Turnarounds

Tritone Sub Turnaround

The I-VI-ii-V with tritone substitutes for its dominants, bIII7 for VI7 and bII7 for V7, so the bass falls by half steps from bIII back to I.

Tempo 120 BPM

Practice in all 12 keys

Bar 1: Cmaj7 Imaj7 E♭7 ♭III7
Bar 2: Dm7 ii7 D♭7 ♭II7

Rootless Shells Guide tones Rooted shells Rooted Drop 2

Four-note rootless voicings in their two forms, with the 3rd or the 7th on the bottom, played over the root.

Customize each chord

Cmaj7
Eb7
Dm7
Db7

Meter: 4/4
Bars: 2

Eb7 shares its 3rd and 7th with A7, and Db7 with G7, so the upper voices move just as they do in the I-VI-ii-V while the bass slides down Eb, D, Db, C. It’s a favourite of bebop players and arrangers. Play Lydian dominant over the substitutes.

Reharmonize Analyze these changes

None of the usual substitutions apply: there are no dominant 7ths to replace and no whole steps to fill.

Variations

Major I-vi-ii-V

Imaj7 vi7 | ii7 V7

In C: Cmaj7 Am7 Dm7 G7

The basic turnaround: diatonic chords falling in fifths from vi back to I, two to a bar, to bring a tune back to the top.
Major I-VI-ii-V

Imaj7 VI7 | ii7 V7

In C: Cmaj7 A7 Dm7 G7

The standard turnaround back to the top of a major tune, with VI7, the dominant of ii, in place of the diatonic vi chord.
Major iii-VI-ii-V

iii7 VI7 | ii7 V7

In C: Em7 A7 Dm7 G7

The I-VI-ii-V turnaround with iii, which shares three notes with the I chord, standing in for the tonic.
Diminished Passing Turnaround

Imaj7 ♯i°7 | ii7 V7

In C: Cmaj7 C#dim7 Dm7 G7

The I-VI-ii-V with a diminished 7th chord on #I in place of VI7, so the bass rises by half steps from I to ii.
Chromatic iii-bIII-ii-bII

iii7 ♭III7 | ii7 ♭II7

In C: Em7 Eb7 Dm7 Db7

The iii-VI-ii-V turnaround with both dominants replaced by tritone substitutes, so the roots descend by half steps from iii to I.
Tadd Dameron Turnaround

Imaj7 ♭IIImaj7 | ♭VImaj7 ♭IImaj7

In C: Cmaj7 Ebmaj7 Abmaj7 Dbmaj7

A turnaround of major 7th chords on I, bIII, bVI and bII, named after the bebop composer and arranger Tadd Dameron.

Reharmonize Analyze these changes

Variations

Major I-vi-ii-V

Major I-VI-ii-V

Major iii-VI-ii-V

Diminished Passing Turnaround

Chromatic iii-bIII-ii-bII

Tadd Dameron Turnaround