Practice Lab

Guitar · substitutions

Tritone substitute on guitar

The tritone substitute replaces a dominant with the dominant a tritone away (♭II7 for V7). The two share their 3rd and 7th, swapped, so the guide tones stay where they were, and the bass now falls a half step into the I.

ii–V–I (major) in B♭Chords
As writtenCm7 – F7 – B♭maj7 – B♭maj7
Tritone substituteCm7 – B7 – 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 tritone substitute

Four notes on four neighboring strings, the second voice from the top dropped an octave. The voices move 9 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, b7b7String 3, fret 8, b3b3String 2, fret 8, 55String 1, fret 8, 11
Cm7 (ii7)
Grip x-x-8-8-8-8 · fret 8
7891011E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 7, b7b7String 3, fret 8, 33String 2, fret 7, 55String 1, fret 7, 11
B7 (tritone sub)
Grip x-x-7-8-7-7 · frets 7–8
678910E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 7, 77String 3, fret 7, 33String 2, fret 6, 55String 1, fret 8, 99
B♭maj9 (Imaj7)
Grip x-x-7-7-6-8 · frets 6–8Voiced: 7 3 5 9
Show 1 more chordShow 2 more chordsShow less
678910E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 7, 77String 3, fret 7, 33String 2, fret 6, 55String 1, fret 8, 99
B♭maj9 (Imaj7)
Grip x-x-7-7-6-8 · frets 6–8Voiced: 7 3 5 9
7891011E4B3G3D3A2E2String 4, fret 8, 11String 3, fret 7, 33String 2, fret 8, 66String 1, fret 8, 99
B♭6/9 (Imaj7)
Grip x-x-8-7-8-8 · frets 7–8Voiced: 1 3 6 9Bar 4: the same chord held, another voicing

Top line: C – B – C – C

Practice ii–V–I (major) in B♭ with the tritone substitute

In every key

KeyAs writtenTritone substitute
CDm7 – G7 – Cmaj7 – Cmaj7Dm7 – D♭7 – Cmaj7 – Cmaj7
D♭E♭m7 – A♭7 – D♭maj7 – D♭maj7E♭m7 – D7 – D♭maj7 – D♭maj7
DEm7 – A7 – Dmaj7 – Dmaj7Em7 – E♭7 – Dmaj7 – Dmaj7
E♭Fm7 – B♭7 – E♭maj7 – E♭maj7Fm7 – E7 – E♭maj7 – E♭maj7
EF♯m7 – B7 – Emaj7 – Emaj7F♯m7 – F7 – Emaj7 – Emaj7
FGm7 – C7 – Fmaj7 – Fmaj7Gm7 – G♭7 – Fmaj7 – Fmaj7
F♯G♯m7 – C♯7 – F♯maj7 – F♯maj7G♯m7 – G7 – F♯maj7 – F♯maj7
GAm7 – D7 – Gmaj7 – Gmaj7Am7 – A♭7 – Gmaj7 – Gmaj7
A♭B♭m7 – E♭7 – A♭maj7 – A♭maj7B♭m7 – A7 – A♭maj7 – A♭maj7
ABm7 – E7 – Amaj7 – Amaj7Bm7 – B♭7 – Amaj7 – Amaj7
B♭Cm7 – F7 – B♭maj7 – B♭maj7Cm7 – B7 – B♭maj7 – B♭maj7
BC♯m7 – F♯7 – Bmaj7 – Bmaj7C♯m7 – C7 – 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 tritone substitute in Practice Lab, in any key. Free, in your browser, no account.

Open it in Practice Lab