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E major · Tritone substitution

Tritone substitutions in E major

A dominant seventh can be replaced by the dominant seventh a tritone away, because the two share the notes that do the resolving. In E major, B7 becomes F7: both contain D♯ and A, which F7 spells E♭ and A. The bass then falls a semitone onto E instead of a fifth.

Every dominant in E major, and its substitute

  • B7V7E
    F7subV7E

    F7 substitutes for B7, the dominant of E major. They share the same tritone, so the bass can fall a semitone instead of a fifth. Shared notes: D♯ and A in B7, E♭ and A in F7.

  • V7/ii
    G7subV7/ii

    G7 substitutes for C♯7, the dominant of F♯ minor. They share the same tritone, so the bass can fall a semitone instead of a fifth. Shared notes: E♯ and B in C♯7, F and B in G7.

  • V7/iii
    A7subV7/iii

    A7 substitutes for D♯7, the dominant of G♯ minor. They share the same tritone, so the bass can fall a semitone instead of a fifth. Shared notes: F♯♯ and C♯ in D♯7, G and C♯ in A7.

  • E7V7/IVA
    subV7/IVA

    A♯7 substitutes for E7, the dominant of A major. They share the same tritone, so the bass can fall a semitone instead of a fifth. Shared notes: G♯ and D in E7, G♯ and C♯♯ in A♯7.

  • V7/VB
    C7subV7/VB

    C7 substitutes for F♯7, the dominant of B major. They share the same tritone, so the bass can fall a semitone instead of a fifth. Shared notes: A♯ and E in F♯7, B♭ and E in C7.

  • V7/vi
    D7subV7/vi

    D7 substitutes for G♯7, the dominant of C♯ minor. They share the same tritone, so the bass can fall a semitone instead of a fifth. Shared notes: B♯ and F♯ in G♯7, C and F♯ in D7.

Why the substitute works

What makes a dominant seventh want to resolve is the tritone between its third and its seventh. Move the root a tritone and that interval is still there, with its two notes swapped: the third becomes the seventh and the seventh becomes the third. So the substitute pulls to the same place, and the bass slides down a semitone to get there.

Play the two buttons in each row one after the other. Same arrival, different road.

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