The_Complete_Idiot%27s_Guide_To_Music_Theory

Chord Substitutions and
Turnarounds
In This Chapter
16
Chapter
◆ Learn how to spice up boring chord progressions with extensions
◆ Discover how to alter a chord’s bass note and play two chords simultaneously
◆ Master the art of chord substitution
This section of the book is all about embellishing your music. You can embellish
your melody with harmony and counterpoint (as you learned in the previous
chapter); embellish individual notes (as you’ll learn in the next chapter); and
embellish your chords and chord progressions.
Which is what this chapter is all about.
Even if you’re stuck with a boring I-IV-V progression, there is still a lot you
can do to put your own personal stamp on things. For example, you don’t have
to settle for precisely those chords; you can extend the chords, alter the bass
line, and even substitute other chords for the originals. You’ll still maintain the
song’s original harmonic structure—more or less—but you’ll really jazz up the
way things sound.
All this will impress your listeners and fellow musicians. A few key chord alterations
and substitutions will make folks think you have the right touch—and
that you really know your music theory!
Extending a Good Thing
The simplest way to spice up a boring chord progression is to use seventh chords,
or even add a few extensions beyond that. As you learned back in Chapter 9, the
basic chord is a triad consisting of the 1-3-5 notes. When you start adding notes
on top of the triad—sevenths, ninths, and elevenths—you’re extending the
chord upward.