Violin · Level 8 · Advanced
The backdoor progression in F major on Violin
Don’t just read about The backdoor progression 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.
The backdoor progression reaches I from ♭VII7 instead of V7, for a gentle, surprising resolution heard in jazz standards and soul.
B♭m7
Notes: B♭ · D♭ · F · A♭
E♭7
Notes: E♭ · G · B♭ · D♭
Fmaj7
Notes: F · A · C · E
HOW TO PRACTISE IT
Six steps to a clean loop.
- Play each chord as an arpeggio, one note at a time: B♭m7, E♭7 and Fmaj7. Press play on the card, then match each note.
- Stay in first position: use the open string where you can and keep the fingers close to the string.
- 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, with a full, even bow on each.
- 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.
F major has 1 flat; its relative minor key is D minor.
Questions
What are the chords in iv7–♭VII7–Imaj7 in F major?
In F major the progression is B♭m7 | E♭7 | Fmaj7 | Fmaj7.
What is the key signature of F major?
F major has 1 flat. Its relative minor is D 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.
Start practising free