Flute · Level 8 · Advanced
The backdoor progression in E major on Flute
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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.
Am7
Notes: A · C · E · G
D7
Notes: D · F♯ · A · C
Emaj7
Notes: E · G♯ · B · D♯
HOW TO PRACTISE IT
Six steps to a clean loop.
- Play each chord as an arpeggio, one note at a time: Am7, D7 and Emaj7. 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.
E major has 4 sharps; its relative minor key is C♯ minor.
Questions
What are the chords in iv7–♭VII7–Imaj7 in E major?
In E major the progression is Am7 | D7 | Emaj7 | Emaj7.
What is the key signature of E major?
E major has 4 sharps. Its relative minor is C♯ 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.
Reading a chord chart is step one. Play it to a metronome, record it, and hear yourself get better, all in one app.
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