Double Bass Tritone Substitutions

[davidsbass]

Can someone explain to me how to add tritone subs to a basic blues?

 

[damonsmith]

You wouldn't REALLY do that. The tritone sub is mostly about marrying the cycle of fifths and chromatics (or cycle of half steps!).
You can do it at the end of a turn around subbing the I chord to make chromatic line in the root movement.

It is most commonly used in II-V-I prgressions so am7-D7-Gmaj7 becomes am7-Ab7-Gmaj7. It isn't the big mystery it is made out to be.

 

[251]

Can someone explain to me how to add tritone subs to a basic blues?

Try playing a Whole Tone scale instead of the Dom 7 of the moment. That's I|II|III|bV|bVI|bVII. Notice it won't sound good for the entire tune & improves considerably when the other players are doing so, too. See if you can find a chart for Blue Seven. I generally switch to a Dom 7 Blues for the solos in Blue Seven. Whole Tone is not a Tritone Sub but can sound like one if you avoid the b6.

You can also imply a Tritone Sub by playing a bV in a ii|V|I cadence. Say a ii/V turnaround in measures 11 & 12 of a Blues in G; |A Eb|D Ab|

I often find my solos are just the drummer & I. My friends don't like to comp the bass. I've stopped complaining & have started to re-harmonize the tune for my solo. The same friends would not hear the re-harm fast enough to join in so if by a miracle someone starts to comp I have to regroup & do something less outside the tune. I return to the Chart with a 2 or 4 bar walk, when the solo is done. YRMV

 

[damonsmith]

Nice enough ideas, but, Man, that post is a huge "issue clouder"! I'd advise the OP not to get caught up in any of that - at least until you understand the very simple function of tri-ton subs.

 

[Beginner Bass]

The standard purpose of a tritone sub is to provide chromatic root movement to the target of the dominant.

For example:

C / / / | G7 / / / | C / / / |

could become

C / / / | Db7 / / / | C / / / |

 

[bassist1962]

Walking Bass Lines: Tritone Substitution (Pt 1) - YouTube

Walking Bass Lines: Tritone Substitution (Pt 2) - YouTube

I know he is playing BG in these videos, but it's the basic idea.