Flute · Level 8 · Advanced
The backdoor progression in A♭ major on Flute
Don’t just read about The backdoor progression in A♭ major. Play it.
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The backdoor progression reaches I from ♭VII7 instead of V7, for a gentle, surprising resolution heard in jazz standards and soul.
D♭m7
Notes: D♭ · F♭ · A♭ · C♭
G♭7
Notes: G♭ · B♭ · D♭ · F♭
A♭maj7
Notes: A♭ · C · E♭ · G
HOW TO PRACTISE IT
Six steps to a clean loop.
- Play each chord as an arpeggio, one note at a time: D♭m7, G♭7 and A♭maj7. Press play on the card, then match each note.
- Keep a steady air stream between notes; for the higher notes, aim the air a little higher instead of blowing harder.
- Set the tempo to 69 BPM and play the progression with one chord per bar. Notice how ♭VII7 resolves up by a whole step rather than down a fifth.
- Play the chord tones one at a time, one note per beat, tonguing each note lightly (“too”).
- Raise the tempo to 92 BPM once you can play the loop three times without stopping.
- Record one take, listen back and check for a soft landing on Imaj7 without the usual V7 tension.
Listen for
Aim for a soft landing on Imaj7 without the usual V7 tension. A common mistake is treating ♭VII7 as an ordinary V7.
Why it works
Both iv7 and ♭VII7 are borrowed from the parallel minor; together they act as a ii–V aimed at I from below.
A♭ major has 4 flats; its relative minor key is F minor.
Questions
What are the chords in iv7–♭VII7–Imaj7 in A♭ major?
In A♭ major the progression is D♭m7 | G♭7 | A♭maj7 | A♭maj7.
What is the key signature of A♭ major?
A♭ major has 4 flats. Its relative minor is F minor.
Is this lesson right for my level?
This is a level 8 lesson (advanced). If it feels too hard, start with “Ninth chords”.
Your hands learn faster than your eyes.
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