Tritone Substitutions — Study Guide 21 4

There are TWO forms of

each chord: one with the
3rd as the lowest note,
the other with the
7th as the lowest note

Tritone Substitutions — Study Guide 21 5

Example questions:
Write out the left hand voicings for:
C#m9 F#13 BMaj9 G#7(b13,b9)

Write out BOTH forms of the left hand voicing, and write a bass note in a separate staff.

Answer:

Remember: for ALL Left Hand Voicings,

there are TWO forms of each chord:
one with the 3rd as the lowest note,
the other with the 7th as the lowest note

Example questions:
Write out the left hand voicings for:
Am9 D13 GMaj9 E7(b13,b9)

Write out BOTH forms of the left hand voicing, and write a bass note in a separate staff.

Answer:

Tritone Substitutions — Study Guide 21 6

Example questions:
Write out the left hand voicings for:
Dm7b5 G7alt. Cm6/9 A7alt

Write out BOTH forms of the left hand voicing, and write a bass note in a separate staff.

Answer:

Remember: for ALL Left Hand Voicings,

there are TWO forms of each chord:
one with the 3rd as the lowest note,
the other with the 7th as the lowest note

Tritone Substitutions — Study Guide 21 7

Even more simple example questions: Answer:
Write out BOTH forms of the left hand voicings for: Bbm9
Remember: for ALL Left Hand Voicings,
there are TWO forms of each chord:
one with the 3rd as the lowest note,
the other with the 7th as the lowest note
Write out BOTH forms of the left hand voicings for: Eb7alt.

Write out BOTH forms of the left hand voicings for: Cm7(b5)
(notice that we USE THE ROOT for ø7 chords [9 is an avoid tone])

Write out BOTH forms of the left hand voicings for: Ab dim7

Ab dim 7 spelled enharmonically:

Write out BOTH forms of the left hand voicings for: Bbm(Maj9)

Write out BOTH forms of the left hand voicings for: Gb7(#9)

Remember: for ALL Left Hand Voicings,

there are TWO forms of each chord:
one with the 3rd as the lowest note,
the other with the 7th as the lowest note

Write out BOTH forms of the left hand voicings for: F6

(notice there is no 7th in the chord)

Tritone Substitutions — Study Guide 21 8

When we see basic “boring” chord symbols like Maj7, 7, or m7 we can try to add more diatonic
tensions. This was done in the hard bop era (circa 1955-1965) by Bill Evans, Wynton Kelly and Red
Garland. Each piano player had their own style, but generally, tensions were added like this:

Maj7 becomes Maj13 [Maj7(13,9)]

7 becomes 13 [7(13,9)]
m7 becomes m9 [min7(9)] (no 13! that is the avoid tone)

for example:
Write out BOTH forms of the left hand voicings for: FMaj7
(sacrifice the 5th and make this chord a FMaj9(13) chord)

Write out BOTH forms of the left hand voicings for: Dm7

Write out BOTH forms of the left hand voicings for: C7

Write out BOTH forms of the left hand voicings for: B7(#11)
(sometimes you can add a fifth tone, so you are able to include
all tensions, plus the 3rd and 7th and 9th)

or,
in the case of 9(#11) chords, you can even leave out the 3rd (!!!)
— the #11 is so strong, that we don’t miss the 3rd.
Or said another way, when we hear the 7th, #11 and 9th together,
our ears tell us that it MUST be a major 3rd (not a minor 3rd).

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Transcription of Red Garland’s C-Jam Blues—
Example of using Left Hand Voicings while playing piano with bass and drums for maximum
rhythmic punch.
Almost ALL piano players of the hard bop era used these kind of voicings. Listen here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=s9BCWzQnQ4Q&list=PLS55jL12gPxb1n_LMxPaEGhEDH4DOiKJ_&index=11

Tritone Substitutions — Study Guide 21 10

Tritone Substitutions — Study Guide 21 11
Tritone Substitutions — Study Guide 21 12
Tritone Substitutions — Study Guide 21 13
Blues in C:

Regular 12-bar blues:

I7 I7 I7 I7 IV7 IV7 I7 I7 V7 IV7 I7 I7

C7 F7 C7 G7 F7 C7

Jazz 12-bar blues:

I7 I7 I7 I7 IV7 IV7 I7 V/ii iim7 V7 I7 I7

C7 F7 C7 A7 Dm7 G7 C7
(I7 V/ii ii V7)

Red Garland’s C-Jam Blues:

I7 IV7 I7 I7 IV7 IV7 I7 V/ii iim7 V7 I7 I7

C7 F7 C7 F7 C7 A7 Dm7 G7 C7 A7 Dm7 G7
(I7 V/ii ii V7)

Red Garland’s C-Jam Blues:

I7 IV7 I7 V/IV IV7 IV7 I7 V/ii iim7 V7 I7 I7

C7 F7 C7 F7 C7 A7 Dm7 G7 C7 A7 Dm7 G7
(Gm7 C7) Ebº7 Ebº7
iiiº iiiº

Tritone Substitutions — Study Guide 21 14