The V-I 'Perfect' cadence
With
Ollie WestonOllie Weston explains the V-I 'perfect' cadence - how it works as a musical full stop and how to build the dominant V chord, setting up the jazz 2-5-1.
What's in the course
47 lessons (1h 48m) · 1 free
01. The V-I 'Perfect' cadence
You are here3:28
02. Dominant 7 - Cycle of 5ths exercise
1:24
03. Dominant 7 - Cycle of 5ths using 3rs and 7ths
2:16
04. Rhythmic variations using 3rds and 7ths
2:02
05. "Rhythm Changes" using Dominant 7ths and Cycle of 5ths
1:08
06. The II-V-I progression
1:20
07. II-V-I licks in the style of Parker, Coltrane, Adderley
Free lesson4:15
08. Dancing With Duke (II-V-I exercise) - Introduction
1:15
09. Dancing With Duke (II-V-I exercise) - Performance
4:38
10. II-V-I progression conclusion
0:42
01. Finding the relative minor
1:41
02. Using the Harmonic Minor over the V chord
1:15
03. V-I in A Minor with a b9
4:38
04. Minor V-I in all 12 keys exercise
1:43
05. Phrase for practising minor cadences
1:17
06. Minor II-V-I in a chord sequence
5:04
07. Adding the II chord
1:20
08. Autumn Sun - Introduction and Harmony
3:03
09. Autumn Sun Performance
4:44
01. Introduction to Standards
0:52
02. Among the Stars Introduction
3:54
03. Among the Stars Performance
4:23
04. Undying Love - Expanding a chord sequence
4:42
05. Undying Love - Performance
1:12
06. Undying love - Checkpoint
0:47
07. Take the Express Train - The Turnaround
3:21
08. Melodic line examples for turnarounds
1:22
09. Take the Express Train - Introduction
1:28
10. Take the Express Train - Performance
1:12
11. Take The Express Train - Summary
0:39
01. Introduction to Bebop
1:04
02. 52nd Street Blues - Introduction and Head
0:29
03. 52nd Street Blues - Head using I-IV-V progression
0:45
04. 52nd Street Blues - Adding Chromaticism
2:53
05. Adding Jazz Harmony to the Blues
2:39
06. 52nd Street Blues - Head with II-V-I changes
1:05
07. 52nd Street Blues - Performance
3:01
Lesson transcript
Common Chord Progressions in Jazz
In this lesson, we're going to introduce some common chord progressions that will come up in jazz tunes.
Overview of Chord Navigation
In the modal chapter, we learned how to build a palette of chords within a key. Now, we'll start looking at ways to navigate these chords to create progressions and allow phrases to develop within chord sequences.
The 2-5-1 Progression
The most common chord sequence in jazz is called a 2-5-1 progression.
- This progression gets its name from the roots that move from:
- Chord 2
- Chord 5
- Chord 1
The Perfect Cadence
Before we begin to plug these into some tunes and explore how they work in jazz, let's look at the V-I progression, which predates jazz music and is known as a perfect cadence.
- A perfect cadence serves as a kind of musical full stop.
Example in C Major
Thinking in C major, I'm going to play:
- Chord V: G
- Chord I: C
You might have heard a classical piece of music ending with this progression. The root movement really has a way of heralding the end of a piece, providing a sense of closure.
"Melodically, another way to think about this is if I play this phrase, you can feel a pull towards the last note, giving a sense of resolution, a musical full stop, if you like."
Listening Exercise
Check out the recorded examples that demonstrate this with the piano. You'll hear the chords underneath that famous melody, and notice how it doesn't resolve the first time, but does the second time, creating a more satisfying ending.
Building the V Chord
Now, how do we build a chord on our V?
- Thinking back to our modes, if it's a V chord, I want it to be a Mixolydian mode and therefore a seventh type chord.
- I will play a G7 chord that will pull towards my C major resolution.
Creating Tension
What really creates the tension in the V chord is the tritone interval, often referred to as the devil in music.
- In this case, the tritone is between the third and seventh of the G7 chord.
This sense of dissonance is created with the "devil in music" interval, which then resolves back to a lovely, comfortable major third.
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Meet your guru
Meet your guru
Since graduating from the Leeds College of Music (BA Hons) and the Guildhall School of Music (Post Graduate Diploma in Performance), Ollie has built a busy and varied career in music. As a saxophonist he has performed in live and studio settings with artists as diverse as Amy Winehouse, Tim Minchin, Bonobo, Frank Turner, the London Jazz Orchestra, the Hackney Colliery Band, the Ambient Jazz Ensemble and the Nelson Riddle Orchestra. He is also the co-leader of the jazz quartet 'Time Is Of The Essence', and composes and arranges material for this and other ensembles.
Ollie is active in music education, currently as course leader for the jazz department at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (junior school), where he runs jazz ensembles, big band and theory classes. He has written a series of 'Exploring Jazz' books for Schott Music that are published worldwide and feature on exam syllabuses in the UK. Ollie has also run workshops for Oxford University, Pro Corda Strings and BABSWE, as well as the Guildhall School of Music summer schools.
In his Exploring Jazz Saxophone courses, Ollie takes you from getting started right through to soloing confidently over songs and chord sequences, building the improvising skills that put a real jazz player's vocabulary at your fingertips.
