Gm7 chord substitution

hotpickups

I substituted a Gm7 chord for a G9 chord which I thought sounded more jazzy / interesting. Just out of interest is this correct or are my ears not as good as I thought they were ?

exocet

I guess it depends upon the context i.e. what other instruments are playing at the same time.

To my rather basic music theory knowledge - the biggest difference between the 2 chords that you list is that 1 is Minor (contains a flattened 3rd) and the other isn't.

hotpickups

I hope I have got the right chord name. I don't actually play the route note. The bass player plays that. 

Hand position second fret – B, F, D, A (route G not played) 

I think that's an old G9 chord

exocet

G9 would be comprised of G, B, D, F, A, without the root its tonally very close to G9 but cold also be considered to be something else.

Gm7 = G, Bb, D, F - the B flat (flattened 3rd) is the difference. There would only be a clash if another instrument or vocalist were playing the major 3rd at the same time. Otherwise, if it sounds good, it is good.

hotpickups

No other instrument. However, we had a rehearsal last night without the bassist. Apart from it feeling a bit naked the vocalists had trouble finding the key register as the route is played on the Bass guitar. Made me question my chord choice for the first time  I'm sure it will feel fine again once we have the bass again

exocet said:

G9 would be comprised of G, B, D, F, A, without the root its tonally very close to G9 but cold also be considered to be something else.

Gm7 = G, Bb, D, F - the B flat (flattened 3rd) is the difference. There would only be a clash if another instrument or vocalist were playing the major 3rd at the same time. Otherwise, if it sounds good, it is good.

octatonic

A Gm7 is not an obvious sub for a G9- but if you liked it then that is really what matters.

A G7 would be a simplification of the G9.

G13 would be making it more complex.

The jazz playbook for chord subs starts with a tritone substitution- so for the G9 try Db7.

You can also use a diminished 7th sub- so Db dim7th. 

This creates a chromatic movement in a ii V I which would be Dm7, G7 (or G9), Cmaj7 you would get:

Dm7, Db dim7, C maj7.

There are a bunch of others but this should get you started.

ArchtopDave

If you view the B♭as A♯ , then you have a variant of a G7 ♯ 9 chord. 

Phil_aka_Pip

B D F A = B-7-5 (or if you like an unrooted G9). It fits well over a G7

jpfamps

If the Gm7 is the ii chord and moves to the V chord (C7) them G9 is a common substitution.

GuyBoden

As already stated, using the Bb instead of B could clash with the melody and the other instruments, but if it sounds good, then play it.

It's using the third note that dictates whether it's either a Major or minor chord. Western harmony is obsessive about using the third, the whole harmonic sequence is built on thirds (tertiary). IMO, leaving the third out of a chord, makes it sounds more open/ambiguous/interesting, therefore can lead to more options musically.

maxd

If you're looking to sub the G9 then perhaps a Dm would do the trick since it has the fifth, seventh and ninth of G, or Db7,  a tritone sub, might sound good depending on where you're going next, if you're going to the C particularly so.

Oh, and completely in passing, it's 'root' not 'route' :-)

hotpickups

Damn predictive text LOL

Thanks

maxd;1104248" said:

If you're looking to sub the G9 then perhaps a Dm would do the trick since it has the fifth, seventh and ninth of G, or Db7,  a tritone sub, might sound good depending on where you're going next, if you're going to the C particularly so.



Oh, and completely in passing, it's 'root' not 'route' :-)

maxd

predominent tex, loves it