Jazz Circle

Common Jazz Progressions

Learn the essential chord progressions every jazz musician should know. Select a key to transpose all progressions, then click to play them back.

About Jazz Progressions

Jazz harmony revolves around a handful of fundamental chord progressions. The ii-V-I is the most important: it appears in virtually every jazz standard and forms the basis of jazz improvisation. Turnarounds like I-vi-ii-V create smooth cyclical harmony, while the jazz blues adds sophistication to the classic 12-bar form.

Practice these progressions in all 12 keys to build fluency across the entire keyboard. Start with ii-V-I, then add turnarounds and blues forms as you become comfortable.