What is a chord progression with a chromatic passing tone?
Chord progressions with a chromatic passing tone are chords containing a note out of key that is right between a note from the previous chord and a note from the next chord.
This is a music composition technique that can be used to create some tension that is resolved in a nice way to the ears because of the chromatic movement involved.
Let’s hear some examples of these chord progressions, I play only the chords first, then with the chromatic notes, and finally a harmonic example of the chord progression.
Example 1 : The Major 3rd chord
I – III – IV- V
C Maj: C – E – G
E Maj: B – E – G#
F Maj: C – F – A
G Maj: B – D – G
Example 2 : The 6th movement
i – III – IV – VI
A min: C – E – A
C Maj: C – E – G
D Maj: D – F# – A
F Maj: C – F – A
Example 3 : The Plagal Cadence
I – iii – IV – iv
C Maj: C – E – G
E min: B – E – G
F Maj: C – F – A
F min: C – F – Ab
Example 4 : The Lydian chord
I – IV – II – V
C Maj: C – E – G
F Maj: C – F – A
D Maj: D – F# – A
G Maj: D – G – B
Example 5 : The Augmented chord
I – iii – VII+ – V
C Maj: C – E – G
E min: B – E – G
B Aug: B – D# – G
G Maj: B – D – G
Example 6 : 8 bar chromatic progression with 7th chords
CM7: B – C – E – G
E7: B – D – E – G#
FM7: C – E – F – A
A7: C# – E – G – A
Dm7: C – D – F – A
B+: B – D# – G – B
Am7: C – E – G – A
Fm7: C – Eb – F – Ab
