Tag: passing chords

Tip #171 – Incorporating a Diminished Passing Chord

Say that you have a progression that utilizes two chords (one after the other) a M2 distance apart in the root:

As you can see by the example above, the Eb major triad and the F major triad fit that definition.

What you can do for some added harmonic progression color is insert a diminished passing chord in-between.

Simply, you build a diminished triad on the root of the pitch that falls chromatically in between the two chords:

From there, you would then orchestrate the chords for better voice leading, but the added diminished passing chord gives a little more emphasis to the arrival of the F major triad in the progression.

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Tip #170 – Incorporating a Chromatic Approach/Passing Chord

We are going to be talking about different kinds of passing chords.

Today is about the chromatic passing chord (although I prefer to call it a chromatic approach chord – and you will see why shortly).

Take a simple pop chord progression like the example below:

To create this passing chord, you approach to destination chord with a chord the same shape/structure/voicing a m2 higher or lower. While you are using to pass in-between two chord, the structure of this passing chord is based on the chord you want to approach onto.

It would look like this, going from above and from below, respectively:

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