Common Reharmonization Techniques

created by Garrett Michaelsen

1. Add extensions
a. 7 becomes 9, 11, 13
2. Alter extensions
a. Dominant 7th chords: add b9, #9, #11 (aka b5), b13 (aka #5), or any
combination
b. Major 7th chords: #11, #5
c. Minor 7th chords: minor-major 7, b5 (half diminished)
3. Substitute secondary dominants for ii chords
a. Substitute dominant seventh for minor seventh: ii7 V7 becomes V7/V V7
i. Dm7 G7 CM7 becomes D7 G7 CM7
4. Add ii7 chords in front of stand-alone dominants
a. V7 becomes ii7 V7
i. G7 becomes Dm7 G7
5. Tritone substitutions
a. Substitute a chord for a chord a tritone away
b. Dominant chords: most common; dominant sevenths a tritone apart
share the same third and seventh (when spelled enharmonically)
i. Dm7 G7 CM7 becomes Dm7 Db7 CM7
c. Predominant chords: possibly with added V7/V substitution as well
i. Dm7 G7 CM7 becomes Abm7 G7 CM7 or Ab7 G7 CM7
ii. Dm7 G7 CM7 becomes Abm7 Db7 CM7 or Ab7 Db7 CM7
6. Coltrane changes
a. Add V7-I7 progressions with roots a major third apart (a la
Countdown)
b. Dm7 | G7 | CM7 | CM7 | becomes
Dm7 Eb7 | AbM7 B7 | EM7 G7 | CM7 |
 Reharmonization Techniques
demonstrated using Rhythm changes
created by Garrett Michaelsen
Lead sheet version Extensions added

BM7 Gm7 Cm7 F7 BM9 Gm13 Cm9 F13

b n
& b


? bb

Alterations to extensions ii chords become V/V (with extensions and alterations)

5 BM9 B7#9 EM7#11 Em#7 D9 G7 C9 F7

b n nbbn
& b b#
b # n bbb

?b
b
Tritone substitutions

9 D13 D13 D13 D13

bn w n#nww bbnwbw bbnwbw
& b n#ww
w w
w w
w w
w
? bb w w bw bw
ii chord added in front of V, plus tritone sub

13 C13 G7b13 Cm9 F13 Gm9 C13

b ww bbw
& b nw
w ww
w


bbb

?bw b
b bw b
Coltrane changes

17 BM9 Gm9 Cm9 D9 G13 A13 DM9 F13

b
& b b
## ##n nbn

? bb b
b
Tritone subs and alterations

21 BM7#11 E7b13 EM7#5 Em7 Dm9b5 D9 Cm9 C7#9 BM13

b bn bb
& b n

# n
bbb b n

? bb n b b b