Steve's Spinal Column #3
Mar '05
 Steve with two great guitarists, Michele Ramo (8 string) and the unbelievable Ben Lacy-Performing Django Reinhardt's "Minor Swing" at Long Beach Jazz festival Sept. 2004 |
In any chord progression, the creative musician can alter the written harmony using some very basic substitution rules. The ideas I will give work absolutely on paper. The feel of the tune and the desired overall sound should guide the applications. Let the player/arranger be the judge as to what works to his/her ear.
| Rule #1: |
Direct Substitution. For any chord you may substitute another with the same root and quality (Major, minor, dominant) i.e. 1- GMaj7 - GMaj6 - GMaj6/9 or 2- Gmin7 - Gmin9 - Gmin11 or 3- G7 - G9 - G7b5 - G7#9 etc. |
| Rule #2: |
You can substitute a iiim7 for a IMaj7. Reasoning. i.e. CMaj7=CEGB Emin7=EGBD The notes of Emin7 are just the 3,5,7,9 of C. It serves as a CMaj7/9 |
| Rule #3: |
Flat Five substitution. (See last Spinal Column for explanation) You may substitute a dominant type chord for another, a flatted fifth away. i.e.- G9 can be changed to Db7#9 |
| Rule #4: |
You can replace a repetitive chord with a scalewise progression i.e. l GMaj7 l GMaj7 l becomes l GMaj7 Amin7 l Bmin7 CMaj7 l |
| Rule #5: |
You can connect chords chromatically with dim.7 chords. i.e. l GMaj7 Amin7 l l Bmin7 CMaj7 l becomes' lGMaj7 G#dim7 Amin7 A#dim7 l Bmin7 ........ |
| Rule #6: |
A vii half dim.7 can substitute for a V dominant 7 i.e. B half dim.7 subs for G7 reasoning- B half dim.7=BDFA which is the 3.5,b7,9 of G7 |
There are many more applications for these ideas. Try a twelve bar blues and attempt some substitutions*. Remember to use your ear for good voice leading. Hear the melodies and bass lines created by these new progressions. The larger your chord vocabulary, the more adventurous you can get. Bottom line, sound creative and musical.
*Technically, you can play 48 different chords in a 12 bar blues (4beats/measure x 12 bars). Cool sound if you fine tune it. Give it a try.