Banjo · Level 9 · Expert
Tritone substitution in F♯ major on Banjo
Don’t just read about Tritone substitution in F♯ major. Play it.
Create a free TempoJam account in 30 seconds. Then try the tuner, metronome and Jam Room free for 14 days and record your first take tonight.
A tritone substitution replaces V7 with the dominant chord a tritone away. The bass then slides down by half steps into I — a signature jazz sound.
G♯m7
Notes: G♯ · B · D♯ · F♯
G7
Notes: G · B · D · F
F♯maj7
Notes: F♯ · A♯ · C♯ · E♯
HOW TO PRACTISE IT
Six steps to a clean loop.
- Play each chord on its own: G♯m7, G7 and F♯maj7. Press play on the chord card, then match the sound.
- The short fifth string (g) is only played open; let it ring when it fits the chord.
- Set the tempo to 75 BPM and play the progression with one chord per bar. Play the bass line alone first: it moves down a half step from ♭II7 to I.
- Pinch the bass and top strings on beat one, then roll thumb–index–middle through the other strings.
- Raise the tempo to 100 BPM once you can play the loop three times without stopping.
- Record one take, listen back and check for the chromatic slide in the bass.
Listen for
Aim for the chromatic slide in the bass. A common mistake is thinking of ♭II7 as a random chord rather than a stand-in for V7.
Why it works
V7 and ♭II7 share the same tritone between their third and seventh, so either can resolve to I.
F♯ major has 6 sharps; its relative minor key is D♯ minor.
Questions
What are the chords in ii7–♭II7–Imaj7 in F♯ major?
In F♯ major the progression is G♯m7 | G7 | F♯maj7 | F♯maj7.
What is the key signature of F♯ major?
F♯ major has 6 sharps. Its relative minor is D♯ minor.
Is this lesson right for my level?
This is a level 9 lesson (expert). If it feels too hard, start with “Altered dominant chords”.
Your hands learn faster than your eyes.
Reading a chord chart is step one. Play it to a metronome, record it, and hear yourself get better, all in one app.
Start practising free