Guitar Lesson #6801 at WholeNote: Chord Substitution Primer

Chord Substitution
By Rich Scott
An excerpt from the recently published Chord Progressions For Songwriters.
Chord substitution refers to the art of changing and/or adding chords to a progression in order to create harmony
that is different and more interesting. The general chord substitution rule holds that chords that share two or
more notes in common can be readily substituted for each other (Money Chords A Songwriters Sourcebook
Of Popular Chord Progressions). Substitutions that share two or more notes in common are referred to as a
common tone substitution. Any chord substitution must sound good and your ear is always the final arbiter of
acceptability. The box below shows several examples of frequently used common tone substitutions.

Original Chord

Substitute
Chords

Original
Chord

Substitute
Chords

VIm; IIIm

Am; Em

IV

IIm; VIm

Dm; Am

V7

VIIo; IIIm; bII7

G7

Bo; Em; Db7

Bass Line Movement

One of the main goals of chord substitution is to create more interesting bass line movement to compliment a
songs melody. An understanding of logical bass line movement can help you make better chord substitution
choices. Below are examples of five types of bass line movements that have been repeatedly used to create hits
songs.
Chromatic
Chromatic bass lines ascend or descend in half steps. The first example is the opening A section progression to
Aint Misbehavin (Standard 1937) shown below that is an example of an ascending chromatic bass line. The
second example is the opening verse progression to Walk Away Renee (Left Banke 1966) shown below that
an example of a descending chromatic bass line.
Ascending

Cmaj7 / C#o7 / Dm7 / D#o7 /

C/E /
E7#5 /

F6 /
Fm6 /

Descending

C / / / G/B / / / Bb / / /

F/
A///

Abo7 / / / C/G / / /

Cyclical
Cyclical bass lines follow circle of fifth movement descending by fifths (three and a half whole steps) or by
fourths (two and a half whole steps). The first example shown below is the bridge to I Got Rhythm (Standard
1937) that moves counterclockwise around the circle in descending fifths. The second example is the chord
progression to Hey Joe (Leaves 1966) that moves clockwise around the circle in descending fourths.
Descending Fifths

E7 / / / / / / / A7 / / / / / / / D7 / / / / / / / G7 / / / / / / /
Descending Fourths

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Guitar Lesson #6801 at WholeNote: Chord Substitution Primer

Ab / Eb / Bb / F / C / / / / / / /
Diatonic
Diatonic bass lines ascend or descend in scale steps. The first example is the main verse progression to Like A
Rolling Stone (Bob Dylan 1965) shown below that an example of an ascending diatonic bass line. The second
example is the opening verse progression to Mr. Bojangles (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band 1971) shown below that is
an example of a descending diatonic bass line.
Ascending

C / Dm / Em / F / G / / / / / / /
Descending

C / / C/B / / Am / /

C/
G//

Pedal Points
Pedal points sustain the same bass note through a series of chord changes. The main verse progression to
Billie Jean (Michael Jackson 1983) shown below is an example of a tonic pedal point.

Am / Bm /A /

C/A / Bm/
A/

Tritone
Tritone bass lines move up three whole steps then resolve down a half step. Bars nine to twelve of the A Section
to Heres That Rainy Day (Standard - 1949) shown below includes two examples of bass lines that move by
three whole steps, then have a downward half step resolution.

Fm7 / / / Fm7 / B9 Bb9

Ebmaj7 /
A9 /

Abmaj7 / / /

In the remainder of this section, you will look at a dozen must-know chord substitution techniques for any
songwriter, performer, or arranger.

Backcycling
Backcycling is a technique used to create movement in a chord progression that has little chord change by
utilizing the circle of fifths shown below.

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Guitar Lesson #6801 at WholeNote: Chord Substitution Primer

Backcycling essentially works backwards from a place you want to get to. For example if you want to get to a
G7 chord (the target) as in the simple four bar folk progression shown below, you work backwards from the
G7 to the C chord by inserting as many consecutive chords as you want from the circle of fifths creating the
backcycled progression below. Then, through the use of chord quality changes and embellishments, the
standard progression is created.
Original Progression

C / / / C / / / G7 / / /

G7
(target) / / /

Backcycled Progression

C/// A/// D///

G7
(target) / / /

Substitute Progression (Chord Quality Change & Embellishment)

Cmaj7 / / / Am7 / / / Dm7 / / /

G7
(target) / / /

Next, we will backcycle the first five bars of the twelve-bar blues progression. The first example below shows
bars one through five of the twelve-bar blues progression. The second example inserts backcycled chords
leading to the targeted F chord. The last example completes the substitution with chord quality changes and
embellishments to create a cycle of IIm-V chords.
Original Progression

C/// //// //// ////

F
(target) / / /

Backcycled Progression

C/// B/E/

A/
D/

G/C/

F
(target) / / /

Substitute Progression (Chord Quality Change & Embellishment)

C / / / Bm7b5 / E7 /

Am7 /
D7 /

Gm7 / C7 /

Fmaj7
(target) / / /

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Guitar Lesson #6801 at WholeNote: Chord Substitution Primer

Chord Quality Change

The quality of any chord (e.g., major, minor, or dominant) can be changed to another quality as long as the root
remains the same as shown in the box below.

Original Chord Quality Chord Quality Substiutions

Major

Minor or Dominant

Minor

Major or Dominant

Dominant

Major or Minor

Chord quality changes were used to create the two examples shown below. The replacement of a major chord
by its minor quality, or vice versa, is referred to as a parallel major/minor substitution. Two examples of this type
of substitution are shown below. The first example changes the quality of the F chord to Fm transforming the
doo-wop progression into the main verse progression to Sleep Walk (Santo & Johnny 1959). The second
example changes the quality of the G chord to Gm transforming the rock and roll progression into the Louie
Louie (Kingsmen 1963) progression.
(1) Original Progression

C / Am / F / G7 /
Substitute Progression (Parallel Minor/Major)

C / Am / Fm / G7 /
(2) Original Progression

C/F/ G/F/
Substitute Progression (Parallel Minor/Major)

C / F / Gm / F /

Diminished Seventh
Replacing a dominant seventh chord with a diminished seventh chord whose root is a half step higher is referred
to as a diminished seventh substitution. For example, a C can be substituted by a C#o7 chord. Keep in mind
that there are only three different diminished seventh chords (C#o7, Do7, and D#o7) with each having four
possible names and roots (C#o7=Eo7=Go7=A#o7, Do7=Fo7=G#o7=Bo7, and D#o7=F#o7=Ao7=Co7). Another
way to look at this type of substitution is that the VIIo substitutes for the V chord. Two examples of this type of
substitution are shown below.
Original Progression

Dm / / / G7 / / / C / / / / / / /
Substitute Progression (Half step Substitution #1)

Dm / / / G#o7 / / / C / / / / / / /
Substitute Progression (VIIo for V Substitution #2)

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Guitar Lesson #6801 at WholeNote: Chord Substitution Primer

Dm / / / Bo7 / / / C / / / / / / /

Dominant Seventh
A dominant seventh chord can be replaced by another dominant seventh chord whose root is a note contained
in a diminished seventh chord based on the root of the original dominant seventh chord. For example, the
C7 (C-E-G-Bb) shares two notes in common with the Eb7 (Eb-G-Bb-Db), Gb7 (Gb-Bb-Db-E), and A7 (AC#-E-G) chords. Notice that the root of each of these chords is contained in the Co7 (C-Eb-Gb-A) chord. Three
examples of this type of substitution are shown below.
Original Progression

C7 / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /
Substitute Progression (Dominant Seventh #1)

C7 / / / / / / / Eb7 / / / / / / /
Substitute Progression (Dominant Seventh/Tritone #2)

C7 / / / / / / / Gb7 / / / / / / /
Substitute Progression (Dominant Seventh #3)

C7 / / / / / / / A7 / / / / / / /

Embellishment
Adding extended (7, 9,11 or 13), altered (b5, #5, b9, #9, or #11), and/or other tones to a chord is referred to as
embellishment. Below is a table showing commonly used embellishments by chord qualities that are used to add
color and interest to chord progressions. Keep in mind that the m7b5 chord can replace diminished chords.
Major (I) Chords

6, 6/9, add9, maj7, maj7b5, maj9, maj9#11, maj11, and

maj13
Minor (IIm) Chords

m6, m6/9, m7, m7b5, m7#5, m7b9, m9, m9(M7), m11, and m
(M7)
Dominant Seventh (V) Chords

7b5, 7(b5/b9), 7#5, 7(#5/b9), 7b9, 7(b9/#11), 7#9, 7(#9/#11), 9, 9b5, 9#5, 9#11, 11, 13, 13(b5/b9),
13b9, 7sus4, and 7+
The example below shows an example of how the standard progression can be dressed up by using
embellishments.
Original Progression

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Guitar Lesson #6801 at WholeNote: Chord Substitution Primer

C / / / Am / / / Dm / / / G7 / / /
Substitute Progression

Cmaj7 / / / Am7 / / / Dm9 / / / G13 / / /

Half-Step
Inserting a chord a half step above or below another chord is referred to as a half-step substitution. A diminished
seventh chord is frequently used as a passing chord between two other chords creating chromatic ascending or
descending bass line progressions such as the first example below. The second and third examples create
interesting walking bass lines by approaching each chord of the progression from a half step above. The last
example approaches each chord from a half step below.
(1) Original Progression

C / / / / / / / Dm7 / / / G7 / / /
Substitute Progression (Ascending Chromatic Bass Line)

C / / / C#o7 / / / Dm7 / / / D#o7 / / /

(2) Original Progression

Cmaj7 / / / Am7 / / / Dm7 / / / G7 / / /

Substitute Progression (Half Step From Above)

Cmaj7 / / Bbm7 Am7 / / Ebm7 Dm7 / / Ab7

G7 / /
Db7

(3) Original Progression

C7 / / / A7 / / / D7 / / / G7 / / /
Substitute Progression (Half Step from Above)

C7 / / Bb7 A7 / / Eb7 D7 / / Ab7

G7 / /
Db7

(4) Original Progression

Cmaj7 / / / A7 / / / Dm7 / / / G7 / / /
Substitute Progression (Half Step from Below)

Cmaj7 / / Ab7 A7 / / Db7 Dm7 / / Gb7

G7 / /
B7

IIm-V
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Guitar Lesson #6801 at WholeNote: Chord Substitution Primer

Replacing a dominant seventh chord by the IIm-V progression is referred to as a IIm-V substitution. In jazz,
there seems to be an unwritten rule that says that all dominant seventh chords must be replaced in this manner.
The first example below shows a folk progression transformed into a jazz progression using this type of
substitution.
Original Progression

C / / / / / / / G7 / / / / / / /
Substitute Progression (IIm-V for V)

C / / / / / / / Dm7 / / / G7 / / /
The IIm-V progression can also be inserted a half step above or below another IIm-V progression as shown
in the examples below creating a chromatic IIm-V embellishment. This can also be looked at as a half step
substitution with the additional IIm-V substitutions.
Original Progression

Dm7 / / / / / / / G7 / / / / / / /
Substitute Progression (Half Step from Above #1)

Eb7 / / / Ab7 / / / Dm7 / / / G7 / / /

Substitute Progression (Half Step from Below #2)

Dbm7 / / / Gb7 / / / Dm7 / / / G7 / / /

Similarly, replacing a dominant seventh chord by a bVII-V progression in this manner is common in country
music.

Inversions
The term inversion refers to the lowest sounding note (bass note) in a chord whether it is the root or not. If the
root is the lowest note, the chord is said to be in the root position. When the third is the lowest note, the chord is
said to be in the first inversion. Likewise, if the lowest note is the fifth or seventh note, the chord is said to be in
the second or third inversion, respectively. Inversions are particularly useful in creating ascending, descending,
and pedal point bass line movement as shown in the three examples below.
(1) Original Progression

C / / / C / / / F / / / G7 / / /
Substitute Progression (Ascending Bass Line)

C / / / C/E / / / F / / / G7 / / /
(2) Original Progression

C/// G/// F/// G///

Substitute Progression (Descending Bass Line)

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Guitar Lesson #6801 at WholeNote: Chord Substitution Primer

C / / / G/B / / / F/A / / / G / / /
(3) Original Progression

Am7 / / / D / / / F / / / Am7 / / /
Substitute Progression (Pedal Point)

Am7 / / / D/A / / / F/A / / / Am7 / / /

Mediant
Replacing the IIIm for the I chord, or vice versa, is referred to as a mediant substitution. For example, the
C (C-E-G) can be replaced with the Em (E-G-D) chord. Conversely, the Em can be substituted for the C
chord. The example below shows how a rock and roll progression can be transformed into a rock ballad
progression by applying this type of substitution.
Original Progression

C / / / / / / / F / / / G7 / / /
Substitute Progression (Mediant)

C / / / Em / / / F / / / G7 / / /

Relative Major/Minor
Replacing a major chord by its relative minor, or vice versa, is referred to as a relative major/minor (or
submediant) substitution. For example, the C (C-E-G) can be replaced the Am (A-C-E) chord. Conversely,
the Am (VIm) can be substituted for the C (I) chord. The example below shows how a doo-wop
progression can be transformed into a standard progression by applying this type of substitution.
Original Progression

C / / / Am / / / F / / / G7 / / /
Substitute Progression (Relative Minor/Major)

C / / / Am / / / Dm / / / G7 / / /

Scalewise
Replacing two or more bars of the I chord with fill-in chords taken consecutively from the harmonized scale is
referred to as scalewise substitution. An example of this type of substitution is shown below.
Original Progression

Cmaj7 / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /

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Guitar Lesson #6801 at WholeNote: Chord Substitution Primer

Substitute Progression (Scalewise)

Cmaj7 / / / Dm7 / / / Em7 / / / Dm7 / / /

Tritone
Replacing a dominant seventh (or a minor seventh) chord by a dominant seventh chord whose root is a tritone
away is referred to as a tritone (or flatted fifth) substitution. A tritone is an interval of an augmented fourth or
diminished (flatted) fifth (three whole steps). The box below shows a listing of tritone substitutions.

Original Chord Tritone

A7

Eb7

Bb7

E7

B7

F7

C7

Gb7

Db7

G7

D7

Ab7

Eb7

A7

E7

Bb7

F7

B7

Gb7

C7

G7

Db7

Ab7

D7

Another way to look at this type of substitution is that the V can be substituted for the bII7 chord. The first
example below shows how a tritone substitution can be used to create a chromatic descending bass line in the
jazz progression. The jazz progression bass line movement is changed from cyclical to chromatic. The second
example shows how a tritone substitution was used to turn a standard progression into the opening verse
progression to Our Day Will Come (Ruby & The Romantics 1963). Then, using an inversion and another
tritone substitution, the progression is further transformed into a chromatic descending bass line progression.
(1) Original Progression

Dm7 / / / G7 / / / Cmaj7 / / / / / / /
Substitute Progression (Descending Bass Line)

Dm7 / / / Db7 / / / Cmaj7 / / / / / / /

(2) Original Progression

C / / / Am7 / / / Dm7 / / / G7 / / /
Substitute Progression (Our Day Will Come)

C / / / Eb7 / / / Dm7 / / / G7 / / /
Substitute Progression (Descending Bass Line)

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Guitar Lesson #6801 at WholeNote: Chord Substitution Primer

C/E / / / Eb7 / / / Dm7 / / / Db7 / / /

Additional Resources
If you want to learn more about the Chord Substitution, take a look at the following lessons:
A Chord Substitution Primer (Maximum Musician)
Chord Substitution (Guitar-Masters)
Chord Synonyms (MoneyChords)
Discussion of Backcycling (JustJazz.com)
Flat-Five Substitution (Guitar Lesson World)
General Principles of Chord Substitutions (JustJazz.com)
Substitution Rules (WholeNote)
Substitution Theory (Guitar-Masters)
Tritone Substitutions (JustJazz.com)
Using Tritone Substitution (Jazz Guitar ONLINE)

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