Instructor

Jonny May

Lesson Type

Quick Tip

Skill Level

Intermediate

Duration

18:19

Ready to turn some pretty basic chords into something that sounds a whole lot more jazzy and impressive? 😎

In today’s lesson, we’re diving into one of the most powerful tools jazz pianists use: tritone substitution.

Don’t let the name scare you—it’s actually a really fun technique that can instantly make your chord progressions sound richer, smoother, and way more interesting.

In the video, you’ll learn:

• The simple idea behind tritone substitutions (without getting lost in heavy theory)
• Why dominant chords like G7 can be swapped with a totally different chord
• How this works inside the classic tune “Fly Me to the Moon”
• Three practical ways pianists use tritone subs in real playing
• How to turn ordinary chords into colorful jazz voicings

The coolest part? Once you understand the basic idea, you can start using this trick right away in your playing.

By the end of the lesson, you’ll hear how a simple progression like:

A minor → D minor → G7 → C

can transform into something much more hip and jazzy with just one simple technique.

So grab your coffee (or tea ☕), head to the piano, and let’s have some fun exploring this sound together.

P.S. One helpful tip to remember: If you’re heading to a chord, try playing a dominant chord a half step above it… you might just discover a beautiful tritone substitution!

Writer

Jonny May

Jonathan May is a pianist from Southern California who specializes in many styles of piano. At age eighteen, Jonny became the youngest pianist to perform at Disneyland. Each week he entertained thousands of guests with his arrangements of American classics and Disney songs. Jonny has also performed with the Youtube...

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