JAZZ
ChoRD MEloDy ConCEPTs Con T.
Diatonic and Minor Third Substitutions
By BIll hART
From Solo Jazz Guitar
(00695968)
Diatonic substitutions occur when chords in a harmonized scale are used to substitute for each other. The types of diatonic substitutions are:
• II subs for IV, and vice versa
• V subs for VII, and vice versa
• I, III, and VI chords are all interchangeable
Substituting II for IV and IV for II
Using Fmaj7 in place of Dm7 creates a Dm9 sound. Conversely, using Dm7 in place of Fmaj7 will create an F6 sound. In Fig. 1, we have a I–VI–II–V
progression. Measure 3 uses Fmaj7 and Fmaj13 (the IV chord) to substitute for Dm7 (the II chord).
&
44
Fig. 1
˙
Cmaj7
˙
˙
Am7
˙
˙ Dm7
˙
˙
G7
˙
C6
Cmaj9
&
44 ˙˙˙˙
˙˙˙˙
˙˙˙¿˙
Am7
˙˙˙˙¿˙
Am9
˙˙˙˙˙
Fmaj7
˙˙˙˙
Fmaj13
˙˙˙˙˙
G7
˙˙˙˙˙
T
A
B
1
2
2
3
3
4
2
3
5
5
5
5
X
5
7
5
5
5
X
IV
sub.
5
5
5
7
8
IV
sub.
3
3
2
2
6
4
3
3
5
3
4
3
3
5
Substituting V for VII and VII for V
Using G7 in place of Bm7b5 creates a Bm7b5#5 sound. Conversely, using Bm7b5 in place of G7 will create a G9 sound. In Fig. 2, we again have
a I–VI–II–V progression. The first half note in measure 3 uses Fmaj7 (the IV chord) to substitute for Dm7 (the II chord). In measure 4, the first half
note is Bm7b5 (the VII chord), substituting for G7 (the V chord), creating a G9 sound.
&
44 ˙
Cmaj7 Fig. 2
˙
˙
Am7
˙
˙ Dm7
˙
˙
G7
˙
C6
&
44 ˙˙˙˙
T
A
B
1
2
2
3
Cmaj7
˙˙˙˙
3
4
2
3
˙˙˙¿˙
Am7
5
5
5
5
X
˙˙˙˙¿˙
Am9
5
7
5
5
5
X
˙˙˙˙˙
Fmaj7
IV
sub.
5
5
5
7
8
˙ ˙˙¿˙
Dm11
3
6
5
5
X
˙˙˙¿˙
Bm7b5
VII
sub.
6
7
7
7
X
G7
˙˙˙
3
4
3
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94 PREMIER GUITAR DECEMBER 2009
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