iiø–V–i · D minor
The iiø–V–i in D minor is Em7♭5 – A7♭9 – Dm7. Over Em7♭5 play Locrian (E F G A B♭ C D); Over A7♭9 play Phrygian dominant (A B♭ C♯ D E F G); Over Dm7 play Aeolian (natural minor) (D E F G A B♭ C). D minor is the relative of F and a cornerstone minor key; its cadence Em7♭5 – A7♭9 – Dm7 is a good place to learn the sound of the ♭9 on the dominant.
Interactive trainer
Piano · Em7♭5 with Locrian
Guitar · standard tuning
Piano · A7♭9 with Phrygian dominant
Guitar · standard tuning
Piano · Dm7 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 | Em7♭5 | E – G – B♭ – D | Locrian | E F G A B♭ C D |
| V⁷♭⁹ | A7♭9 | A – C♯ – E – G | Phrygian dominant | A B♭ C♯ D E F G |
| i⁷ | Dm7 | D – F – A – C | Aeolian (natural minor) | D E F G A B♭ C |
| Guide tones | Em7♭5 | A7♭9 | Dm7 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3rd | G | C♯ | F |
| 7th | D | G | C |
How to practise this
1. Arpeggios in time. Loop the vamp at 70–90 bpm and play Em7♭5, A7♭9, Dm7 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: G–D → C♯–G → F–C. Notice that G, the 7th of A7, falls a half-step to F, the 3rd of Dm7 — that is the resolution.
3. Chord-scales. Run Locrian on Em7♭5, Phrygian dominant on A7♭9, Aeolian (natural minor) on Dm7, then improvise keeping chord tones on beats 1 and 3.
4. Move it. When D is clean, go to G minor — a fourth up — and keep going around the circle.
Common questions
Em7♭5 – A7♭9 – Dm7. The iiø chord is Em7♭5 (E, G, B♭, D); The V chord is A7♭9 (A, C♯, E, G); The i chord is Dm7 (D, F, A, C).
Em7♭5: Locrian (E F G A B♭ C D). A7♭9: Phrygian dominant (A B♭ C♯ D E F G). Dm7: Aeolian (natural minor) (D E F G A B♭ C).
The thirds and sevenths: G and D over Em7♭5, C♯ and G over A7♭9, F and C over Dm7. 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: F major (the relative major). Read the theory in What is a ii–V–I?, or see the scales on their own pages: E Locrian, A Harmonic minor, D Aeolian.