Practice Lab

Guitar · substitutions

Secondary dominants on guitar

A minor seventh that falls a fifth to the next chord can be made a dominant: VI7 for vi before ii. Its new major 3rd is the leading tone of the chord it resolves to, so it pulls into it harder.

I–vi–ii–V (1625) in B♭Chords
As writtenB♭maj7 – Gm7 – Cm7 – F7
Secondary dominantsB♭maj7 – G7 – Cm7 – F7

As written

Four notes on four neighboring strings, the second voice from the top dropped an octave. The voices move 5 semitones in all; the largest single step is 2. Notes that moved from the chord before are in the darker color.

89101112E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 8, 11String 3, fret 10, 55String 2, fret 10, 77String 1, fret 10, 33
B♭maj7 (I)
Grip x-x-8-10-10-10 · frets 8–10
89101112E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 8, b3b3String 3, fret 10, b7b7String 2, fret 10, 99String 1, fret 10, 55
Gm9 (vi)
Grip x-x-8-10-10-10 · frets 8–10Voiced: ♭3 ♭7 9 5
1011121314E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 10, 11String 3, fret 10, 1111String 2, fret 11, b7b7String 1, fret 11, b3b3
Cm7(11) (ii)
Grip x-x-10-10-11-11 · frets 10–11Voiced: 1 11 ♭7 ♭3
Show 1 more chordShow 2 more chordsShow less
1011121314E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 10, 11String 3, fret 10, 1111String 2, fret 11, b7b7String 1, fret 11, b3b3
Cm7(11) (ii)
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 (V)
Grip x-x-10-10-10-11 · frets 10–11

Top line: D – D – E♭ – E♭

Practice I–vi–ii–V (1625) in B♭ as written

With the secondary dominants

Four notes on four neighboring strings, the second voice from the top dropped an octave. The voices move 12 semitones in all; the largest single step is 3. Notes that moved from the chord before are in the darker color.

7891011E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 8, 11String 3, fret 7, 33String 2, fret 8, 66String 1, fret 8, 99
B♭6/9 (I)
Grip x-x-8-7-8-8 · frets 7–8Voiced: 1 3 6 9
89101112E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 9, 33String 3, fret 10, b7b7String 2, fret 8, 11String 1, fret 10, 55
G7 (secondary-dominant)
Grip x-x-9-10-8-10 · frets 8–10
89101112E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 8, b7b7String 3, fret 8, b3b3String 2, fret 8, 55String 1, fret 8, 11
Cm7 (ii)
Grip x-x-8-8-8-8 · fret 8
Show 1 more chordShow 2 more chordsShow less
89101112E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 8, b7b7String 3, fret 8, b3b3String 2, fret 8, 55String 1, fret 8, 11
Cm7 (ii)
Grip x-x-8-8-8-8 · fret 8
7891011E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 7, 33String 3, fret 8, b7b7String 2, fret 8, 99String 1, fret 8, 55
F9 (V)
Grip x-x-7-8-8-8 · frets 7–8Voiced: 3 ♭7 9 5

Top line: C – D – C – C

Practice I–vi–ii–V (1625) in B♭ with the secondary dominants

In every key

KeyAs writtenSecondary dominants
CCmaj7 – Am7 – Dm7 – G7Cmaj7 – A7 – Dm7 – G7
D♭D♭maj7 – B♭m7 – E♭m7 – A♭7D♭maj7 – B♭7 – E♭m7 – A♭7
DDmaj7 – Bm7 – Em7 – A7Dmaj7 – B7 – Em7 – A7
E♭E♭maj7 – Cm7 – Fm7 – B♭7E♭maj7 – C7 – Fm7 – B♭7
EEmaj7 – C♯m7 – F♯m7 – B7Emaj7 – C♯7 – F♯m7 – B7
FFmaj7 – Dm7 – Gm7 – C7Fmaj7 – D7 – Gm7 – C7
F♯F♯maj7 – D♯m7 – G♯m7 – C♯7F♯maj7 – D♯7 – G♯m7 – C♯7
GGmaj7 – Em7 – Am7 – D7Gmaj7 – E7 – Am7 – D7
A♭A♭maj7 – Fm7 – B♭m7 – E♭7A♭maj7 – F7 – B♭m7 – E♭7
AAmaj7 – F♯m7 – Bm7 – E7Amaj7 – F♯7 – Bm7 – E7
B♭B♭maj7 – Gm7 – Cm7 – F7B♭maj7 – G7 – Cm7 – F7
BBmaj7 – G♯m7 – C♯m7 – F♯7Bmaj7 – G♯7 – C♯m7 – F♯7

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 I–vi–ii–V (1625) in B♭ with the secondary dominants in Practice Lab, in any key. Free, in your browser, no account.

Open it in Practice Lab