Pattern 3 – Short II V or Short Minor II V

Here is a classic bebop motif that works over a minor as well as a major II V I.

There are two typical bebop characteristics in this lick (I disregard Bm7b5 here and think E7 over the entire measure):

  1. The triplet goes from b9 to #9 to b9 with a hammer-on and pull-off.
  2. The 6th interval starts from the 3rd of the dominant chord.

Here is the minor version of the lick.

And here is the major version.

Or the simplified version, as it is used in study 4 (bar 6).

Here’s a study over the chord changes of The Shadow of Your Smile that will help you get pattern 3 into your playing.

Backing Track

Listen & Play-Along

Other Position

Used in (study/bar): 1/2 – 2/4 – 4/6

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10 Comments
Glenn Meadows at

Hi Dirk,

In the ii V I up top in Am why would F be noted as the b9 to Bm7b5

Dirk (Administrator) at

Hi Glenn, I explain it in the text: I disregard Bm7b5 here and think E7 over the entire measure.

Phil at

Really digging the course so far, but some suggested fingerings on some of these patterns would be most appreciated!

Phil at

Let me clarify: I can see the fingerings on the videos, but to have them written out — at the least the tricky, non intuitive ones — would be very helpful.

peter beaumont at

Dear Dirk, Relating to previous comments, I’m also confused about the first example the b9 marked in blue in Bm7b5 would be a C not F? Am I missing something?

Dirk (Administrator) at

Hi Peter, I didn’t make that very clear. I disregard the Bm7b5 here and think E7 over the entire measure. That’s something you can always do in a ii-V: disregard the minor chord (à la Joe Pass) or disregard the dominant chord (à la Wes Montgomery).

dominick lawrence at

Hi Dirk! I love this course already! I just wanted to point out that the notation and tab say something different than what you play in the example for pattern three over the B7b9. Have a great day!

Dirk (Administrator) at

Hey Dominick, thanks for letting me know! I fixed the mistake…

James Towler at

Hey Dirk. Should that be a 6 interval not the b6? Loving the course. Your approach has really opened my eyes to how lines, vocab, scales, arpeggios can all fit together. I now just need to do it 😀

Dirk (Administrator) at

You’re right James, I fixed the typo…

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