flat five substitutions
A chord substitution substitutes one chord for another of a similar function.
Two chords have a similar function when they resolve in a similar manner to the same destination.
Try substituting Ama7 for Dbmi7b5. Those two chords don't substitute very well for each other. Why? Because in a good chord substitution, the two chords have at least one and usually more notes in common. If they don't have notes in common, they won't resolve to the same place.
An Ama7 chord has an A, a C#, an E, and a G#, while a Bma7 has a B, a D#, an F#, and an A#. They have no notes in common. If two chords have all their notes in common, then they substitute very well for each other because they're the same chord.
Let's look at a very particular kind of chord substitution common in the jazz world called a flat five substitution. Two dominant 7th chords whose roots are a diminished fifth apart (aka, a flat five) can substitute for each other quite nicely. Why? Because they have two of their four notes in common.
In our example above, we see a D7 chord moving to a G major chord. The notes in an D7 chord are D, F#, A, and C.
We also see an Ab7 chord moving to a G major chord. The notes in an Ab7 chord are Ab, C, Eb, and Gb. The D7 and Ab7 chords have C and F# (or Gb) in common. They can substitute very well for each other.
When you play the Ab7 chord followed by the G major chord, you hear that jazzy chromaticism that gives the progression a lot of color and motion.
So why substitute one chord for another when the first one will do quite nicely? Here are some good reasons:
1. It can introduce an element of surprise into the chord movement while still having parts of the original progression ..
2. It can open up new avenues for modulation, which is good if you want to go somewhere else ..
3. Because it is a very musical thing to do ..
4. Because it's cool and your friends will want to know how you did it ..
So why would you not substitute one chord for another? Here is one really good reason:
Because it doesn't fit the style of music you're working in.
A really good way to break up a bluegrass jam is to play flatfives subs, as many as you can.
Try substituting Ama7 for Dbmi7b5. Those two chords don't substitute very well for each other. Why? Because in a good chord substitution, the two chords have at least one and usually more notes in common. If they don't have notes in common, they won't resolve to the same place.
The key word here is resolve. You can place two chords together and force them to move to the same destination,
but they won't naturally resolve.
Check back to the home page for future spots on interval and chord resolution and general chord substitutions.
Check back to the home page for future spots on interval and chord resolution and general chord substitutions.
An Ama7 chord has an A, a C#, an E, and a G#, while a Bma7 has a B, a D#, an F#, and an A#. They have no notes in common. If two chords have all their notes in common, then they substitute very well for each other because they're the same chord.
Let's look at a very particular kind of chord substitution common in the jazz world called a flat five substitution. Two dominant 7th chords whose roots are a diminished fifth apart (aka, a flat five) can substitute for each other quite nicely. Why? Because they have two of their four notes in common.
We also see an Ab7 chord moving to a G major chord. The notes in an Ab7 chord are Ab, C, Eb, and Gb. The D7 and Ab7 chords have C and F# (or Gb) in common. They can substitute very well for each other.
When you play the Ab7 chord followed by the G major chord, you hear that jazzy chromaticism that gives the progression a lot of color and motion.
So why substitute one chord for another when the first one will do quite nicely? Here are some good reasons:
1. It can introduce an element of surprise into the chord movement while still having parts of the original progression ..
2. It can open up new avenues for modulation, which is good if you want to go somewhere else ..
3. Because it is a very musical thing to do ..
4. Because it's cool and your friends will want to know how you did it ..
So why would you not substitute one chord for another? Here is one really good reason:
Because it doesn't fit the style of music you're working in.
A really good way to break up a bluegrass jam is to play flatfives subs, as many as you can.