2-5-1 Progressions (w/ Some Modal Work)

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
E
B
G
D
A
E
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 
(/) Slide Up  (\) Slide Down  (h) Hammer On  (p) Pull Off  (b) Bend (r) Release (v) Vibrato

Stave 1:

E|-----------
B|--6--3--5--
G|--5--4--4--
D|--7--3--5--
A|--5-----3--
E|-----3-----

Stave 2:

E|-------------
B|--10--12--8--
G|--10--10--9--
D|--10--12--9--
A|------10-----
E|--10------8--

Stave 3:

E|--------------------------------------------------------
B|-----------------------------------------5--3-----------
G|-----------5--4--2--------------------4--------5--4--4--
D|-----3--7-----------5--3--------2--5--------------------
A|--5-----------------------2--3--------------------------
E|--------------------------------------------------------

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Chords

Tab Notes

Both staves here are  2-5-1 in C, which means the chord progression is (D-7, G7, Cmaj7). The first stave shows the generic pattern of the progression starting on the A string. The second stave shows a generic pattern starting on the E string (note that starting here means starting the chord progression, i.e. where you play the D-7 in this case). So, if i took this same pattern and progression, but moved each chord shape up one fret, I would be playing a 2-5-1 in the key of C# (D#-7,G#7,C#maj7).

We will see 2-5-1's frequently in Jazz, they are often used back to back in different keys, where the 2 from the progression is used to show that there is a new key coming (Blue Bossa does this when you change to the Eb-7). Because they are so prominent in Jazz, we need to know how to play over this progression.

The third stave is a sample line using each chords respective mode: D Dorian for the D-7 (this is the first four notes), G Mixolydian for the G7 (this is the second four notes), and C Ionian for the Cmaj7 (the last eight notes). This will fit and is a reasonable line to have at the ready when you see a 2-5-1 (note that if the 2-5-1 was in a different key, I would have to play this line in another spot on the guitar, even though the actual pattern would stay the same).

However, sometimes when we're playing a 2-5-1 we may want to make it grab the listener's attention, as they are often turning points in a song which can be important or they are the final chords in a song where we really want to spice our improvisation. One way to do this is Modal Interchange, which is one of the next steps to the idea of modes.

Instruments
6 String Guitar
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