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Tritone Substitution
Bones
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I know you can substitute a dominant a tritone away from the 5 chord (i.e. Db7 instead of G7 resolving to C, or Ab7 instead of D7 resolving to G, etc) but I have not explored actually using it in an improv.
I'd like to get into that and I would like to identify some recorded solos where that is used to hear it so that I can figure out what works.
Does anyone know any vids on the Youtubes for some examples or existing transcribed licks, etc?
Thanks
I'd like to get into that and I would like to identify some recorded solos where that is used to hear it so that I can figure out what works.
Does anyone know any vids on the Youtubes for some examples or existing transcribed licks, etc?
Thanks
Comments
The first one that came to mind is a cool one from transcribing part of the Rosenberg Trio performance of "My Blue Heaven". The tune is in Eb (E flat), and at :24 seconds in to the YouTube video, in the B section, Nous'che plays the dominant 5 -- Bb7, over which Stochelo strikes an E7#9.
Over a ii-V, the tritone sub gives you a nice "half-step down" sound. So, over a Dm - G7 - C, you can play a Dmin arp, drop a fret to find your Db7 arp, then drop another fret to find the C arp.
Listening again to the "My Blue Heaven" example, you hear that half-step down tritone sub at :51.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEpgZ8FdtQM
In any ii V I a tritone sub on the second half of the 5 bar or a complete sub if shorter can get the harmony ,moving around.
Gets pretty crunchy though if the melody line is playing a within a second of the tonic of the sub...not necessarily bad ...just crunchy
Could be quite unnerving for a vocalist if the root was a minor second away from the melody note. :twisted:
Note that in the above referenced example it is the lead player SR who plays the sub while NR is playing the V.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3iU0mtcE-0
And don't stop there. While on YouTube, be sure to check out all three parts of Romane's lessons. Take them slow; absorb them; and you can learn a lot. This was one of the earliest videos (before DVDs) of GJ lessons. IMO, it's still one of the best 15 minutes of explanations around. And back in the day, they didn't even have the English translations...!
Thanks Swingnation for unearthing this. AE
I have always thought of tritone subs as a change in the chordal harmony of a song not a passing chord used in part of a solo.
I regret any confusion caused by my post.
Listen to Django's solo on Minor Swing, circa 1947.
At :32 into the song (actually, the end of his first chorus) as the band approaches A minor, our hero first does an arpeggio outlining a simple Bb chord.
Is this the sort of thing you were talking about?
It's true. Great gems of information there. After discovering these I realized my approach to GJ was all wrong. It has nothing to do with theory or technique or practicing every day. To truly master the style you have to have a bad ass moustache.
-Swing
Newcastle,
Yes! That's exactly what I was looking for. I had forgotten all about that one but you are absolutely correct, that is a straight Bb arp over an E7 chord.
BTW, a lot of people play Bb7 for measure 13 of Minor Swing and then E7 for measure 14 instead of E7 for both 13/14.
Another one by Django (if my memory is correct) in on Si Tu Savais, where he plays a decending C arp instead of F7 (going to Bm).
Swing & AE,
I'll check out those Romane vids.
(Diverging a bit, interesting how he plays with a locked right wrist and all forearm movement. Doesn't seem to hinder him).
Note that for example a Db7 and G7 the 3rd and b7 are identically the same notes (just inverted)...
Jazza,
Yes, I'm talking about using the tritone sub during a solo. Could be kind of crunchy :-). I think if the rhythm player is staying in the low register and playing like a G7 (i.e. not playing any high notes in the chord) then the soloist should be free to play Db arp (like Romane shows in the vid). Of course, if the rhythm player hears it (or anticipates it) he could switch and play a Db7 chord but that would not be necessary. Same with the bass I guess (but I don't know anything about playing bass) but I assume that the bass could play 1 and b5 rather than 1 and 5 if he heard the soloist using the tritone arp but again I'm not sure that that is necessary since the bass is in a much lower register.
Ok, so I played the Romane idea (in C instead of G) over the part 1 accompaniment in Rythme Futur and it works to my ear but then I am starting to like those sort of dissonant sounds.
So I guess if you wanted to solo over that part of Rhythme Futur you could mix up whole tone ideas and tritone subs over the rhythm part.
And addictive