Passing Chords
The Passing Chords generator in The Ultimate Piano is where you find the chords that carry you from one chord to the next. Tell it where you are and where you want to go — or only where you want to arrive — and it offers connections: secondary dominants, ii-V chains, chromatic approaches, diminished links, cadences. Every suggestion plays back, so you choose the one that sounds right rather than the one that looks clever.
A typical result inserts one or two bridging chords, giving you a compact 3- or 4-chord sequence. A passing chord is a chord inserted between two other chords to create smoother harmonic movement — commonly used in jazz, gospel, and pop. Each result plays back so you can hear the transition before you use it.
On this page
Generate Passing Chords Online
Passing chords smooth the gap between two chords by adding a bridging chord in between. In The Ultimate Piano, the generator takes a target chord — with or without a start chord — and runs more than 20 harmony rules from 6 categories: Dominant, Functional, Chromatic, Diminished, Diatonic, and Cadence. You pick the key and whether it is major or minor, click Generate, and press play to hear each option — no music-theory degree required.
Chord input understands the chord names you find in lead sheets: any root with ♯ or ♭, triads, seventh chords, sixth and added-note chords, extended and altered chords such as C6/9, C7(b9) or Cm(maj7), and slash chords such as C/E.
How to Open
Open the Learn menu in the header and choose Passing Chords, or press Ctrl+Shift+P (Cmd+Shift+P on Mac). From the Chord Explorer you can jump straight in with both chords already filled in — the suggestions appear right away.
How to Find Passing Chords
1. Select Key – Click the key button (it shows the major key and its relative minor, e.g. C / Am) and pick a key on the circle of fifths
2. Choose Mode – Major or Minor decides which of the two is the key, so the in-key check and the diatonic suggestions follow the minor key when you pick Minor (E7 is in key in A minor)
3. Enter the Target Chord – Type the chord you want to arrive at (e.g. "Cmaj7", "Dm")
4. Enter a Start Chord – Optional: type where you come from (e.g. "Am7") to get chords between the two
5. Click Generate – or press Enter in either field; up to 15 suggestions appear
A green ✓ in the field shows that the chord was understood, a red ✗ that it wasn't. Clear empties both fields and the results.
With only a target chord you get ways to approach it — for example Dm7 → G7 → Cmaj7 or Fm7 → Bb7 → Cmaj7. With a start and a target you get bridges between them — for example Cmaj7 → G7 → Am7.
Understanding Results
Each suggestion shows:
Chord Sequence
The complete progression from start to target, displayed as:
``
Cmaj7 → Bm7b5 → E7 → Am7
Chords are spelled the way musicians write them — Bb7 → Eb, and Db7` as the tritone substitute before C.
Rule Category and Rule
Each suggestion names the rule behind it and its category:
A short description explains what the rule does, with scale degrees written like everywhere else in the app (♭II7, ♭VII7).
Key Status
- In Key ✓ – Every note of every chord belongs to the selected key
- Chromatic ⚠️ – Contains notes outside the key (can sound sophisticated)
Play Button
Click ▶ to hear the chord sequence, one chord after the other. The tool chooses octaves so the chords move smoothly with small jumps between them, and a slash chord is played with its written bass note at the bottom.
Common Passing Chord Patterns
These come straight from the generator in C major:
ii-V-I Insertion
Approach a chord with the classic ii-V-I — enter only the target Cmaj7:
``
Dm7 → G7 → Cmaj7
Tritone Substitution
Replace a dominant 7th with the dominant a tritone away — from Cmaj7 to Am7:
`
Cmaj7 → Bb7 → Am7
Chromatic Approach
Approach the target from a half-step below:
`
Cmaj7 → G#7 → Am7
Deceptive Cadence
Lead into the dominant, then land on the vi chord instead of the I:
`
Cmaj7 → G7 → Am7
Common-Tone Diminished
When start and target share the same root, a diminished chord on that root adds tension:
`
C → Cdim7 → C
Tips for Smooth Chord Transitions
- Start simple – Begin with chords in the same key
- Listen first – Play each suggestion before deciding
- Trust your ears – Theory suggests, but your ears decide
- Experiment – Try unexpected start/target combinations, or only a target chord
- Press Enter to generate suggestions when focused on an input
- Press Esc to close the window
Use Cases
- Songwriting – Find smooth chord transitions between sections
- Reharmonization – Add sophistication to simple chord progressions
- Jazz Study – Learn common passing chord techniques like ii-V-I and tritone substitution
- Arranging – Create professional-sounding chord movements
See Chord Explorer for analyzing harmonic relationships between two chords, or Chord Training to practice playing chords with real-time feedback.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are passing chords on piano?
Passing chords are intermediate chords placed between two other chords to create a smoother harmonic transition. Instead of jumping directly from one chord to another, passing chords fill the gap using techniques like chromatic voice leading, ii-V-I insertions, or dominant chord relationships.
How do I find passing chords between two chords?
3 steps: enter your start chord and target chord in the Passing Chords generator in The Ultimate Piano, select a key and Major or Minor, and click Generate. The tool runs more than 20 rules from 6 harmony rule categories — Dominant, Functional, Chromatic, Diminished, Diatonic, and Cadence — and shows up to 15 passing chord sequences. Click the play button to hear each suggestion. With only a target chord, you get ways to approach it instead.
What is a tritone substitution?
A tritone substitution replaces a dominant 7th chord with another dominant 7th chord whose root is a tritone — 3 whole steps — away. For example, Db7 can substitute for G7 because they share the same tritone interval (B and F). This creates smooth chromatic voice leading and is widely used in jazz.
Can I use passing chords in pop and rock music?
Yes. While passing chords are most associated with jazz, they work in any genre. Simple diatonic passing chords — staying within the key — add movement to pop and rock progressions without sounding overly complex. The generator labels each suggestion as "In Key" or "Chromatic" so you can choose what fits your style.
How many types of passing chord rules does the generator use?
6 rule categories drive the suggestions: Dominant, Functional, Chromatic, Diminished, Diatonic, and Cadence, with more than 20 rules between them. Each generated passing chord sequence is labeled with its rule and category, so you learn why a transition works while you audition it.
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