Hey music makers!
Picture this: you're listening to a song and think you know exactly where it's going next. Then suddenly, the music takes a left turn that catches you completely off guard.
But somehow it sounds absolutely perfect.
That's what happens with backdoor dominants. Instead of taking the expected musical highway back home (the standard ii-V-I progression), these songs choose the winding country road.
They sneak in chords from the darker, minor version of the same key, creating moments that surprise your ear while satisfying your soul.
Last week I mentioned switching to Beehiiv, but I also did something I didn't expect. I moved my entire website there too. The monthly tool creep was getting ridiculous between Squarespace, a newsletter platform, and everything else that requires a subscription.
If you use Waves, Splice, or Adobe you can definitely relate.
Well I was surprised to see that Beehiiv's web builder is surprisingly robust, not just an afterthought feature. It's not trying to be everything to everyone, but for creators who want to write, share music, and build an audience in one place, it works really well.
If you use my link, you'll get the 30-day trial and 20% off for three months, plus it helps support this newsletter.
📻 REAL SONGS. REAL PROGRESSIONS
"Misty" a jazz standard. My favorite version is by Erroll Garner
Key: Eb major
Progression: Ebmaj7 - Bbm7 - Eb7 - Abmaj7 - Abm7 - Db7 - Ebmaj7
Focus progression: Abm7 - Db7 - Ebmaj7 (backdoor ii-V-I)
That Db7 is the backdoor dominant. I’ll explain how that focus progression creates a ii-v-I. It sounds sophisticated but it’s easy to execute.
🧠 TERM OF THE WEEK
Back Door Dominant
What it is: A backdoor dominant is a special chord that sits one whole step below the chord your heading to (your target chord).
Think of it as the "scenic route" to resolution.
Here's how it works: this chord comes from the parallel minor key. In our "Misty" example, we're in Eb major, but we borrow the Db7 chord from Eb minor.
Now here is the cool part that Db7 is also the V chord in Gb major which is the relative major of Eb minor. They share the exact same notes.
It's like how C major and A minor use all the same white keys on the piano, just starting from different places.
When you use both chords together (Abm7 - Db7), you're actually playing the ii-V progression from that Gb major key. You're borrowing chords from a different musical neighborhood to add new colors and feelings to your song. music.
🎯 CHALLENGE FOR THE WEEK
Find the backdoor: In C major, play Bb7 to Cmaj7. That's your backdoor dominant in action.
Compare resolutions: Now play G7 to Cmaj7 (traditional), then Bb7 to Cmaj7 (backdoor). Notice the different character?
Try the full progression: Fm7 - Bb7 - Cmaj7. This is your backdoor ii-V-I in C major.
Listen and play along: Put on "Misty" and try to play the progression along with the recording. Focus on that Db7 to Eb resolution and how different it feels from a traditional dominant approach. Take note of the Abmi7 that sets up the Db7.
Document your discovery: How does the backdoor dominant change the feeling of a progression?
🛜 WEB STUFF
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In Case You Missed It…
The melody trick that hooks listeners: (Music Maker's Journal)
My jazz teacher in college, Frank Cunnimundo, introduced me to "Misty" when he was teaching me about Erroll Garner's piano genius.
I remember him playing that Abm7 - Db7 - Ebmaj7 resolution and saying, "This is how you make the obvious sound extraordinary." He was right. That backdoor dominant is sneakily complex and beautiful.
If this concept is new to you I hope it becomes a useful harmony tool for your writing or performances.
