JA-030 • Substitutions for the I-VI-II-V Chord Sequence

[justinguitar]

Questions...

Lesson Link: http://www.justinguitar.com/en/JA-030-1625Subs.php

[Telekaster]

Many thanks for posting another excellent lesson Justin.   If you were to improvise over these chords, would you use C major? It doesn't seem to sound quite right to me!

[rjtorres]

Hi Justin, first of all congratulations to you and your site, your intentions and actions are very honorable.

Anyway, I just wanted to ask how much jazz do you play, and are you planning to insert some more advanced concepts, tips or tricks? I was trying to find some substitution concepts, or inversions (for widening my chord grips/chord vocabulary) but can't really find them in your site. I'm not sure where to post this, so I decided maybe this is a good place to start.

An example I have (just discovered this yesterday) was that altered dominant chords can be substituted by a m7b5 chord, placed 2 frets below (G7alt can also be played as Fm7b5). I am also currently practicing arpeggios and inversions to those chords, so that gives me a lot of m7b5 chords, which also means a lot of G7 alt chord. I figured if I could learn new concepts like this, it would really help with widening my chord vocab.

Hope to hear from you soon!

[steveokla]

Greetings
Wonderful site!  I'm really enjoying this lesson, but do have a question (doubtless, something obvious I'm missing) about substitution number 8.  I understand that the  C# dim. functions as an A7b9, the sixth chord of the progression.  Further, it's I clear that the D#dim can be substituted for a B7b9 on the same principle.  What I'm uncertain about is the function of the B7 chord in the progression.  Specifically, the C# dim is functioning as the 6th chord, but what is the function of the B7b9 (for which the D# dim is being substituted) in the progression?  As a five of five (the E shows up as a substitute for the I chord, C maj) I can sort of see the connection of the B chord, there but don't really understand how the B fits in the mix.

Thanks so much, and kindest regards, Steve K.

[TB-AV]

B7 --> Em

Em being the 1. B7 is V of Em

B7 substituted for Bm7 is a popular sub.

[steveokla]

So I wasn't too far off? The B works because it's the five of the Em substituted for the Cmaj?  thanks very much.

[kaoD]

I've noticed you can substitute even further with the TT sub:

4. C∆7 Eb7 D-7 Db7 C∆7 can become C∆7 Eb7 Ab7 Db7 C∆7

Which is surprisingly similar to Trane's substitution, maybe that's why it works? I took a look at Wikipedia for Coltrane changes but it's too heavy for me to understand right now (I'm a native spanish speaker, and learnt lots of music theory in spanish, which is very different, including the european nomenclature...)

I don't know if any theory supports this, but to my ears it sounds good, so... good to go ;P

[justinguitar]

The Coltrane changes are a 1625 sub, but it is pretty complex - but works because of the sounds, not cos of the theory!

Playing over any of these you should play from the chord, not from a scale of each one!

Cmaj ---- C maj
A7-------- A alt, or A Mixo
Dmin----- D Dorian
G7-------- G alt or G Mixo

But as the chords grow out, you need to change what scales you play too!! More on that when I get into a jazz lead series!!

[TheFrooshinator]

Hi,

I just have a question regarding the different chord qualities in the substitutions because they seem to change alot (especially the 6 and 2 chord)

Can you just choose whether the 6 chord and/or the 2 chord is dominant or minor?
Like in sub 4: The 2 chord is minor again, could it remain being dominant like in sub 3?
And in sub 3, 5 and 6: can the 6 chord become minor again like in sub 1?

I know it's all about the sound and these things sound good to my ear but I still want to be sure, can you just randomly use secondary dominants??

[TB-AV]

Some chords sound surprisingly similar and could be used just to prevent a static sound to a song.

Other times the substitute chord has job to do. That job being to help guide the song to a new place. Like a key change.

It really is about what you hear.

You can play a song with 3 chords or you can select from a pool of 9 chords using some as substitutes. How you apply them and how they sound in that application is all that matters. It's just a matter of increasing your tool set to make a more ornate and interesting sound.