5 Becomes 2
Another common situation is where you have a 2 5 progression which does not progress to 1 , but in the next bar, the 57 chord becomes 2 min7 of the next key. In this case, all you have to do is lower the 3rd of the chord by a semitone to change from a dominant 7th to a minor 7th. Here is an example.
As with the change between the Major 7 and minor 7 chords, practice alternating between a Dominant 7 and a min7 chord on the same root note with arpeggios, modes, and improvised lines as shown here.
Once again, the next step is to repeat the process through all the keys. Try progressing down a semitone until you reach the same note an octave lower, then go up by semitones, then around the key cycle both ways, up and down in major 2nds, minor 3rds and major 3rds.
It is also common for 2 5 1 progressions to occur over two bars rather than four. As with the four bar version, practice running through the arpeggios and modes and then improvising with them. Remember to do this in all keys. When you find a pattern you like, play it around the cycle without stopping as shown here. Then play it around the cycle in the other direction, then up and down chromatically through the keys and up and down through various interval cycles.
