FREE ONILNE LESSONS (Substitute Triads)

This is a very common technique used especially in pop music. It is easy to use, and you can almost improvise immediately by using this concept.

We will examine this  in the key of C.

Here is a very simple progression that goes

So for the above progression in the key of C,

C -> C, G
Am7 -> Am7 (or C), G
F -> F,C
G -> G, F

Here is a more generic way of writing the above which can be applied to all keys.
  

When you play these chords,

you can improvise with these triads...

I

I, V

IIm7

IIm7 (or IV), I

IV

IV, I

V

V, IV

VIm7

VIm7 (or I), V

When you improvise over a dominant 7th chord, you can always use a major triad a whole step below the root.

From G7, we can improviise using both the G7 and F chords or simply V7 -> V7, IV

This is true for all dominant 7th chords, be it a chord V, chord VI, chord II or chord III.

Play them in the rhythmic style accompaniment or broken-chord style accompaniment.

During the C chord, your right hand will be playing/using the C major triad or notes from the C major triad, i.e. C, E and G.

Similarly, when it is Am7, your right hand will be using A, C, E, and G to improvise.

Using substitute triads means that while you are playing C chord, your right hand can freely improvise by using both C major and G major triad.