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Autumn Leaves - chord substitutions

The first eight bars of the chord progression for Autumn Leaves are;

|| Cm7 | F7 | B♭maj7 | E♭maj7 | Am7♭5 | D7 | Gm | Gm ||

This is in the key of B♭ major. The progression moves to its relative -

minor in the last four bars. The chord in bar five (Am7♭5) is common to
both keys and acts as a link.

The notes of the B♭ major scale are;

B♭ C D E♭ F G A

Chords in this key can only contain notes from this scale.

The columns below show the notes used to build seventh chords on each
note in this key.

A B♭ C D E♭ F G
F G A B♭ C D E♭
D E♭ F G A B♭ C
B♭ C D E♭ F G A

These chords are named;

B♭maj7 Cm7 Dm7 E♭maj7 F7 Gm7 Am7♭5

I II III IV V VI VII

When these chords are extended to ninths they become;

B♭maj9 Cm9 Dm7♭9 E♭maj9 F9 Gm9 Am7♭5

Again, these chords only contain notes found in the B♭ major scale.
The notes in these extended chords are;

C D E♭ F G A B♭
A B♭ C D E♭ F G
F G A B♭ C D E♭
D E♭ F G A B♭ C
B♭ C D E♭ F G A

Each chord now contains notes that form other chords.

F Gm Ao B♭ Cm Dm E♭
Dm7 E♭maj7 F7 Gm7 Am7♭5 B♭maj7 Cm7
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For example, B♭maj7 contains Dm7 and F.

These new chords can be used as substitutes for the original.

Bars 5 to 8 of Autumn Leaves are in the relative minor, G minor.

This uses the G harmonic minor scale.

The notes of this scale are;

G A B♭ C D E♭ F♯

The chords in this key are;

Gm♯7 A m7♭5 B♭7♯5 Cm7 D7 E♭maj7 F♯ m7♭5

I II III IV V VI VII

Bars 5 to 8 are a II V I I chord progression in this key.

| Am7♭5 | D7 | Gm | Gm |

Am7♭5 is also in the key of B♭ major. It acts as a link between the two
keys.

The notes that create these chords are;

G C
E♭ A D
C F♯ B♭
A D G

Am7♭5 D7 Gm

When these chords are extended to ninths they become;

B♭ E♭ A
G C F♯
E♭ A D
C F♯ B♭
A D G

Am7♭5♭9 D7♭9 GmMaj9

Each chord now contains notes that form other chords and these can be used
as substitutes.

E♭ Ao D
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Cm7 F♯m7♭5 B♭maj7♯5

Am7♭5♭9 D7♭9 GmMaj9

Another approach that could be used with the entire chord progression is to
find substitute chords built on a root a third below the original.

This example focuses on the last four bars of Autumn Leaves.

| Am7♭5 | D7 | Gm | Gm |
Reduced these chords to a triad.

E♭ A D D
C F♯ B♭ B♭
A D G G
Ao D Gm Gm

Add a new root-note a third below each chord. These new notes are from the
G harmonic minor scale.

E♭ A D D
C F♯ B♭ B♭
A D G G
F♯ B♭ E♭ E♭

This also creates new substitute chords.

F♯o7 B♭+maj7 E♭maj7 E♭maj7

A possible substitute chord progression is;

|| Cm7 E♭maj7 | F7 Am7♭5 | B♭maj7 Dm7 | E♭maj7 Gm7 |

| Am7♭5 Cm7 | D7 B♭+ | Gm | Gm ||

You could use any on the substitute chords to create variations to the original.
Try it…