Chord Substitutions Made Simple Part 1 - Melody!

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If you are writing a song or arranging a well known song, Chord Substitutions are something you want in your toolbox. A chord substitution is simply using a chord as a replacement for another. It's that simple. There is no reason you can't start using Chord Subs like a pro.

Let's start with a focus on...

The Melody
You don't have to be Music Theory expert to know that the melody is kind of important. The importance of melody will be central to our discussion of Chord Substitutions. Above all the Melody MUST agree with the Chord Substitution!

 Above all the Melody MUST agree with the Chord Substitution!

You must know the melody!  Chord Substitution is not a guessing game or "messing" around.  Whatever chord you chose must agree with the melody.  A simple way to go about this is to ask yourself if the melody note can be found within the chord. 

If the melody note isn't within the chord then you need find out if the note disagrees with the chord. Just because the melody isn't within the chord doesn't mean it won't work.  A melody note of "D" will work very nicely in a C Major Chord which is spelled C-E-G.  So play or sing the melody to test your chord sub choice.  

For example let's take a look at "How Great is our God."

The Original

An incorrect Chord Substitution

In the above example the Chord Substitution of A Major does not agree with the C melody note. An A Major is spelled A-C#-E and the C just sounds awful.

TIP - Knowing the melody, try to think of a different chord that contains that melody note.

That C melody note above would work nicely with a lot of chords... here's a few simple ones...

F - F-A-C

Fm - F-Ab-C

Dm - D-F-A

Gsus4 - G-C-D

D7sus4 - D-G-A-C

Coming up in Part 2 - Parallel Substitutions

Coming up in Part 3 - Relative Substitutions