Chord Substitution

how to change your chords for other chords and still have your melody supported

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let's recap chord substitution

and stare at the rockyou files

chords I III VI from a key may be exchanged for each other

chords II IV from a key may be exchanged for each other

chords V VIII from a key may be exchanged for each other

If you know what key you are in you can apply and experiment with this concept

next

switch mode anytime you want

how

lets identify two modes we could use

G Major and G Natural Minor(Bb)

we could use any G mode of any scale

G Major is the VI Mode of Bb Major

I III VI in G Major are G Bm Em

I III VI in G Natural Minor are Gm Bb Eb

II IV in G Major are Am C

II IV in G Natural Minor are Am7b5 Cm

V VII in G Major are D7 F#m7b5

V VII in G Natural Minor are Dm F7

Lets consider this progression

|| G / / / | C / D / || That's a I IV V chord progression in G Major

The I chord could change to Bm, Em, Gm, Bb or Eb

The IV chord could change to Am, Am7b5 or Cm

The V chord could change to F#m7b5, Dm or F7

remember to support the melody line and your ideas will work

"support the melody"?

just make sure the notes that the singer uses are in the chords

if the melody line uses G over the G chord

the choice of a chord sub becomes limited to chords that contain G

ie Em,Gm,Bb6 or Eb. As each of these chords contain a G note.

|| G / / / | C / D / ||

try mixing the chords in the vertical columns

start with the original then experiment

||G / / / |C / D / ||

||Em / / / |Am / F#m7b5 /||

||Bm / / / |Cm / Dm7 / ||

||Gm / / / |Am7b5 / F7 / ||

||Bb / / / |C / Dm7 / ||

||Eb / / / |Am / F7 / ||

supporting the melody line will confirm which chords are useable

NEXT MONTHS NEWSLETTER

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