3 Substitutions for Improvising over a 36251 Progression
("Stablemates")

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One of my favorite improve textures I stole from Phil Markowitz is to play "outside" when playing in the higher register of the piano. In this example over "Stablemates", we see 3 substitutions over a 36251 in Db. 2 are more common subs (Tritone Substitution & Secondary Dominant), 1 is less common (Diminished-Major to create more motion over a lone maj7 chord).

1) Tritone Substitution: when we substitute a dom7 a tritone away for a functioning dom7

• i.e. E7-Ebmi7 in place of Bb7-Ebmi7
  
• i.e. D7-Dbma7 in place of Ab7-Dbma7

2) Secondary Dominant: anytime there is 5-1 bass motion we can make that "5" a dom7

• i.e. Ebmi7-Ab7 = Eb7-Ab7

3) Diminished to Major: to create more motion over a lone maj7 chord, you can insert a idim(ma7)-IMa7 movement
*i.e. Dbma7 = Dbdim(ma7)-Dbma7

Original Changes:
Fmi7b5 / Bb7 / Ebmi7 / Ab7 / Dbma7 / /

With Substitutions: 
Fmi7b5 / E7 / Eb7 / D7 / Dbma7 / Dbdim(ma7) Dbma7 /

From: 12/6/23 Prof Grady 5tet @ Cliff Bell's (Detroit, MI)