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Ever listen to a pro musician and wonder how they make such simple songs sound so rich and complex? Often, the secret isn’t in the main chords themselves, but in the artful use of passing chords—the subtle, transitional chords that connect the dots and create movement, tension, and release.

If you’ve ever searched for a “list of passing chords,” you’ve probably found shortcuts that work in one song but fail in another. That’s because memorizing chords without understanding the why is a dead end.

Stop Memorizing, Start Understanding

The truth is, mastering passing chords isn’t about memorization. It’s about understanding a simple, unified system. And that’s exactly what Tom Regis provides in “From Beethoven to Bill Evans: Western Harmony Simplified.”

For sure, this book covers everything you need to know about passing chords. However, you won’t find a chapter titled “10 Passing Chords to Make You Sound Pro.” Instead, the entire book is a masterclass in the “why” and “how” behind harmonic movement, which is far more powerful.

Ready to Unlock the Secrets of Pro-Level Harmony?

Here’s a breakdown of how Tom’s book gives you the tools to not just use, but to invent your own professional-sounding passing chords.

1. The Core Concept: Dominants Functioning as Passing Chord

The most powerful passing chords are dominant chords that lead to a target chord. Tom’s book establishes this as a fundamental law:

“Every chord has a V7 chord that leads to it!” (Chapter V)

This single idea is the engine for most passing chords. If you’re going to a C chord, you can pass through a G7. If you’re going to an F chord, you can pass through a C7. The book explains the magnetic pull (the tension and release) that makes this work so well.

2. The “Jazz” Passing Chord: The II-V Progression

The book then expands this idea into the most common passing progression in all of jazz-influenced music: the II-V-I.

Instead of just playing G7 -> C (V-I), you can add a passing chord before the V, turning it into D-7 -> G7 -> C (II-V-I).

The book explains that the D-7 itself functions as a type of “V of the V” chord, creating an even longer and more satisfying pathway to the home chord. It also describes how the D-7 can, at the player’s composer’s discretion, be turned into a D7 chord (a “secondary dominant” with the notes D, F#, A, and C instead of D, F, A, and C) to maximize the tension and release.

3. The “Outside” Passing Chord: Tritone Substitution

This is a more advanced passing chord that Tom covers in detail.

Instead of playing D-7 -> G7 -> C, you can substitute the G7 with its tritone substitute, Db7.  This creates the progression: D-7 -> Db7 -> C. The book explains the theory behind why this works (the 3rd and 7th notes are shared between G7 and Db7) and the powerful chromatic bass line (D -> Db -> C) it creates, which is a hallmark of sophisticated passing chord movement.

4. The “Colorful” Passing Chord: The Sus Chord

Tom dedicates a whole chapter (Chapter VI) to the suspended chord, which is often used as a passing chord or a substitution for a dominant chord to create a different color.

Replacing a G7 with a Gsus7 (or F/G, D-7/G) creates a less tense, more open sound that can be used to pass smoothly to the C chord.

5. The “Half-Step” Passing Chord: The Ultimate Simplification

Another powerful concept in the book for generating passing chords is the idea that any chord a half-step above your target chord wants to resolve to it.

The book shows that you can use a Db∆7 chord to pass to a C∆7 chord. Every note in the Db chord is a half-step above a note in the C chord, creating a “turbo resolution.”

This principle can be applied to many chord types, not just major 7ths, and is a key tool for creating modern, sophisticated progressions.

Ready to Transform Your Playing?

Tom’s book doesn’t just give you a list of passing chords. It gives you the underlying system to invent your own passing chords. It teaches you the “grammar” of harmonic movement so you can understand why a Db7 sounds so good going to C, and how you can apply that same logic to any chord in any song.

Stop searching for quick fixes. Invest in a deep understanding that will serve you for a lifetime.

Click the link below to get your copy of “From Beethoven to Bill Evans: Western Harmony Simplified” on Amazon now, and start using the language of harmony like a pro.

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