Minor Subtonic Shuttle (i bVII)
The Subtonic shuttle (minor) is the chord progression i-bVII. In the key of C minor it is Cm Bb, and in the Nashville Number System it is written 1m b7.
It is also known as Aeolian two-chord.
Jump to the chords and audio in C, G, D, A and E
Why it works
Two chords a whole step apart, with bVII standing in for the dominant. Open Music Theory calls this the subtonic shuttle: with a minor tonic it implies Aeolian, with a major tonic it implies Mixolydian. It sounds modal and hypnotic rather than tense.
Songs that use it
These are the chords as played in each song, in the song's own key.
| Song | Artist | Section | Chords | Key |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Somebody That I Used to Know | Gotye | intro and verse | Dm C | D minor |
| She Will Be Loved | Maroon 5 | verse | Cm7 Bb7 | C minor |
| The Way I Are | Timbaland | verse and chorus | G#m F# | G# minor |
Minor Subtonic Shuttle: Chords and Audio in C, G, D, A and E
Press play to hear each key. The diagrams show the shapes used in the audio, and every chord links to its full page.
More progressions like this one
- Minor i-iv vamp: Cm Fm
- Minor tonic-dominant vamp: Cm G
- House of the Rising Sun progression: Cm Eb F Ab
- Hotel California progression: Cm G Bb F Ab Eb Fm G
All guitar chord progressions →
Created by
Giancarlo is a musician (teaching guitar since 2000), software engineer, AI consultant and published researcher
FAQ
What are the chords of the Subtonic shuttle (minor) in each key?
In C minor: Cm Bb. In G minor: Gm F. In D minor: Dm C. In A minor: Am G. In E minor: Em D.
Which songs use the Subtonic shuttle (minor)?
Songs that use it include Somebody That I Used to Know by Gotye, She Will Be Loved by Maroon 5, The Way I Are by Timbaland.
