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 written | Cm7 – F7 – B♭maj7 – B♭maj7 | | Tritone substitute | Cm7 – 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. **Cm7(11) (ii7)** Grip x-x-10-10-11-11 · frets 10–11 Voiced: 1 11 ♭7 ♭3 **F7 (V7)** Grip x-x-10-10-10-11 · frets 10–11 **B♭maj7 (Imaj7)** Grip x-x-8-10-10-10 · frets 8–10 **B♭6 (Imaj7)** Grip x-x-8-10-8-10 · frets 8–10 Voiced: 1 5 6 3 *Bar 4: the same chord held, another voicing* Top line: E♭ – E♭ – D – D [Practice ii–V–I (major) in B♭ as written](https://practice.graph.audio/#progression=ii-v-i-major:10:drop2:4:jazz) ### 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. **Cm7 (ii7)** Grip x-x-8-8-8-8 · fret 8 **B7 (tritone sub)** Grip x-x-7-8-7-7 · frets 7–8 **B♭maj9 (Imaj7)** Grip x-x-7-7-6-8 · frets 6–8 Voiced: 7 3 5 9 **B♭6/9 (Imaj7)** Grip x-x-8-7-8-8 · frets 7–8 Voiced: 1 3 6 9 *Bar 4: the same chord held, another voicing* Top line: C – B – C – C [Practice ii–V–I (major) in B♭ with the tritone substitute](https://practice.graph.audio/#progression=ii-v-i-major:10:drop2:4:jazz:s-tritone) ## In every key | Key | As written | Tritone substitute | | --- | --- | --- | | C | Dm7 – G7 – Cmaj7 – Cmaj7 | Dm7 – D♭7 – Cmaj7 – Cmaj7 | | D♭ | E♭m7 – A♭7 – D♭maj7 – D♭maj7 | E♭m7 – D7 – D♭maj7 – D♭maj7 | | D | Em7 – A7 – Dmaj7 – Dmaj7 | Em7 – E♭7 – Dmaj7 – Dmaj7 | | E♭ | Fm7 – B♭7 – E♭maj7 – E♭maj7 | Fm7 – E7 – E♭maj7 – E♭maj7 | | E | F♯m7 – B7 – Emaj7 – Emaj7 | F♯m7 – F7 – Emaj7 – Emaj7 | | F | Gm7 – C7 – Fmaj7 – Fmaj7 | Gm7 – G♭7 – Fmaj7 – Fmaj7 | | F♯ | G♯m7 – C♯7 – F♯maj7 – F♯maj7 | G♯m7 – G7 – F♯maj7 – F♯maj7 | | G | Am7 – D7 – Gmaj7 – Gmaj7 | Am7 – A♭7 – Gmaj7 – Gmaj7 | | A♭ | B♭m7 – E♭7 – A♭maj7 – A♭maj7 | B♭m7 – A7 – A♭maj7 – A♭maj7 | | A | Bm7 – E7 – Amaj7 – Amaj7 | Bm7 – B♭7 – Amaj7 – Amaj7 | | B♭ | Cm7 – F7 – B♭maj7 – B♭maj7 | Cm7 – B7 – B♭maj7 – B♭maj7 | | B | C♯m7 – F♯7 – Bmaj7 – Bmaj7 | C♯m7 – C7 – Bmaj7 – Bmaj7 | ## In the tunes Tune pages whose changes the app can substitute this way, with the first bar it changes. - [Giant Steps](https://practice.graph.audio/guitar/tunes/giant-steps) (bar 1 first) - [Autumn Leaves](https://practice.graph.audio/guitar/tunes/autumn-leaves) (bar 2 first) - [Blue Bossa](https://practice.graph.audio/guitar/tunes/blue-bossa) (bar 6 first) - [All of Me](https://practice.graph.audio/guitar/tunes/all-of-me) (bar 3 first) - [Take the A Train](https://practice.graph.audio/guitar/tunes/take-the-a-train) (bar 3 first) - [Rhythm changes](https://practice.graph.audio/guitar/tunes/rhythm-changes) (bar 1 first) - [Blues in F](https://practice.graph.audio/guitar/tunes/blues-in-f) (bar 2 first) ## More - [ii–V–I in B♭](https://practice.graph.audio/guitar/progressions/ii-v-i-in-bb) - [Tritone sub with its related ii](https://practice.graph.audio/guitar/substitutions/tritone-related-ii) - [Backdoor ii–V](https://practice.graph.audio/guitar/substitutions/backdoor) - [Secondary dominants](https://practice.graph.audio/guitar/substitutions/secondary-dominant) - [Passing diminished chord](https://practice.graph.audio/guitar/substitutions/passing-diminished) - [Minor iv](https://practice.graph.audio/guitar/substitutions/minor-iv) ## 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](https://practice.graph.audio/#progression=ii-v-i-major:10:drop2:4:jazz:s-tritone)