This article will be your go-to Resource for understanding the 2 5 1 Chord Progression.
Whether you play Gospel, Rock, Blues, Jazz or Pop, understanding this progression will open up your ears to many other progressions in all styles of music.
We'll start with the basics…
What is a 2 5 1 and How to Form It Quickly
In this video, you will learn and hear exactly what a 2 5 1 progression is, and be able to form it.
If you understand at least some key signatures and some major scales, you can form chords off of each scale degree.
Developing a 2 5 1 Lick in Major
In this video lesson, I take a very basic 2 5 1 Lick in Major that outlines the chords, and show you a super-simple 5 step process to develop it and make it your own.
Developing a 2 5 1 Lick in Minor
In this video lesson, I take a very basic 2 5 1 Lick in Minor and de-mystify how to understand the chords and scales behind it so you can develop your own licks.
Which Scales to Use Over a 2-5-1 Progression?
In this video, I break down the most popular chord progression in jazz, and explain which scales and modes over a 2-5-1 progression you should use in Major and Minor.
This will help answer some of your questions about how to improvise over chord changes.
How to Use 2 5 1 in a Jazz Standard
This video shows you the purpose of the 2-5's and how to identify & practice 2-5's in a standard.
More Resources:
Chord Scales & Modes Made Easy
How to Find target Notes to Improve Your Solos
How to Transpose from Concert Pitch- Music Theory
Transposition for Saxophone Players
If you need more guidance with forming chords or scales…
My Practical Jazz Theory Primer, an online theory resource with listening examples, guides you from the very basics of forming chords, understanding intervals, forming Major, Minor, Blues, Pentatonics and other scales, to hearing and understanding song forms.
Want the pdfs and mp3's for the videos?
Patrons are those fans that help support my creation of over 450+ educational videos on YouTube.
Patrons get access to the pdfs of the etudes I perform in some of these videos (in C,Bb and Eb), plus dozens of other video lessons teaching you Jazz, Blues, and Funk licks.
You can become a Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/DonnaSchwartzMusic
