iiø–V–i · A minor
The iiø–V–i in A minor is Bm7♭5 – E7♭9 – Am7. Over Bm7♭5 play Locrian (B C D E F G A); Over E7♭9 play Phrygian dominant (E F G♯ A B C D); Over Am7 play Aeolian (natural minor) (A B C D E F G). A minor is the relative minor of C, so every note here is a white key — the only chromatic note is the G♯ inside E7♭9, and that is the note to listen for.
Interactive trainer
Piano · Bm7♭5 with Locrian
Guitar · standard tuning
Piano · E7♭9 with Phrygian dominant
Guitar · standard tuning
Piano · Am7 with Aeolian (natural minor)
Guitar · standard tuning
Click any chord card to see its scale, and tap any key or fret to hear that note. Turn on “+ Arpeggios” or “+ Scales” and the guitar or piano plays the line live over the vamp, lighting each note on the diagram as it sounds. All audio is synthesized in your browser — nothing is recorded or copyrighted.
Reference
| Function | Chord | Chord tones (1–3–5–7) | Chord-scale | Scale notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| iiø⁷ | Bm7♭5 | B – D – F – A | Locrian | B C D E F G A |
| V⁷♭⁹ | E7♭9 | E – G♯ – B – D | Phrygian dominant | E F G♯ A B C D |
| i⁷ | Am7 | A – C – E – G | Aeolian (natural minor) | A B C D E F G |
| Guide tones | Bm7♭5 | E7♭9 | Am7 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3rd | D | G♯ | C |
| 7th | A | D | G |
How to practise this
1. Arpeggios in time. Loop the vamp at 70–90 bpm and play Bm7♭5, E7♭9, Am7 as 1–3–5–7 quarter notes, one chord per bar. Use the “+ Arpeggios” loop above to hear it played and copy the line.
2. Guide tones. Play only the 3rd and 7th of each chord: D–A → G♯–D → C–G. Notice that D, the 7th of E7, falls a half-step to C, the 3rd of Am7 — that is the resolution.
3. Chord-scales. Run Locrian on Bm7♭5, Phrygian dominant on E7♭9, Aeolian (natural minor) on Am7, then improvise keeping chord tones on beats 1 and 3.
4. Move it. When A is clean, go to D minor — a fourth up — and keep going around the circle.
Common questions
Bm7♭5 – E7♭9 – Am7. The iiø chord is Bm7♭5 (B, D, F, A); The V chord is E7♭9 (E, G♯, B, D); The i chord is Am7 (A, C, E, G).
Bm7♭5: Locrian (B C D E F G A). E7♭9: Phrygian dominant (E F G♯ A B C D). Am7: Aeolian (natural minor) (A B C D E F G).
The thirds and sevenths: D and A over Bm7♭5, G♯ and D over E7♭9, C and G over Am7. Each voice moves by a half-step or stays put — that is what makes the progression sound like it resolves.
Loop the vamp at a slow tempo, play each arpeggio 1–3–5–7 in time, then play each chord-scale up and down, then improvise using only chord tones on the strong beats. When it is clean, move to the next key around the circle of fourths.
All twelve keys
Same tonic, other quality: C major (the relative major). Read the theory in What is a ii–V–I?, or see the scales on their own pages: B Locrian, E Harmonic minor, A Aeolian.