Practice Lab

Guitar · substitutions

Backdoor ii–V on guitar

The backdoor ii–V reaches the I from a whole step below instead of from the V: iv7–♭VII7–I. Both chords are borrowed from the parallel minor, so the resolution is softer and darker than V7–I.

ii–V–I (major) in B♭Chords
As writtenCm7 – F7 – B♭maj7 – B♭maj7
Backdoor ii–VE♭m7 – A♭7 – B♭maj7 – B♭maj7

As written

Four notes on four neighboring strings, the second voice from the top dropped an octave. The voices move 6 semitones in all; the largest single step is 2. Notes that moved from the chord before are in the darker color.

1011121314E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 10, 11String 3, fret 10, 1111String 2, fret 11, b7b7String 1, fret 11, b3b3
Cm7(11) (ii7)
Grip x-x-10-10-11-11 · frets 10–11Voiced: 1 11 ♭7 ♭3
1011121314E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 10, 55String 3, fret 10, 11String 2, fret 10, 33String 1, fret 11, b7b7
F7 (V7)
Grip x-x-10-10-10-11 · frets 10–11
89101112E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 8, 11String 3, fret 10, 55String 2, fret 10, 77String 1, fret 10, 33
B♭maj7 (Imaj7)
Grip x-x-8-10-10-10 · frets 8–10
Show 1 more chordShow 2 more chordsShow less
89101112E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 8, 11String 3, fret 10, 55String 2, fret 10, 77String 1, fret 10, 33
B♭maj7 (Imaj7)
Grip x-x-8-10-10-10 · frets 8–10
89101112E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 8, 11String 3, fret 10, 55String 2, fret 8, 66String 1, fret 10, 33
B♭6 (Imaj7)
Grip x-x-8-10-8-10 · frets 8–10Voiced: 1 5 6 3Bar 4: the same chord held, another voicing

Top line: E♭ – E♭ – D – D

Practice ii–V–I (major) in B♭ as written

With the backdoor ii–v

Four notes on four neighboring strings, the second voice from the top dropped an octave. The voices move 6 semitones in all; the largest single step is 2. Notes that moved from the chord before are in the darker color.

45678E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 4, b3b3String 3, fret 6, b7b7String 2, fret 4, 11String 1, fret 4, 1111
E♭m7(11) (backdoor-iv)
Grip x-x-4-6-4-4 · frets 4–6Voiced: ♭3 ♭7 1 11
45678E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 4, b7b7String 3, fret 5, 33String 2, fret 4, 55String 1, fret 4, 11
A♭7 (backdoor)
Grip x-x-4-5-4-4 · frets 4–5
34567E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 3, 55String 3, fret 5, 99String 2, fret 3, 33String 1, fret 5, 77
B♭maj9 (Imaj7)
Grip x-x-3-5-3-5 · frets 3–5Voiced: 5 9 3 7
Show 1 more chordShow 2 more chordsShow less
34567E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 3, 55String 3, fret 5, 99String 2, fret 3, 33String 1, fret 5, 77
B♭maj9 (Imaj7)
Grip x-x-3-5-3-5 · frets 3–5Voiced: 5 9 3 7
34567E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 3, 55String 3, fret 3, 11String 2, fret 3, 33String 1, fret 5, 77
B♭maj7 (Imaj7)
Grip x-x-3-3-3-5 · frets 3–5Bar 4: the same chord held, another voicing

Top line: A♭ – A♭ – A – A

Practice ii–V–I (major) in B♭ with the backdoor ii–v

In every key

KeyAs writtenBackdoor ii–V
CDm7 – G7 – Cmaj7 – Cmaj7Fm7 – B♭7 – Cmaj7 – Cmaj7
D♭E♭m7 – A♭7 – D♭maj7 – D♭maj7G♭m7 – B7 – D♭maj7 – D♭maj7
DEm7 – A7 – Dmaj7 – Dmaj7Gm7 – C7 – Dmaj7 – Dmaj7
E♭Fm7 – B♭7 – E♭maj7 – E♭maj7A♭m7 – D♭7 – E♭maj7 – E♭maj7
EF♯m7 – B7 – Emaj7 – Emaj7Am7 – D7 – Emaj7 – Emaj7
FGm7 – C7 – Fmaj7 – Fmaj7B♭m7 – E♭7 – Fmaj7 – Fmaj7
F♯G♯m7 – C♯7 – F♯maj7 – F♯maj7Bm7 – E7 – F♯maj7 – F♯maj7
GAm7 – D7 – Gmaj7 – Gmaj7Cm7 – F7 – Gmaj7 – Gmaj7
A♭B♭m7 – E♭7 – A♭maj7 – A♭maj7D♭m7 – G♭7 – A♭maj7 – A♭maj7
ABm7 – E7 – Amaj7 – Amaj7Dm7 – G7 – Amaj7 – Amaj7
B♭Cm7 – F7 – B♭maj7 – B♭maj7E♭m7 – A♭7 – B♭maj7 – B♭maj7
BC♯m7 – F♯7 – Bmaj7 – Bmaj7Em7 – A7 – Bmaj7 – Bmaj7

In the tunes

Tune pages whose changes the app can substitute this way, with the first bar it changes.

Practice it in Practice Lab

Comp ii–V–I (major) in B♭ with the backdoor ii–v in Practice Lab, in any key. Free, in your browser, no account.

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