Chord Substitutions

[JackWalker]

I am a nubentile here and have a question on chord substitutions. I have been through the first four or so videos and am playing along with the videos in the Blues Guitar Unleashed course with the shapes that he teaches. Learning new to me strum patterns and in some places new chord voicings and shapes. Without saying so, it seems to me that in a subtle way that he is trying to teach you how to play rythm with out strumming it to death. I think that with my background that I tend to strum stuff to death and just overdo it and he is sort of teaching you a way to play in time and sound classy for lack of a better word. Anyhow, in addition to playing along with Griff, I have been sort of experimenting with mixing and matching the voicings and Griff says something to the effect that the dominant 7th chords are a family of chords encompasing the 7ths, 9ths, 11ths, and 13ths.

I sort of get that concept. In a course that I took previously the instructor was heavily leaned toward jazz and we did not get down in the weeds this far but if we tried to play something that I could not play he would say just play that chord you know how to play meaning a 7th, 9th, or whatever. In some of the messing around that I have been doing, the first 12 Bar that Griff does is all 7ths but to me it sounds better using a 7th on the G and 9ths on the C and D for me. After the barre 7s he gets into chord shapes that you do not see much in pop music and even there I only see them ocassionally in pop music or the basic strumming songs that beginners play.

One of the reasons that I bought this course was that he said something to effect that he was not going to teach note for note how to play a song but more so teach you styles. I guess what I am asking is if there are any rules on trading out the 7th chord family voicings with blues music. I tend to think that if it sounds good it is fine but I do not want to get into some bad habit on that.

 

[PapaBear]

I am a nubentile here and have a question on chord substitutions. I have been through the first four or so videos and am playing along with the videos in the Blues Guitar Unleashed course with the shapes that he teaches. Learning new to me strum patterns and in some places new chord voicings and shapes. Without saying so, it seems to me that in a subtle way that he is trying to teach you how to play rythm with out strumming it to death. I think that with my background that I tend to strum stuff to death and just overdo it and he is sort of teaching you a way to play in time and sound classy for lack of a better word. Anyhow, in addition to playing along with Griff, I have been sort of experimenting with mixing and matching the voicings and Griff says something to the effect that the dominant 7th chords are a family of chords encompasing the 7ths, 9ths, 11ths, and 13ths.

I sort of get that concept. In a course that I took previously the instructor was heavily leaned toward jazz and we did not get down in the weeds this far but if we tried to play something that I could not play he would say just play that chord you know how to play meaning a 7th, 9th, or whatever. In some of the messing around that I have been doing, the first 12 Bar that Griff does is all 7ths but to me it sounds better using a 7th on the G and 9ths on the C and D for me. After the barre 7s he gets into chord shapes that you do not see much in pop music and even there I only see them ocassionally in pop music or the basic strumming songs that beginners play.

One of the reasons that I bought this course was that he said something to effect that he was not going to teach note for note how to play a song but more so teach you styles. I guess what I am asking is if there are any rules on trading out the 7th chord family voicings with blues music. I tend to think that if it sounds good it is fine but I do not want to get into some bad habit on that.

Definitely ok to swap out and just trust your ears for where it works

 

[ervjohns]

Yes, definitely 9th chords are a good substitute on the IV and V. Griff covers this more in some of the other courses

 

[Paleo]

I tend to think of it as using extended chords, rather than chord substitutions.

What Griff refers to as "taller" chords.

Start with a 7 chord and progressively add 9, then 11, then 13.

These extended notes are "color tones" that add a little variety or spice to the "basic" dominant 7 chord.

They sound a bit "jazzier".

However, they are still all the same basic chord serving the same dominant function.

A C9 isn't a completely different chord taking the place of a C7.

It's the same chord with another note (9) added on top.


Anywhere you have a dominant 7 chord you can "substitute" any of its extensions.

 

[JackWalker]

Thanks for the replies. I agree that they sound jazzier and point taken that it is not a completely different chord. I guess it is sort of like cooking in that if you cook say a roast and put some salt and pepper on it and then add an herb or something to it. You still have a roast but you seasoned it.

 

[Paleo]

And if you were a vegetarian you would substitute something else for that roast.

 

[Paleo]

And this will all become clearer(?) if you check out Lessons 6 & 7 in "Guitar Theory Made Useful".

 

[JackWalker]

And if you were a vegetarian you would substitute something else for that roast.

Yep, have potato or zuchinni or what not. Same seasonings would work, I think.

 

[JackWalker]

And this will all become clearer(?) if you check out Lessons 6 & 7 in "Guitar Theory Made Useful".

I don't have that course, but I think I may be able to find someone that can explain this to me.

 

[JackWalker]

I found an answer from Griff to my question. I have watched a good many of his free videos but have not seen all of them and stumbled across this gem a few minutes ago. This answers my question. It is sort of all over the map but there are a lot of good lessons and advice in his freebies.

https://bluesguitarunleashed.com/blog/7th-chord-mixing-and-matching/