What In The World Is The “Slide Into Second” Chord Progression?

Good morning. This is Duane, and I have a question for you. Do you know the slide-into-second chord progression? Most musicians know it as the “tritone substitution”

In this example I am playing, G is the root. So any time you have a dominant 7th chord, you can substitute the chord that’s an augmented 4th below that note as a substitute for the G 7th chord, for the dominant 7th chord. Because, where does G7th lead? It leads to C normally, doesn’t it. That’s a normal-sounding cadence, right?

So instead of that, we can go to down an augmented 4th. An augmented 4th is 1, 2, 3, 4, 4-1/2 if you want to say it that way. Augmented 4th, okay? But it’s also a half step above your target. So in a way, you’re on first base, and you’re going to steal second by sliding into the root. You’re going from the root, the first chord into the second chord by a half step slide. You’re sliding down. Instead of G 7th to C, you could do this, depending on what the melody is. If the melody goes, then you can play the D flat 7th chord. Why? Because that’s an augmented 4th below the root, and it’s also a half step above your target chord. That may be easier for you to think of, whatever’s a half step above second base. In other words, whatever’s a half step above your second chord that you’re going to. First chord, second chord. First chord, here’s step, half step slide into that.

Okay, let’s do it in a different key. Let’s say we’re in the key of F, and the 5-7 chord in the key of F is C7th. What would the substitute be? What would the chord progression be? Well, it’s a half step above our target chord, so our target chord is F, so we’d be a half step above that, which is augmented 4th below our first chord. You see, it just changes the feeling, and it gives you an option always when you’re going from any kind of 7th chord, any dominant 7th chord, and having a normal resolution, but it gives you a choice.

Now do you have to use that? Of course not. I don’t use it all the time. But it’s nice to have that in your toolbox, your bag of tricks, so you can pull it out when you need it, because it gives a nice sound. I remember when I first learned this, I was so intrigued by it. I love that sound. That’s the voicing I first learned, right there, from the G7th chord to this. My hand can’t quite reach it, but you get the idea. That’s the D flat 7th chord sliding down to the C chord.

Okay, that’s it for today. Thanks for being with me, and if you enjoy these little tips come on over to PlayPiano.com and sign up for our free piano tips. Hope to see you there. Bye bye for now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKth03Ulo_Q&feature=youtu.be
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