How to Use a Tritone Substitution - 6 Guitar Licks

How To Use a Tritone Substitution Over a II V I Progression?

Let's take a C major II V I chord progression  Dm7 | G7 | CM7 | % | After applying a tritone substitution to the V7 chord of a II V I chord progression, we get the following sequence Dm7 | Db7 | CM7 | % | The idea behind is to play Db over G7. Here are some examples :

How to Solo Over Tritone Substitution?

Four options are addressed in this lesson :

The first is to play a dominant 7 arpeggio (1 - 3 - 5 - b7) starting on the b5 of the V7 chord. Here is what happens when you play Db7 over G7 :

• The root of Db7 highlights the #11/b5 of G7.
• The third (F) of Db7 is the b7 of G7.
• The fifth (Ab) of Db7 highlights the b9 of G7.
• The minor seventh (B) of Db7 is the third of G7.

The second option is to play a dominant 9 arpeggio (1 - 3 - 5 - b7 - 9)  which means that you have to add the ninth to the previous dom7 arpeggio. 

• The ninth (or second) of Db7 (Eb) highlights the b13 of G.

The third option consists in playing a major pentatonic scale (1 - 2 - 3 - 5 - 6).

• The root of Db7 highlights the #11/b5 of G7.
• The second of Db7 (Eb) highlights the b13 of G.
• The third (F) of Db7 is the same note as the b7 of G7.
• The fifth (Ab) of Db7 is the b9 of G7.
• The sixth (Bb) of Db7 should be used as an approach note in order to target a chord tone

The fourth option to solo with a tritone sub is to use the Mixolydian mode (1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - b7). It has the same note as the major pentatonic scale with a fourth (4/11) and a seventh (7).

• The fourth of Db7 (Gb) must be treated as an approach note.
• The seventh of Db7 (B) is the third of G7.

You will find below 6 easy jazz guitar lines using the four previous scales to approach tritone substitution. You can hear these 6 licks in the YouTube video at the top of this page. You can also download the free PDF by clicking on the picture at the top too.

Tritone Substitution Lick  # 1 

• Bar 1 : Dm7 arpeggio (D - F - A - C)
• Bar 2 : Descending Db7 arpeggio (Db - F - A - Cb)
• Bar 3 : CM7 arpeggio (C - E - G - B)

Tritone Substitution Lick  # 2  

• Bar 1 : D minor pentatonic scale. (D - F -G - A - C ) C  is not played.
• Bar 2 : Db major pentatonic scale (Db - Eb - F - Ab - Bb). Bb is not played.

Playing Db pentatonic over G7 chord provides some interesting colors:

1. Db is the #11 of  the  G7 chord.
2. Eb is the b13 of G7.
3. F is the minor 7th of G7.
4. Ab is the b9 of G7 .

• Bar 3 : C major pentatonic scale (C - D - E - G - A). A is not played.

Tritone Substitution Lick  # 3  

• Measure 1 : D minor 9 arpeggio (D - F - A - C - E)                                                  
• Measure 2 : Db9 descending arpeggio (Eb - Cb - Ab - F - Db)

Playing Db9 arpeggio on G7 highlights the following tones :

1. Db is the #11 of  the  G7 chord.
2. F is the minor 7th of G7.
3. Ab is the b9 of G7 .
4. Cb is the major third of G7.
5. Eb is the b13 of G7.

• Measure 3 : C Major arpeggio (C - E - G) ending with a fourth intervals (A - D) and a major third (G and B)

Tritone Substitution Lick  # 4  

• Measure 1 : Dorian mode  (D - E - F - G - A - B) B is not played.
• Measure 2 (second half of the beat 2) : Db7b9 arpeggio (Db - F - Ab - Cb - D)
• Measure 3 : Ending on the root of CM7. 

Tritone Substitution Lick  # 5

• Measure 1 : Dm9 arpeggio (D - F - A - C - E)
• Measure 2 : Db9 arpeggio (Eb - Cb - Ab - F - Db) and chromaticism to approach the root of CM7.
• Measure 3 : Ending with two chords CM7 and C6/9.

Tritone Substitution Lick  # 6

• Measure 1 : D Dorian bebop (D - E - F - F# - G - A - B - C). The Dorian bebop scale is the Dorian mode with a passing tone.
• Measure 2 : Db7 mixolydian mode ( Db - Eb - F - Gb - Ab - Bb - Cb).
• Measure 3 : C major arpeggio (C-E-G) and C major scale ending on a C69 arpeggio (C-A-D-G).