Common chord substitutions.

[S_R_S5]

I was wondering what common chord substitutes you use. I have read about the tritone substitute, and I know that diminished can substitute a Dom 7. What are other common ones?

[Drumbler]

2 - 5

1- 6

1- 3

Dominant for minor (D7 for Dm7)

#dim for Dom (G#dim for G7)

and subbing Majors for Majors (CM6 for CM7), minors for minors (Dm6 for Dm7), Doms for Doms (D13 for D7), etc.

[matt.guitarteacher]

Back cycling (approaching chords from a 5th above) is really common as a sub. For example, instead of just holding that I chord forever, make it a vi-ii-V-I. When playing through tunes, look at the turnarounds. These are always basically back cycling subs for I.

Sometimes they have a tritone sub thrown in. You can sub the tritone for any of these chords to give some variety.

vi-ii-V-I
vi-ii-bII-I
vi-bVI-V-I
vi-bVI-bII-I
etc.

Look at tunes for examples and variations on these.

Also, diatonic subs are easy. For example, on a sustained I, sub I-ii-iii-ii-I.

[fep]

You can often add a secondary dominant (a dominant chord a fifth above the target chord)

Cmaj7 |     |Ami7

Becomes

Cmaj7 | E7   | Ami7
 

You can often change a V (or a V/x (5 of any chord) to a ii-V:

Cmaj7 |  E7   | Ami7

becomes

Cmaj7 | Bm7  E7 | Ami7

or

Cmaj7 | Bmi7b5  E7 | Ami7
 

Then as you mentioned you can use tritone subs:

Cmaj7 | Bmi7b5  E7 | Ami7

becomes

Cmaj7 | Bmi7b5  Bb7b5 | Ami7
 

[whatswisdom]

Originally Posted by fep

Cmaj7 | Bmi7b5  E7 | Ami7
 
becomes
 
Cmaj7 | Bmi7b5  Bb7b5 | Ami7
 

fep: In the last line, should it not be just Bb7 right before Ami7? Just curious if the b5 is required or necessary on the dom chord.

[fep]

Originally Posted by whatswisdom

fep: In the last line, should it not be just Bb7 right before Ami7? Just curious if the b5 is required or necessary on the dom chord.

Either way, I just like the sound of the b5 in that situation... at least this morning I do.

I was thinking this, good voice leading, right?:

[whatswisdom]

Originally Posted by fep

Either way, I just like the sound of the b5 in that situation... at least this morning I do.

Okay. b9 in the evening, right?

[S_R_S5]

Thanks guys. Whatswisdom, in tritone sub you switch the 3rd and 7th (the third is now the 7th) and you fill in the root and 5th. I don't see why it couldn't be a b5.

[whatswisdom]

Originally Posted by S_R_S5

Thanks guys. Whatswisdom, in tritone sub you switch the 3rd and 7th (the third is now the 7th) and you fill in the root and 5th. I don't see why it couldn't be a b5.

Right, I know tritone sub. Just checking to confirm that the b5 (Fb) is optional.

[wich]

Also, I've always though of it as a #4 instead of b5 (as it implies a lydian dominant sounds AFAIK). But it seems that the latter is the most common way to denote these chords. The notes are exactly the same, of course.

[brwnhornet59]

Originally Posted by fep

Cmaj7 | Bm7 E7 | Ami7

or

Cmaj7 | Bmi7b5 E7 | Ami7
[/code]

Then as you mentioned you can use tritone subs:

Cmaj7 | Bmi7b5  E7 | Ami7

becomes

Cmaj7 | Bmi7b5  Bb7b5 | Ami7
 

The Bb7#11 keeps the voice leading quality intact with the symmerty of C-B-Bb-A. Also the E,#11, keeps the parent key beautifully.

After all it is the tritone sub of E7, III7. I would voice it exactly like Fep suggested!!

[jmstritt]

OP:

What let us know a tune that you are working on, and we can probably be a little more helpful. :-)

[=DK=]

Well, considering you're the only one on stage, you don't have to worry about stepping on other musician's toes as far as harmony goes. I reccomend experimentation.

[CarolM]

Originally Posted by matt.guitarteacher

Back cycling (approaching chords from a 5th above) is really common as a sub. For example, instead of just holding that I chord forever, make it a vi-ii-V-I. When playing through tunes, look at the turnarounds. These are always ba

I have to ask, how is vi a fifth from the I chord? isn't it a third down?

This is why Circle of Fifths is so mysterious to me.

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

Originally Posted by CarolM

I have to ask, how is vi a fifth from the I chord? isn't it a third down?

This is why Circle of Fifths is so mysterious to me.

Let's take this in C as an example; vi ii V I would be:

Am7 Dm7 G7 CMaj7

Cycling backwards (it is called back cycling for a reason!)
1. G is a 5th above C.
2. D is a 5th above G
3. A is a 5th above D.

[brwnhornet59]

Back cycling in 5ths simply means that you are playing down in 5ths from each chord.

In a vi ii V I, you will notice that each chord is a 5th down, (or a 4th above), the next chord.

I like subbing the iii chord for the I.

iii vi ii V I.

If you wanted you could make each chord a dom you can.

E9 A9#5 D9 G9 CM7

III9 VI9#5 II9 V9 I

[bigbyte]

I quite like the Bm11 in here

CM7 l Bm7b5 Bm11 Bb7b5 l Am7

[CarolM]

Originally Posted by BigDaddyLoveHandles

Let's take this in C as an example; vi ii V I would be:

Am7 Dm7 G7 CMaj7

Cycling backwards (it is called back cycling for a reason!)
1. G is a 5th above C.
2. D is a 5th above G
3. A is a 5th above D.

That seems to approach it backwards...but I will work on it tonight. I actually had the hang of this on guitar at one time, playing some old time stuff with a ukelele player. It will come back.

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

Originally Posted by CarolM

Ok - but you're starting on the relative minor, then the cycling begins - ?

After that point, I do get it. Thanks.

You can back cycle as much as you want -- this implies you can start anywhere:

G7 CMaj7
or
Dm7 G7 CMaj7
or
Am7 Dm7 G7 CMaj7
or
Em7 Am7 Dm7 G7 CMaj7
or
...

I kept it in C there. As back cycling gets longer, folks tend to jazz up the chords more; for example using E7 instead of Em7.

[JazzFanatik]

A simple little substitution I really like is when you have the common progression:

I-V-vi-IV (key A)
Amaj-Emaj-F#m-Dmaj

You can replace the IV with Gmaj9

I dont' know why this works, (maybe someone else knows?) but I basically just took the IV of D Which is G and put it in the bass, then i realized it was just Gmaj9.

This usually works for anytime I go to the "IV" chord, just take the IV of THAT chord and put it in the bass.

Very simple and sounds cool to me at least

[brwnhornet59]

GM9 is the IV of D. GM9 is a sub for D6 and visa versa.

GM9 and D6 are also subs for B-7, the ii of A, and the vi of D.

You are using modal interchange to sub GM9.

If you included the b13, (G), in the B-7 you would be implying D.
If you included the 13, (G#), you are implying A.

Throw the G in the bass on this chord, XX4435. GM9

Now throw the G# in the bass. Hear it? G#-7b5, another sub for B-add6 or E Dom.

Lots of fun. You can play with one note at different intervals and imply many tonalities very easily.

[JazzFanatik]

Originally Posted by brwnhornet59

GM9 is the IV of D. GM9 is a sub for D6 and visa versa.

GM9 and D6 are also subs for B-7, the ii of A, and the vi of D.

You are using modal interchange to sub GM9.

If you included the b13, (G), in the B-7 you would be implying D.
If you included the 13, (G#), you are implying A.

Throw the G in the bass on this chord, XX4435. GM9

Now throw the G# in the bass. Hear it? G#-7b5, another sub for B-add6 or E Dom.

Lots of fun. You can play with one note at different intervals and imply many tonalities very easily.

Hmmmmmm sounds interesting. I'm gonna have to try this! thank you! I have no clue what modal interchange is, but I like it! Something new to read up on!

Thanks bro!

[brwnhornet59]

Modal interchange is what allows you to borrow or substitue chords, scales, (note collections), from one tonal center and use in another. It is very common and can get as deep as you want. You should apply this to MM and HM as well. You will see that this idea is used constantly in writing. Even the Beatles used it in their own way.

[JazzFanatik]

Originally Posted by brwnhornet59

Modal interchange is what allows you to borrow or substitue chords from one tonal center and use in another. It is very common and can get as deep as you want. You may apply this to MM and HM as well. You will see that this idea is used constantly in writing. Even the Beatles used it in their own way.

yeah seems like you could come up with almost endless possibilities....i'm definately gonna read up on this and use it more, cuz i LOVE that sound.

I

[JazzFanatik]

Originally Posted by brwnhornet59

Modal interchange is what allows you to borrow or substitue chords from one tonal center and use in another. It is very common and can get as deep as you want. You may apply this to MM and HM as well. You will see that this idea is used constantly in writing. Even the Beatles used it in their own way.

Yeah it seems like you could come up with almost endless possibilities. SOmething i'm def gonna look into cuzi LOVE that sound. I play it in church a lot cuz the chord progressions get kinda boring! lol

[brwnhornet59]

Yeah, try applying those ideas in your soloing. The chords do not have to be present for you to infer them.

[JazzFanatik]

Originally Posted by brwnhornet59

Yeah, try applying those ideas in your soloing. The chords do not have to be present for you to infer them.

hhmmm woulda never thought of that, thanks AGAIN!

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

Originally Posted by brwnhornet59

Yeah, try applying those ideas in your soloing. The chords do not have to be present for you to infer them.

Example: A section of "I'll remember April"

[wkriski]

Robert Conti has a great book called The Formula! which is the best I've seen for explaining all the reharmonizations. Great point about using these ideas for soloing too.

[jayv999]

Here's a lesson page from Ted Greene that is very helpful for exploring different possibilities for harmonizing a given melody:
http://www.tedgreene.com/images/less...1981-10-24.pdf