music Music is the arrangement of sound to create some combination of Musical form, form, harmony, melody, rhythm, or otherwise Musical expression, expressive content. Music is generally agreed to be a cultural universal that is present in all hum ...

, a passing chord is a chord that connects, or passes between, the

notes Note, notes, or NOTE may refer to: Music and entertainment * Musical note, a pitched sound (or a symbol for a sound) in music * ''Notes'' (album), a 1987 album by Paul Bley and Paul Motian * ''Notes'', a common (yet unofficial) shortened versi ...

of two diatonic chords. "Any chord that moves between one

diatonic Diatonic and chromatic are terms in music theory that are used to characterize scales. The terms are also applied to musical instruments, intervals, chords, notes, musical styles, and kinds of harmony. They are very often used as a pair ...

chord and another one nearby may be loosely termed a passing chord. A diatonic passing chord may be inserted into a pre-existing progression that moves by a

major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...

minor third In music theory, a minor third is a interval (music), musical interval that encompasses three half steps, or semitones. Staff notation represents the minor third as encompassing three staff positions (see: interval (music)#Number, interval numb ...

in order to create more movement."Rawlins and Bahha (2005). ''Jazzology: The Encyclopedia of Jazz Theory for All Musicians'', p.104. . "'Inbetween chords' that help you get from one chord to another are called passing chords."Sokolow, Fred (2002). ''Jazzing It Up'', p.9. . For example, in the simple

chord progression In a musical composition, a chord progression or harmonic progression (informally chord changes, used as a plural, or simply changes) is a succession of chords. Chord progressions are the foundation of harmony in Western musical tradition from ...

in the key of C Major, which goes from Imaj7/iii7/ii7/V7: , Cmaj7 , Em7 , Dm7 , G7 , the diatonic (this means "from the scale of the tonic") passing chord (Dm7) may be inserted: , Cmaj7 Dm7 , Em7 , Dm7 , G7 , or the chromatic passing chord (Ebm7) may be inserted: , Cmaj7 , Em7 Ebm7 , Dm7 , G7 , or one or more

secondary dominant A secondary chord is an analytical label for a specific harmonic device that is prevalent in the tonal idiom of Western music beginning in the common practice period: the use of diatonic functions for tonicization. Secondary chords are a ...

s may be inserted: , Cmaj7 B7 , Em7 A7 , Dm7 , G7 , (in this example, the B7 is the secondary dominant of Em7 and the A7 is the secondary dominant of Dm7) A chromatic passing chord is, "a chord that is not in the harmonized scale" For example, one or more diminished seventh chords may be inserted: , Cmaj7 D# dim7' , Em7 C# dim7 , Dm7 , G7 , (in this example, the D# dim7 is the viio7 of Em7 and the C# dim7 is the viio7 of Dm7) Passing chords may be consonant or dissonantAlfred White, William (1911). ''Harmony and Ear-Training'', p.158. Silver, Burdett & Company. and may include flat fifth substitution, scalewise substitution, dominant minor substitution, approach chords, and bass-line-directed substitution. Passing chords may be written into a lead sheet by a composer, songwriter, or arranger. As well, particularly in smaller ensembles, such as the organ trio or jazz quartet, the '' comping'' (chord-playing)

rhythm section A rhythm section is a group of musicians within a music ensemble or band that provides the underlying rhythm, harmony and pulse of the accompaniment, providing a rhythmic and harmonic reference and "beat" for the rest of the band. The rhythm ...

instrumentalists (e.g.,

jazz guitar Jazz guitar may refer to either a type of electric guitar or a guitar playing style in jazz, using Guitar amplifier, electric amplification to increase the volume of acoustic guitars. In the early 1930s, jazz musicians sought to amplify their ...

jazz piano Jazz piano is a collective term for the techniques pianists use when playing jazz. The piano has been an integral part of the jazz idiom since its inception, in both solo and ensemble settings. Its role is multifaceted due largely to the instru ...

Hammond organ The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond and John M. Hanert, first manufactured in 1935. Multiple models have been produced, most of which use sliding #Drawbars, drawbars to vary sounds. Until 1975, sound was created ...

) may improvise passing chords. With large ensembles, such as a

big band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s and ...

, the comping players may have less freedom to improvise passing chords, because the composer/arranger may have already written in passing chords into the written horn parts, which might clash with improvised passing chords played by a comping musician. The freedom of comping musicians to improvise passing chords also depends on the tempo. In a very slow ballad, if a chord-playing musician adds in an improvised diminished chord for a half a bar, this may "clash" with the melody notes or chords played by other performers. On the other hand, in an extremely up-tempo (fast)

bebop Bebop or bop is a style of jazz developed in the early to mid-1940s in the United States. The style features compositions characterized by a fast tempo (usually exceeding 200 bpm), complex chord progressions with rapid chord changes and numerou ...

tune, a comping musician could add improvised passing chords with more freedom, because each bar goes by so fast.

See also

References

Further reading