Don’t Think Chord Substitutions! It limits your understanding of harmony

To me, this is one of those things that can really open up how you work with chords and help you create some beautiful-sounding progressions beyond chord substitutions.
😎 How The Pros Think About Chord Progressions (and you probably don't)🧨
• How The Pros Think Abo...
How Chord Melody Will Help You Master Important Skills
• How Chord Melody Will ...
Get the PDF on my website:
jenslarsen.nl/why-chord-subst...
Get the PDF and GuitarPro files on Patreon:
/ why-chord-are-73766196
🎸Check out my Online Course, The Jazz Guitar Roadmap: bit.ly/JazzGtRm
🔴 Subscribe for more free Jazz Guitar Lessons and Videos: bit.ly/JensLessons
☑️ Support me on Patreon: / jenslarsen
✅DOWNLOAD A FREE E-BOOK with 15 II Valt I licks!
Sign up for my newsletter:
jenslarsen.nl/sign-up-for-my-n...
▶️ Check out my latest video: goo.gl/G16gVx
🎸Check out my Online Course, The Jazz Guitar Roadmap: bit.ly/JazzGtRm
Intro
Content:
00:00 Intro
00:36 Chord Substitutions 101 - Tritone Substitution
02:37 Chord Substitution 102 - Major and Minor + Tritone 2.0
04:26 Beyond Chord Substitution
07:52 The Easiest Way To Make It Work
09:09 Everything Is Allowed
11:20 How To Think About Chords Is What Is Important
11:23 How The Pros Think About Chord Progressions (and you probably don't)
11:30 Like the video? Check out my Patreon page!
My name is Jens Larsen, Danish Jazz Guitarist, and Educator. The videos on this channel will help you explore and enjoy Jazz. Some of it is how to play jazz guitar, but other videos are more on Music Theory like Jazz Chords or advice on how to practice and learn Jazz, on guitar or any other instrument.
The videos are mostly jazz guitar lessons, but also music theory, analysis of songs and videos on jazz guitars.
Edited by Luciano Poli - Business Inquiries: [e-mail]
Facebook: / jenslarsenytlessons
Twitter: / jensljazz
Instagram: / jenslarsenjazz
My Book: Modern Jazz Guitar Concepts: geni.us/Y69J4
My Gear:
www.amazon.com/shop/jenslarsen
Music Notation: www.guitar-pro.com/#ae113
Software For Transcribing: bit.ly/Trnscrib
Clip-on Tuner: geni.us/FbPGZg4
Great Safe Gigbag: geni.us/1aH94
SonoCore Strings: 13-53 geni.us/nU3NA3V
Powered Monitor: geni.us/YB8z3X
Headphones: geni.us/fGDhHl
Audio Interface: geni.us/qFIfT
Camera 1: geni.us/AlpjaA7siii
Lens 1: geni.us/Sigma2470
Lens 2: geni.us/GmM8
Lens 3: geni.us/GJ01Hv
Video Lights: geni.us/wQ8jhSy
Video Lights: geni.us/MWtU

[@JensLarsen]

How The Pros Think About Chord Progressions (and you probably don't)🧨 kzbin.info/www/bejne/o6TQlZWuqM-grKs

[@SamBellGuitar]

You're such a legend, what you're giving the guitar community, we're all very very lucky.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you, Sam! Glad that you think so 🙂

[@cbolt4492]

I've a way to go before I understand this Jens

[@JensLarsen]

Some of it is tricky stuff!

[@paulgibby6932]

Your stuff is getting richer and richer. Thanks

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it Paul! 🙂

[@jumemowery1050]

Love ya Jens!! Over my head but I'm hoping to absorb a little with each video!

[@JensLarsen]

Go for it Jume!

[@fredfloyd34]

Jens at his best...awesome teacher... Fabulous jammer...

[@JensLarsen]

🙏

[@elf2278]

I don't understand a thing Jens said , I wish I could, but still I love his style of jazz

[@DrJoshGuitar]

Those 2 reharms on You Don't Know What Love Is sound really great Jens.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you! :)

[@paulpmanhowland7818]

Great stuff! I'm gonna re-visit this later when I'm fully awake.

[@JensLarsen]

Sorry if it is a bit dense 🙂

[@paulpmanhowland7818]

@@JensLarsen It's fine, it's me that's a bit dense at this time of day. I caught the general gist of it, I'm looking forward to digging in more later.

[@thetrombonehub6254]

Great video, Jens - Short and very Concise! You are making a very good point when recommending the basic harmony as a starting point, so that there is an element of surprise! Thank you so much for posting! 🙏🏽

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it! 🙂

[@dann1966]

Extraordinary Professor Jens.

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it 🙂

[@robertbalogh1656]

This is a great video. Also there is a difference between chord substitution and reharmonization which you show very well.

[@JensLarsen]

Glad it was helpful! Exactly!

[@PresenceWithPurpose]

This is so good and well explained. Can hardly wait to work on this. Thanks, Jens!

[@JensLarsen]

Glad it was helpful! Go for it!

[@derekdodson5623]

Fantastic, Jens. Thanks!

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it 🙂

[@dandiacal]

You have one of the best music instructional videos out there, full of wisdom about the music and it's history. Thanks for doing these.

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like them 🙂 that is really motivating to hear

[@dandiacal]

@@JensLarsen When I had the great fortune to not only study with George Russell but also play in his ensemble back in the 80s he said a lot of jazz history could be divided into vertical versus horizontal players, emphasizing that one was not better than the other - just different. He used the name Lester Young for the horizontal and Coleman Hawkins for the vertical. Just his theory. It reminds me a little of some of what you discuss here.

[@derrylgabel]

Fantastic Jens! I love this type of thing.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you Derryl! Makes my day 🙂

[@derrylgabel]

@@JensLarsen 🙂

[@seattlevegas66]

Great jazz music is all about the details!

[@rdpatterson2682]

great lesson!

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you liked it!

[@EricMartinPercussion]

Excellent explanation of what can be an overwhelming subject. Well done!

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@rothloaf1980]

New subscriber won... I've perused many harmony vids but many go into some system I think is superfluous to harmony. Your instruction makes sense to my mind which, briefly, revolves more around leading tones... perhaps the "kind of suspensions" you mention. Still, I must digest. Thanks.

[@feratgoogle]

Great, Jens!

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it!

[@Yodaddyandmommagreen]

Thanks for this awesome lesson

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you liked it!

[@bozakarlin9034]

Excellent theme, animations are great.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you! :)

[@jf1jf1jf]

Great job thank you Jens 5:25

[@bilanggoboy]

Best lesson on chord substitution I have seen! Thank you!

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you 🙂

[@binface9]

3:08 like the Bb7 in Beautiful Love 😃

[@binface9]

Beautiful examples. Thank you for another excellent tutorial

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks! Actually it isn't a reharmonization there, Eø with E in the melody is not that great :)

[@StevenRosenberg]

Great lesson!

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you 🙂

[@kirkp_nextguitar]

This is excellent.

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it!

[@co7013]

Wow this is actually a video that explains some stuff that I never understood and that I can sort of make sense of now. In most of your videos I quickly get lost, either because your going to fast for me or I just lack the knowledge or the stamina. I am going to watch this a few more times and take notes of all these examples.

[@JensLarsen]

Glad to hear it! Remember that you can get a PDF on my website, and maybe the article there is more useful than the video?

[@kevindonnelly761]

You can slow the video down if you like by clicking on the 'cog' icon on the bottom right hand corner of the page. I always pause and rewind if necessary. If there's something you don't understand, it may be covered in one or more of Jens' other videos, or just Google it

[@Juanma4033]

What s beautiful video. Thanks

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it! 🙂

[@jamescopeland5358]

Good video Jens thank you

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it 🙂

[@tomcripps7229]

Great video Jens. I find using substitutions easier than what to call them. I got into trouble last night with this, looked into Chord Chemistry and was even more confused. What I thought was a diminished could be a 7th, flat 9. Or a half diminished could be a 9th. It still sounds good.

[@JensLarsen]

Ok, That is not really what I would consider a substitution since it will sound like the same chord in the context.

[@benkatof5852]

Perfect timing for me Jens - I've been wondering how to shift my playing from chords to chord moves. I finally picked up my Joe Pass chord book to get some ideas. This video helps!

[@JensLarsen]

Great, Ben! 🙂

[@PresenceWithPurpose]

Thanks for the reminder in regards to the Joe Pass chord book. I've got one stored away. Gotta go pull it out. 😊

[@user-yx1dr9ff4w]

いつも拝見しております。コードの流れを知る事で曲が抜群にきらびやかになりますね!

[@mikkelhenrichsen9459]

Again love you videos. You just helped my solved a Tim Christensen number☺️

[@mikkelhenrichsen9459]

Do you know some good videos or books about, how to read notes and rythme?

[@JensLarsen]

That's great! :)

[@claudelussier1678]

La musique qui parle! Quel beau cours! Merci!

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it 🙂

[@brucebouton2527]

Thanks!

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you for supporting the channel Bruce! 🙂

[@bonacera3]

I love bill evans.

[@ronc1231]

When you listen to a trio or quartet many times they sound much bigger. That's because they're all playing different note. They're not planning on triads. If you account for bass and faithful melody, the rest of the notes are up for grabs. And each note changs the color and weight of the passage. It's a journey over the fretboard thing your ear to recognize the specific tools you want to use. The names are intimidating if you don't understand how chords get their names. In reality, most players are seeking the tones. For me is fascinating to find something on the fingerboard for 600 years, but it's new to me. I have an advantage, I'm playing only to please myself, if I'm happy most of the audience will enjoy the performance.

[@PCKPockyi]

Wonderful

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you

[@andywebster25]

I’m a huge fan of your videos- I have watched and studied almost all of them. Question: When you play a song like Blue Moon, and then you reharmonize the second time around, are you making choices in the moment, or did you plan it out ahead of time? I understand the concept of reharmonization, but it takes so much concentration for me. Any idea for how to make it flow? You’re a great teacher - this channel is awesome!

[@JensLarsen]

The examples in this video were done ahead of time, but I do reharmonize while I play, It is a matter of getting used to it just like soloing over chords.

[@seheyt]

Surely that’s the RC in The Hague at 5:01. They moved to a new location in January 2022

[@JensLarsen]

Yes, but this is the building where I studied and later worked. Seemed more appropriate

[@KennyKoller]

@Jens Larsen Your video "Three Bebop Licks You Need to Know" was incredibly helpful to me. I took your advice and have been "composing" bebop lines all week. My playing has suddenly transformed from sounding like "aimless" jazz to having a point. Will you consider publishing a video where you discuss how to incorporate the upper extension intervals? For example I might be looking at a progression that has say an Am7 and I'm wondering if I should play a 9 or b9 or 6 or b6. I can deduce the "correct" note by listening or a little theory but I am curious how you work with the intervals that are not explicitly spelled out by the quality of the chord.

[@JensLarsen]

That is great to hear Kenny :) Actually the intervals that are not in the chord are usually a consequence of the context, so the progression and the key. I never read a chord as just Am7, it is always Am7 in some key and in some progression.

[@KennyKoller]

@@JensLarsen It looks like you address this in "Jazz Theory 5 Chord Progressions You Need To Recognize and Be Able To Play" in the functional harmony playlist (should others be interested).

[@jaroslavmencl9543]

Very nice dissonant chords! Here I can hear bits of Ted Greene and Tim Lerch :)

[@lawrenrich6419]

The dutch Mack truck of jazz guitar. Just keeps going. And going. Hauling truckloads of stuff week after week, month after month .. for years now .. I’m a Prius

[@unsatura]

keep the song in there ! ! 😅😅... great vid, thatks 🙏🙏

[@JensLarsen]

Exactly! 🙂

[@atzgoblastbotzo]

I did not have enough time to understand anything but it sounded beautiful 😁 This is way too dense and too fast for beginners. It would be more usable if you made one video for each type of chord substitution, spending more time on how it works and how to apply the trick in some simple exercise. But thank you for bringing so much value and beautiful sounds !

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks! Reharmonization is anyway not a beginner topic. You need to know some songs before that even begins to become relevant 🙂

[@billyzoom1]

Hello, Jens. Thank you for all your videos..they are very helpful. I’m having a hard time getting a jazz tone similar to yours, which is what a I hear in my head. Are you using anything other than reverb? I can’t tell if there is delay or chorus. Thank you. Hope you can respond.

[@JensLarsen]

Sometimes I use a delay as well, but not always. That is actually it 🙂

[@infinite-guitar]

Thank you Jens, great lesson as always. Is a Tritone substitution ALWAYS used to make a descending bass line ? (F, E, Eb) It seems to be its main function from what I can tell.

[@JensLarsen]

I think it is as much a way to create a surprising sound on the dominant with notes from outside the key that resolves smoothly

[@infinite-guitar]

@@JensLarsen thank you 😊

[@zenon652]

All about tastefulness, the hardest thing to learn in music

[@cmingus26]

Thank you Jens! Great video. But I still wonder how to use it in a band context. Start with the „original“ chords in the first A section, then reharmonise the second one. Ok so far. Does the whole band play these chords in every chorus? Or do you vary them from chorus to chorus and everybody needs to react (difficult for a non- pro)?

[@JensLarsen]

There is not one answer for that, it will vary on how much you expect people to hear, to react and also how much you want to clash. I am also not saying that you should always do this on the fly (or that you should never do that)

[@cmingus26]

Thanks! Ok creativity seems to be key 🙃

[@savagetofu1]

Jens, what program do you use for video editing? and... do you have a video about it? It's very well done. And... the content is solid gold.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you Joseph! I work together with a very talented editor and we work with Premiere Pro. There are entire channels dedicated to Adobe Premiere 🙂

[@savagetofu1]

Thank you. I appreciate you taking the time to respond.

[@JensLarsen]

@@savagetofu1 If you are looking for an editor then Luciano's email is in the video description, but I don't know if he has time.

[@Chilajuana]

Great tutorial!!! The only question I have is why are Abmaj7 and Dbmaj7 minor subdominant chords in C major? They look like maj7 chords...

[@JensLarsen]

A minor subdominant is a chord that has a subdominant function and is borrowed from the minor key. It is not a minor chord 🙂 I talk about them here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iIW1oGOlotqViLM

[@peanutpeanut123]

Almost as if you read my mind Jens :) Was about to message you but then noticed this upload discussing almost exactly what it was I was intending to ask. I say almost coz I was gonna ask about subs on a minor 1625. A common sub on a major 1625 is the 1 for a min3. I am not familiar with anything similar in a min1625. You do mention in this vid the tritine sub on the 2, the min7b5, which is something I hadn't considered, so that's new! So broadly my question is now to mix up a minor 1625? I'm in Emin, so have Emin9, Dbø, Gbø, B7alt Was wondering how I could spice this up. In the context of walking bass!

[@JensLarsen]

Em6 C#ø F#ø B7 Em6 G7 F#ø B7 Em6 G7 C7 B7 Em6 D7 C7 B7 Em6 G7 Cmaj7 F7 Em6 G7 Cm7 F7 Em6 Fdim F#m7 B7 Em6 G7 Amaj7 F7 Maybe one of these?

[@adamstewart247]

My hands hurt just looking at some of those changes... Any advice for people who don't have huge hands?

[@JensLarsen]

It is most likely not about the size of your hand, and more you posture and how you position the hand on the neck.

[@djmileski]

Do you not have a jazz album or album your involved in per si? I searched Apple Music and couldn’t find

[@davidkahan]

@3:05 I did not get what is ment by 'tritone substitute resolving to the V' and that becomes a Db7. Db7 i suppose here is substitute of G7, so who is V of who ? sorry if stupid question

[@JensLarsen]

It is in the context of that II V so in this case the V is C7 in Gø C7 Fm6. Does that help?

[@davidkahan]

@@JensLarsen yes I got it now. Many thanks for replying and all your videos !

[@fabiomattiuzzo8130]

ciao Jens posso chiederti un consiglio per una chitarra sui 1000 euro? grazie e complimenti per i tuoi video

[@djmileski]

Actually lol’d @ 8:07

[@MichelleHell]

I found I can take 1 chord and replace it with a 251 of that chord-scale.

[@watermelon1147]

I noticed pat methany b sections will be all majors go from a flat major to c major. Are we getting there because a flat has c g in it?

[@JensLarsen]

I don't know. Which song are you referring to?

[@sergeybogdanovich7019]

Love ❤️ ❤️🙏🎵🎶🎼🎸✌️👌🍀🇮🇱

[@mtndewandrew]

holy crap. this whole time, I thought I was a musician! silly me.

[@thijs199]

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa..... WWWW YEA!!???

[@rockstarjazzcat]

Apropos Bird… I’m hep. It’s hep. 😂

[@rockstarjazzcat]

Lovely moves, Jens!

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks Daniel! I don't follow the reference 😁

[@rockstarjazzcat]

@@JensLarsen Back in the day there were “hepcats” and as late as the seventies I heard folks in my neighborhood say “I’m hep.” It evolved and with hipsters and hippies we got “I’m hip.” There was a joke in the TV show Madmen where the elder partner corrects someone, “Hep. It’s hep.” You hip?

[@rockstarjazzcat]

I of course can’t claim to know which form Parker would have used. Both words have been around a long time. I just have my experience in Pittsburgh back in the day to draw upon, so I found “I am hip,” extra funny. Cheers, D

[@housethegrate6093]

Man I love your teaching but could you cool it on the editing?

[@JensLarsen]

I actually get a lot of comments that people really like the editing, and that is also what the retention data I see in KZbin says.

[@garywatts1]

Is is just me - all of these videos are like jazz - moving along way too fast for me to catch even a single thing!

[@JensLarsen]

Well, it would only be you that could judge if they are too fast for you. In general, the rest seem pretty happy with the video :)

[@yampymusic]

If only there was a way to pause it ;-)

[@garywatts1]

He even talks way to fast.

[@oliverdunskus8859]

Hi Jens, I love your stuff, but why do you speak so fast... ? have mercy with the people who try to follow your explanations.

[@JensLarsen]

Right now, it really seems like that is what most people prefer and what keeps people watching, so that is why I do it like that.