D Backdoor Cadence
iv – ♭VII – I progression in D major
D Backdoor Cadence — iv – ♭VII – I
The D Backdoor Cadence (Gm – C – D) resolves to the tonic through the "back door" — a minor iv chord followed by a ♭VII7, bypassing the usual dominant V–I. This unexpected approach produces a smoky, soulful resolution central to jazz and R&B harmony. With seventh chord voicings (Gm7 – C7 – DMaj7), the backdoor quality is even more pronounced.