Seventh chord substitution

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The FIFTH chord in any minor or major key can almost always be substituted by a Seventh Chord type:

Example:

Key of C major:

||: C | Am | F | G :|| ...could be played as:
||: C | Am | F | G7 :||

Key of Dm:

| Dm |F | G | Bb | | Dm |F | A | A || ...could be played as:
| Dm |F | G | Bb | | Dm |F | A7 | A7 ||

This is a very low-risk substitution which means it works almost every time.

If you substitute the FIRST or FOURTH chords in a Major key with a Seventh chord type you will often get away with it, but you will find that you have definitely altered the flavour of the song in a bluesy direction:

Compare:

Key: C major:

| C |F | C | F || with:
| C7 |F7 | C7 | F7 ||

If you substitute the SECOND, THIRD or SIXTH chords in a major key by a Seventh type chord you will find a very strong sense of alteration which will sound country-like or trad-jazzy according to the context:

Compare:

Key of G major:

| G | Am | C | D7 || with:
| G | A7 | C | D7 || or:

| G | Em | C | D7 || with:
| G | E7 | C | D7 ||

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