One useful way to practice ii V I is to take one small line and move it around the cycle of fifths.
That works well because it trains several things at once:
- ascending motion
- descending motion
- scale fragments
- arpeggios
- resolution into the I chord
A first ii V I
Start with Gm7 - C7 - Fmaj7:
The shape is simple:
- up on the ii chord
- down on the V chord
- land on the I chord
ii V I around the full cycle
Now move the same idea through the full cycle:
The pattern stays the same:
- go up on the ii chord
- go down on the V chord
- land on the I chord
Move it around the cycle
Once one key feels comfortable, move the same idea through the full cycle of fifths:
- Gm7 - C7 - Fmaj7
- Cm7 - F7 - Bbmaj7
- Fm7 - Bb7 - Ebmaj7
- Bbm7 - Eb7 - Abmaj7
- Ebm7 - Ab7 - Dbmaj7
- Abm7 - Db7 - Gbmaj7
- Dbm7 - Gb7 - Bmaj7
- Gbm7 - B7 - Emaj7
- Bm7 - E7 - Amaj7
- Em7 - A7 - Dmaj7
- Am7 - D7 - Gmaj7
- Dm7 - G7 - Cmaj7