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Chord Substitution: Edit Watch This Page

The document discusses various techniques for chord substitution in music. It explains that chord substitution involves replacing one chord with another that functions similarly. Some key types of chord substitution discussed include: tritone substitution, where a chord a tritone away substitutes for the original; tonic substitution, using chords like iii or vi to substitute for the I chord; and relative major/minor substitution. The document also covers techniques like ii-V substitution, diminished seventh chords substituting for dominants, and "backdoor" progressions.

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69 views5 pages

Chord Substitution: Edit Watch This Page

The document discusses various techniques for chord substitution in music. It explains that chord substitution involves replacing one chord with another that functions similarly. Some key types of chord substitution discussed include: tritone substitution, where a chord a tritone away substitutes for the original; tonic substitution, using chords like iii or vi to substitute for the I chord; and relative major/minor substitution. The document also covers techniques like ii-V substitution, diminished seventh chords substituting for dominants, and "backdoor" progressions.

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Omar Apolinar
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Chord substitution

Tritone substitution: F♯7 may substitute for C7, and vice versa, because they both share E♮ and
B♭/A♯ and due to voice leading considerations. Play (help·info)

C7 is transpositionally equivalent to F♯7, the leading tones resolve inversionally (E-B♭ resolves to F-A,
A♯-E resolves to B-D♯) Play F-C7-F, F-F♯7-F, B-F♯7-B, then B-C7-B (help·info)

In music theory, chord substitution is the technique of using a chord in place of


another in a sequence of chords, or a chord progression. Much of the European
classical repertoire and the vast majority of blues, jazzand rock music songs are
based on chord progressions. "A chord substitution occurs when a chord is
replaced by another that is made to function like the original. Usually substituted
chords possess two pitches in common with the triad that they are replacing."[1]
Given that in all of the named genres, and many others, a chord progression is
repeated to form a song or tune, composers, songwriters and arrangers have
developed a number of ways to add variety to a repeated chord progression. Of
course, there are many ways to add variety to music, including changing the
dynamics (loudness and softness) or instrumentation. This article is about the
use of chord substitution to create variety in a chord progression.

Use in Classical Music


Use in Blues, Jazz and Rock Music
TypesEdit

The final two chords in the first progression are each preceded by their dominants in the second
progression Play (help·info).

The ii-V substitution is when a chord or each chord in a progression is preceded


by its supertonic (ii7) and dominant (V7), or simply its dominant.[7] For example,
a C major chord would be preceded by Dm7 and G7. Since secondary
dominant chords are often inserted between the chords of a progression rather
than replacing one, this may be considered as 'addition' rather than 'substitution'.

ii7-subV7-IM7-I6 progression Play (help·info).

Chord quality alteration is when the quality of a chord is changed, and the new
chord of similar root and construction, but with one pitch different, is substituted
for the original chord, for example the minor sixth for the major seventh, or the
major seventh for the minor.[8]

viio7 as dominant substitute Play (help·info).


♯IIo7 as dominant substitute Play (help·info).

The diminished seventh chord is often used in place of a dominant 7th chord. In
the key of A Major the V chord, E dominant 7th (which is made up the notes E, G♯,
B, and D) can be replaced with a G♯ diminished seventh chord (G♯, B, D, F). If the
diminished seventh chord (G♯) is followed by the I chord (A), this
creates chromatic (stepwise semitonal) rootmovement, which can add musical
interest in a song mainly constructed around the interval of the fourth or fifth.
The diminished seventh chord on the sharpened second scale degree, ♯IIo7, may
be used as a substitute dominant,[9] for example in C: ♯IIo7 = D♯-F♯-A-C♮ ↔ B-D♯-
F♯-A = VII7.

Play ii-subV-I in C (help·info), which creates the chromatic root movement D - D♭ - C.

Contrast with the original ii-V-I progression in C Play (help·info), which creates the leading-tone B -
C.

In a tritone substitution, the substitute chord only differs slightly from the original
chord. If the original chord in a song is G7 (G, B, D, F), the tritone substitution
would be D♭7 (D♭, F, A♭, C♭). Note that the 3rd and 7th notes of the G7 chord are
found in the D♭7 chord (albeit with a change of role). The tritone substitution is
widely used for V7 chords in the popular jazz chord progression "ii-V-I". In the
key of C, this progression is "d minor, G7, C Major". With tritone substitution, this
progression would become "d minor, D♭7, C Major," which contains chromatic
root movement. When performed by the bass player, this chromatic root
movement creates a smooth-sounding progression. "Tritone substitutions and
altered dominants are nearly identical...Good improvisers will liberally sprinkle
their solos with both devices. A simple comparison of the notes generally used
with the given chord [notation] and the notes used in tri-tone substitution or
altered dominants will reveal a rather stunning contrast, and could cause the
unknowledgeable analyzer to suspect errors. ...(the distinction between the two
[tri-tone substitution and altered dominant] is usually a moot point).".[10]

iii7 as tonic substitute Play (help·info).

Tonic substitution is the use of chords that sound similar to the tonic chord (or I
chord) in place of the tonic. In major keys, the chords iii and vi are often
substituted for the I chord, to add interest. In the key of C Major, the I Major 7
chord is "C, E, G, B," the iii chord ("III-7"[9]) is E minor 7 ("E, G, B, D") and the vi
minor 7 chord is A minor 7 ("A, C, E, G"). Both of the tonic substitute chords use
notes from the tonic chord, which means that they usually support a melody
originally designed for the tonic (I) chord.

vi7 as tonic substitute Play (help·info).

The relative major/minor substitution shares two common tones and is so


called because it involves the relation between major and minor keys with the
same key signatures, such as C major and A minor.[11]

♭III+ as dominant substitute Play (help·info).

The augmented triad on the fifth scale degree may be used as a


substitute dominant, and may also be considered as ♭III+,[12] for example in C: V+ =
G-B-D♯, ♭III+ = E♭-G-B♮, and since in every key: D♯ = E♭.

"'Backdoor' ii-V" in C: IV7-♭VII7-I Play (help·info).[13] Chord symbols for the conventional ii-V
progression are above the staff, with the chord symbols for the substitution in parentheses.

The chord a minor third above, ♭VII7, may be substituted for the dominant, and
may be preceded by its ii: iv7.[14] Due to common use the two chords of
the backdoor progression(IV7-♭VII7) may be substituted for the dominant
chord.[9] In C major the dominant would be G7: GBDF, sharing two common tones
with B♭7: B♭DFA♭. A♭ and F serve as upper leading-tones back to G and E,
respectively, rather than B♮ and F serving as the lower and upper leading-tones
to C and E.
Application
See also
Further reading
External links
Sources

Last edited 8 days ago by an anonymous user

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 Tritone substitution
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harmonic progression used in jazz
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