I = major
II = minor 7
III = minor 7
IV = major
V = dominant 7
VI = minor (relative minor)
VII = diminished
The following chart displays common chord substitutions for the M, m, m7 and diminished chords shown above.
Major: 6, M7, M9, sus2, sus4, sus2sus4, Madd9, 6add9, M7#11, M9#11
Minor: m, m6, mM7, mM9, mM7#11, m6add9
m7: m7, m9, m11, m13, m7#5, m7b5
7: 9, 11, 13, 7sus4, 7sus2, 13sus4, 7b5, 7#5
dim: m7b5
I haven't included everything, because you can easily tell which category a chord belongs to. Cmajor13 substitutes for any major (I, IV). G7b5b9 susbstitutes for a dominant 7 chord, etc. There are also a few chords that are not shown in the diagrams, but you should be able to figure those out too. Cmajor 13 is 1 3 5 7 9 and 13, G7sus2 is 1 2 5 b7, etc.
It is important to keep in mind that these are guides, not rules, and there will be many times when you'll want to break them, which is fine. If it sounds good, then it is right.
The following is a more in depth description of several chords and their common uses.
Major 7 - gives a fuller sound, often used in jazz
Major 9 - used in jazz
Major6add9 - used often in country and in jazz
Suspended chords usually resolve to the major, often used to break
up a static
vamp (instead a playing C the whole time, switch from C to Csus
to C, etc)
Minor - sad chord
m6 - used in funk
m7 - used in funk
m7#5 - used in fusion
m11 - used in funk
m(M7) - dark, moody
Ninth - used in funk
Augmented - connecting chord
Diminished - passing chord
7sus2 - used in folk
m#5 - often used as a IIIm chord
maj13#11 - used in soul
9#11 - chromatic passing chord resolving down a half step, or as a
substitute
for a IV7 chord
13#11 - same usage as 9#11
M7#11 - dramatic ending chord
M7b5#9 - ending chord, or a passing chord to I
m7b5 - usually used as a IIm in a minor key
9sus4 (11) - most popular substitution for dominant 7 chords
Augmented 7 - V chord in a minor key
Diminished - substitute for second half of IV chord measure in the
blues, one
half step higher (C = I, F = IV, F#dim would be used)
The V chord may be substituted on the weak beats (2 and 4) for a Im
7sus4b9 - V chord resolving to Im, or as I chord in Phrygian mode
m7#5 - IIIm in the harmonized major scale
13b9 - V7 chord
Alternate from M6 to M7 and back when playing a static I chord
Common chord progressions:
I - IV - V7
IIm - V - I
Iv - IVm - I
This diagram will help to show some fingerings for many of the altered chords. After studying these two examples, you should be able to figure out the rest of the altered chords. The numbers on the frets are the notes, not the fingerings (R = root, 3 = third, etc).
C9
+----+----+----+----+----+ +----+----+----+----+----+
+----+----+----+----+----+ +----+----+----+----+----+
| | | | | | | | b3 | | |
+----+----+----+----+----+ +----+----+----+----+----+
| | 3 | | | | | 3 | b9 b5
+----+----+----+----+----+ +----+----+----+----+----+
| R | b7 9 5 | R | b7 9 5
+----+----+----+----+----+ +----+----+----+----+----+
| | | | | | | | | | #9 #5
+----+----+----+----+----+ +----+----+----+----+----+
| | | | | | | | | | | 13
+----+----+----+----+----+ +----+----+----+----+----+
| | | | | | | | | | | |
+----+----+----+----+----+ +----+----+----+----+----+
C
+----+----+----+----+----+ +----+----+----+----+----+
+----+----+----+----+----+ +----+----+----+----+----+
| | | | | | | | | | | |
+----+----+----+----+----+ +----+----+----+----+----+
| | | | | | | | | | | |
+----+----+----+----+----+ +----+----+----+----+----+
(5) R | | | (5) (5) R | b7 2 (5)
+----+----+----+----+----+ +----+----+----+----+----+
| | | | | | | | | 7 b3 |
+----+----+----+----+----+ +----+----+----+----+----+
| | 5 R 3 | | | 5 R 3 6
+----+----+----+----+----+ +----+----+----+----+----+
| | | | | | | | | | 4 7
+----+----+----+----+----+ +----+----+----+----+----+