chord. The next measure is a I minor chord and then the pattern repeats.

II-V-I Short Sequence Backing Tracks.  The II chord is Dm7b5,the V chord is G7b9 and the I chord is C Minor  Concert follows:

[podcast]https://paulmaine.com/wp-content/uploads/minor-ii-v-i-shortsequencecminor.mp3[/podcast]

II-V-I Short Sequence Backing Tracks.  The II chord is Ebm7b5,the V chord is Ab7b9 and the I chord is Db Minor  Concert follows:
[podcast]https://paulmaine.com/wp-content/uploads/minor-ii-v-i-shortsequencedbminor.mp3[/podcast]

II-V-I Short Sequence Backing Tracks.  The II chord is Em7b5,the V chord is A7b9 and the I chord is D Minor  Concert follows:
[podcast]https://paulmaine.com/wp-content/uploads/minor-ii-v-i-shortsequencedminor.mp3[/podcast]

II-V-I Short Sequence Backing Tracks.  The II chord is Fm7b5,the V chord is Bb7b9 and the I chord is Eb Minor  Concert follows:
[podcast]https://paulmaine.com/wp-content/uploads/minor-ii-v-i-shortsequenceebminor.mp3[/podcast]

II-V-I Short Sequence Backing Tracks.  The II chord is F#m7b5,the V chord is B7b9 and the I chord is E Minor  Concert follows:
[podcast]https://paulmaine.com/wp-content/uploads/minor-ii-v-i-shortsequenceeminor.mp3[/podcast]

II-V-I Short Sequence Backing Tracks.  The II chord is Gm7b5,the V chord is C7b9 and the I chord is F Minor  Concert follows:
[podcast]https://paulmaine.com/wp-content/uploads/minor-ii-v-i-shortsequencefminor.mp3[/podcast]

II-V-I Short Sequence Backing Tracks.  The II chord is G#m7b5,the V chord is C#7b9 and the I chord is F# Minor  Concert follows:
[podcast]https://paulmaine.com/wp-content/uploads/minor-ii-v-i-shortsequencefsharpminor.mp3[/podcast]

II-V-I Short Sequence Backing Tracks.  The II chord is Am7b5,the V chord is D7b9 and the I chord is G Minor  Concert follows:
[podcast]https://paulmaine.com/wp-content/uploads/ii-v-i-shortsequencegmajor.mp3[/podcast]

II-V-I Short Sequence Backing Tracks.  The II chord is Bbm7b5,the V chord is Eb7b9 and the I chord is Ab Minor  Concert follows:
[podcast]https://paulmaine.com/wp-content/uploads/minor-ii-v-i-shortsequenceabminor.mp3[/podcast]

II-V-I Short Sequence Backing Tracks.  The II chord is Bm7b5,the V chord is E7b9 and the I chord is A Minor  Concert follows:
[podcast]https://paulmaine.com/wp-content/uploads/minor-ii-v-i-shortsequenceaminor.mp3[/podcast]

II-V-I Short Sequence Backing Tracks.  The II chord is Cm7b5,the V chord is F7b9 and the I chord is Bb Minor  Concert follows:
[podcast]https://paulmaine.com/wp-content/uploads/minor-ii-v-i-shortsequencebbminor.mp3[/podcast]

II-V-I Short Sequence Backing Tracks.  The II chord is C#m7b5,the V chord is F#7b9 and the I chord is B Minor  Concert follows:
[podcast]https://paulmaine.com/wp-content/uploads/minor-ii-v-i-shortsequencebminor.mp3[/podcast]

II-V-I Minor Long Sequence Backing Tracks in All 12 Keys

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Each backing track is in concert so if you wish to practice your Minor II-V-I with the I chord a D minor  on tenor saxophone – you should select the C Minor II-V-I  backing track.

The first measure is a IIb5 chord. The second measure is a Vb9 chord. The next two measures is a I minor chord and then the pattern repeats.

II-V-I Long Sequence Backing Tracks.  The II chord is Dm7b5,the V chord is G7b9 and the I chord is C Minor  Concert follows:
[podcast]https://paulmaine.com/wp-content/uploads/minor-ii-v-i-longsequencecminor.mp3[/podcast]

II-V-I Long Sequence Backing Tracks.  The II chord is Ebm7b5,the V chord is Ab7b9 and the I chord is Db Minor  Concert follows:
[podcast]https://paulmaine.com/wp-content/uploads/minor-ii-v-i-longsequencedbminor.mp3[/podcast]

II-V-I Long Sequence Backing Tracks.  The II chord is Em7b5,the V chord is A7b9 and the I chord is D Minor  Concert follows:
[podcast]https://paulmaine.com/wp-content/uploads/minor-ii-v-i-longsequencedminor.mp3[/podcast]

II-V-I Long Sequence Backing Tracks.  The II chord is Fm7b5,the V chord is Bb7b9 and the I chord is Eb Minor  Concert follows:
[podcast]https://paulmaine.com/wp-content/uploads/minor-ii-v-i-longsequenceebminor.mp3[/podcast]

II-V-I Long Sequence Backing Tracks.  The II chord is F#m7b5,the V chord is B7b9 and the I chord is E Minor  Concert follows:
[podcast]https://paulmaine.com/wp-content/uploads/minor-ii-v-i-longsequenceeminor.mp3[/podcast]

II-V-I Long Sequence Backing Tracks.  The II chord is Gm7b5,the V chord is C7b9 and the I chord is F Minor  Concert follows:
[podcast]https://paulmaine.com/wp-content/uploads/minor-ii-v-i-longsequencefminor.mp3[/podcast]

II-V-I Long Sequence Backing Tracks.  The II chord is G#m7b5,the V chord is C#7b9 and the I chord is F# Minor  Concert follows:
[podcast]https://paulmaine.com/wp-content/uploads/minor-ii-v-i-longsequencefsharpminor.mp3[/podcast]

II-V-I Long Sequence Backing Tracks.  The II chord is Am7b5,the V chord is D7b9 and the I chord is G Minor  Concert follows:
[podcast]https://paulmaine.com/wp-content/uploads/ii-v-i-longsequencegmajor.mp3[/podcast]

II-V-I Long Sequence Backing Tracks.  The II chord is Bbm7b5,the V chord is Eb7b9 and the I chord is Ab Minor  Concert follows:
[podcast]https://paulmaine.com/wp-content/uploads/minor-ii-v-i-longsequenceabminor.mp3[/podcast]

II-V-I Long Sequence Backing Tracks.  The II chord is Bm7b5,the V chord is E7b9 and the I chord is A Minor  Concert follows:
[podcast]https://paulmaine.com/wp-content/uploads/minor-ii-v-i-longsequenceaminor.mp3[/podcast]

II-V-I Long Sequence Backing Tracks.  The II chord is Cm7b5,the V chord is F7b9 and the I chord is Bb Minor  Concert follows:
[podcast]https://paulmaine.com/wp-content/uploads/minor-ii-v-i-longsequencebbminor.mp3[/podcast]

II-V-I Long Sequence Backing Tracks.  The II chord is C#m7b5,the V chord is F#7b9 and the I chord is B Minor  Concert follows:
[podcast]https://paulmaine.com/wp-content/uploads/minor-ii-v-i-longsequencebminor.mp3[/podcast]

II-V-I Major Short Sequence Backing Tracks in All 12 Keys

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Each backing track is in concert so if you wish to practice your Major II-V-I with the I chord a D major  on tenor saxophone – you should select the C Major II-V-I  backing track.

The first two beats of measure one  is a II chord. The second two beats of measure one is a V chord. The next measure is a I chord and then the pattern repeats.

II-V-I Short Sequence Backing Tracks.  The II chord is Dm7,the V chord is G7 and the I chord is C Major  Concert follows:
[podcast]https://paulmaine.com/wp-content/uploads/ii-v-i-shortsequencecmajor.mp3[/podcast]

II-V-I Short Sequence Backing Tracks.  The II chord is Ebm7,the V chord is Ab7 and the I chord is Db Major  Concert follows:
[podcast]https://paulmaine.com/wp-content/uploads/ii-v-i-shortsequencedbmajor.mp3[/podcast]

II-V-I Short Sequence Backing Tracks.  The II chord is Em7,the V chord is A7 and the I chord is D Major  Concert follows:
[podcast]https://paulmaine.com/wp-content/uploads/ii-v-i-shortsequencedmajor.mp3[/podcast]

II-V-I Short Sequence Backing Tracks.  The II chord is Fm7,the V chord is Bb7 and the I chord is Eb Major  Concert follows:
[podcast]https://paulmaine.com/wp-content/uploads/ii-v-i-shortsequenceebmajor.mp3[/podcast]

II-V-I Short Sequence Backing Tracks.  The II chord is F#m7,the V chord is B7 and the I chord is E Major  Concert follows:
[podcast]https://paulmaine.com/wp-content/uploads/ii-v-i-shortsequenceemajor.mp3[/podcast]

II-V-I Short Sequence Backing Tracks.  The II chord is Gm7,the V chord is C7 and the I chord is F Major  Concert follows:
[podcast]https://paulmaine.com/wp-content/uploads/ii-v-i-shortsequencefmajor.mp3[/podcast]

II-V-I Short Sequence Backing Tracks.  The II chord is G#m7,the V chord is C#7 and the I chord is F# Major  Concert follows:
[podcast]https://paulmaine.com/wp-content/uploads/ii-v-i-shortsequencefsharpmajor.mp3[/podcast]

II-V-I Short Sequence Backing Tracks.  The II chord is Am7,the V chord is D7 and the I chord is G Major  Concert follows:
[podcast]https://paulmaine.com/wp-content/uploads/ii-v-i-shortsequencegmajor.mp3[/podcast]

II-V-I Short Sequence Backing Tracks.  The II chord is Bbm7,the V chord is Eb7 and the I chord is Ab Major  Concert follows:
[podcast]https://paulmaine.com/wp-content/uploads/ii-v-i-shortsequenceabmajor.mp3[/podcast]

II-V-I Short Sequence Backing Tracks.  The II chord is Bm7,the V chord is E7 and the I chord is A Major  Concert follows:
[podcast]https://paulmaine.com/wp-content/uploads/ii-v-i-shortsequenceamajor.mp3[/podcast]

II-V-I Short Sequence Backing Tracks.  The II chord is Cm7,the V chord is F7 and the I chord is Bb Major  Concert follows:
[podcast]https://paulmaine.com/wp-content/uploads/ii-v-i-shortsequencebbmajor.mp3[/podcast]

II-V-I Short Sequence Backing Tracks.  The II chord is C#m7,the V chord is F#7 and the I chord is B Major  Concert follows:
[podcast]https://paulmaine.com/wp-content/uploads/ii-v-i-shortsequencebmajor.mp3[/podcast]