Here is a simple concept you can apply to ii-V chord progressions to create unique and modern sounding melodic lines. Take a look at the example below:

I’ve organized three major scales into melodic shapes using wide intervals over a ii-VI-ii-V-I “turnback”, which is commonly found in many jazz standard songs.

In the first measure I organize a D major scale into a shape using seconds and thirds combined with a fourth and a fifth. In the next measure I organize a C major scale into an even wider shape, using fourths and a sixth in addition to the seconds. In the third measure I organize the G major scale (C Lydian) into seconds, fourths, a fifth and a sixth into a shape that ascends a major seventh to finish in the fourth measure.

The combined shapes create a melody that has interesting and lovely contours, with lots of voice leading and tension-resolution. If you’d like to explore other unique ideas on how to approach turbacks and other ii-V progressions, please consider my ebook, ii-V7-I: 40 Creative Concepts for the Modern Improviser.

Click below for a free pdf copy of this etude: