Passing Chords Explained! #1

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Passing chords are temporary stepping stones between chords and they can add a huge amount of harmonic variety and interest to your chord progressions. In this lesson I look at two different techniques: Secondary Dominant & Chromatic passing chords.
They key thing to remember is that a dominant chord always resolves to a 5th below. Therefore to add a secondary dominant passing chord we can simple add in the dominant 7 chord a 5th above the passing chord.
A chromatic passing chord is very similar, we apply the same concept but add it a half step above the target chord rather than a 5th above. The reason this works is because the dominants are a tritone away and can be interchanged with each other. This can provide some really rich harmony and really take your playing to the next level!
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[@Piano_Pig]

NOTE: It seems throughout this video when I referred to the E7 I was actually playing an Em7(b5). This was a mistake and I think my muscle memory is to blame! Hopefully you can look past that and imagine I am playing an E7! :)

[@tntwashpro3863]

PianoPig are your training videos on your site longer than these short video on KZbin. I would like to subscribe on your site. Do you go more in-depth

[@Piano_Pig]

They range in length, but the courses are made of videos that lead on from one another so you can develop your skills from each lesson to the next.

[@mourningstar1313]

What does it mean when you have something in parentheses? The (b5) part, I mean.

[@Piano_Pig]

We only use parentheses to neaten things up! Normally if a chord has these it normally means there is some sort of alteration, such as a flat 5 (b5) or sharp 11 (#11).

[@saadalhumaid8043]

PianoPig thanks your lesson is good

[@mannytrackbeat]

After years of asking guys that play gospel, how is it that they transform a boring 3 chord song into a soulful song, none of them could explain it to me. You in less than 10 minutes... you just made my day. You got a subscription! Thank you so much

[@Piano_Pig]

That's great to hear! Happy to provide you with the knowledge :)

[@istoryangkwento]

Just meant they don't wanna share...

[@vvsmelody2]

@@istoryangkwento i think a lot of gospel players grow up around music and are dont really have a theoretical background

[@mrshiney2]

Adopted this to guitar and blew everyone's mind

[@chrispapadakis3965]

@Yessir finding the right voicings I guess :)

[@zydanj]

@Yessir yeah technically you can adapt this knowledge to alot of instruments lol

[@mrshiney2]

@Yessir Yeah the target dominant sub idea. sometimes I will sneak in the dominant 7 chord of the next chord I am going to

[@Diamond88keyz]

😲😯😃

[@aeea3306]

Fr I blew my own mind doing this and its 2 in the morning right now

[@piano2807mundo]

This guy is a genius, I struggled so much with my harmony teacher and this guy in just a few minutes clarified everything, THANK YOU!

[@valentinarmenta4982]

I still don't get it explain to me better

[@piano2807mundo]

@@valentinarmenta4982 what’s your email 📧 I’ll send you some comping exercises

[@campbellcreative]

First 3 minutes in and I'm already knowing 10× more than what I knew 5 min ago😰

[@truesurrealist]

I feel like that on his videos too. I've learned so much from so few videos. Eating each one like an everlasting gobstopper.

[@22Ruffet]

Another awesome video. I could hear these passing chords in my head but didn't know how to get them out on the keyboard, this video explains how beautifully.

[@sandraasamoah2760]

that's how i felt too

[@SamStormsKBD]

Useful? This lesson changed my playing 4ever haha tnx a lot and keep up the good work

[@Piano_Pig]

Thanks man! Glad you found the video useful :)

[@YawKBmusic]

Oh oh oh ive been looking for this passing chord explanation for years. God bless you sir

[@Piano_Pig]

Awesome! Glad you found it useful :)

[@sylvandelacruz]

This is a fantastic lesson. Just what I'm really starting to study. If you sing along to these progressions you can see how your melody is built on the main chords and how the passing chords enhance the harmony. Can't wait to start playing more developed harmonies! Super cool!! Thank you!

[@BradRadmusic]

I've watched many videos on KZbin and this guy is one of the very best. Great teacher and breaks things down nicely. Subscribed.

[@brightg-keyz8039]

Gold! what a way to explain this passing chord thing...

[@Piano_Pig]

Thanks man! Glad you enjoyed it 😀

[@xs10tl1]

One of the clearest fundamental explanations to get a beginner started with thinking on the fly.

[@teo5146]

Best piano lesson I have taken in a long time. Thank you!

[@1950francesca]

Now I finally understand the passing chords in my lead sheet to "All The Things You Are" (first line here): Fm7, B7 (passing chord), Bflat m7, E7 (passing chord), Eflat 7, A7( passing chord) , Aflat Maj 7. Thank you!

[@loveprovido2412]

God has given you a gift. Thank you for sharing it. May God bless you more sir.

[@saadalhumaid3959]

very beautiful summary of both most common passing chord. Appreciate it buddy

[@mrbirdman6134]

Yet again another super mega fantastic video Mr pig!

[@rogercook8277]

Man you have taught me a lot in a short time. I love your videos. I love the way you teach. The more I know about chord structure, the more creative I can be when I am coming up with new ideas for a song, etc. Keep doing what you do, because you do it well. I will be a student of yours forever.

[@Piano_Pig]

Thanks Roger! That means a lot, just happy to be able to add value to your playing 😀

[@isaacoceans]

The best passing chord tutorial I have seen on KZbin:) Thanx!

[@SierraRoute]

Thanks for all the hard work and excellent teaching with the videos. I look forward to part 2

[@mariaceciliabillones9993]

I find this tutorial gold. Thank you is an understatement. And for sharing this genius chord technique, Godbless you.

[@BassGuitarIQ]

Explained and demonstrated so simply. Thank you!

[@willfangaloka3624]

Best teacher ever!! 🙏🙏👍👍

[@moses9647]

RE: secondary dominants. I'm a huge fan of them. I also like to use diminished 7ths when the target chord is a minor. For ex, instead of playing an E7 to get to Am, I would raise the E to a E# (Fnatural) to give it a bit more sass. It's also fun to try going from dim 7ths to a major instead of a minor

[@andremarks6674]

Thanks a million for the explanation. Great work

[@antsinyourpants4095]

I'm so happy this is EXACTLY what I was looking for thank you so much 🥰

[@GeoffNelson]

Amazing! Just the right lesson I was searching for. Thank you!

[@JosieCamara]

Thank you so much. This understanding makes my songwriting much more interesting!

[@AmandaKaymusic]

Is there a passing chords II on the way? I enjoyed this clip and shared it with someone who was asking about passing chords and notes. Years ago a friend showed me a few ways of playing a chord to go with every chromatic note on guitar in order which was really helpful for me. I was hoping to find an article or clip on the subject that explains what he shared with me well. Your clip was the only useful clip I could find on the topic. This terrific clip does have many useful tips. Thank you for the work you share. I look forward to hearing what is coming next in this series. Congratulations on the 100,000. Great to see a good educator get some of the support they deserve.

[@peculiarkafula640]

this guy is really a music teacher thanks man..

[@nakinaki7991]

Simple and beautiful explanation! Love this

[@john-gt1ys]

This guy is a gem!

[@_kemyyy204]

This video really broke it down. I was really confused with the others. But this is really nice. Thank you

[@abrajahmoua8232]

This man is one of the golden channels in the paino community

[@Piano_Pig]

I appreciate that man!

[@jeromeraymundo8255]

Great concise explanation. Thank you for this!

[@iancharles4472]

Clear concise explanations...many thanks.

[@gloriavillalta4693]

I love the way you explain this, I will practice, hope I can do it! Thanks!

[@bitsiblesson2240]

A 1000 liikes to you Sir , you explained it very slowly , and systematically in a simple way, you are a true teacher because you want others to learn , I watched many other videos, most of them are too fast , and many of them can play but cannot explain in a systematic way. Thanks Sir

[@RMmazel]

This is exactly what I'm looking for. ♥️ Thank you

[@Jvaldes609]

Man old but good. A evergreen 🌲 lesson.

[@le-j-james7061]

Thanks a lot! fantastic tutorial!

[@curtpiazza1688]

Great lesson!

[@j.patrickii2497]

Every sentence and explanation fit on my head VERY GOOD TUTORIAL

[@alvaromorenoacosta1518]

THOSE tritonal chords with the 9th are beautiful

[@MYKHE01]

Amazing video, really easy to understand, thank you

[@tonypascale5317]

Very good teaching. Lord bless you for being forthright and wanting to help people with your gift of teaching.

[@nikitanothin]

That’s amazing lesson!

[@elementrypenguin3116]

Beautiful chord progressions

[@peeckle1657]

Amazing Explanation...

[@loviemapiti-tj4vu]

Thank you for the lessons, learning from Botswana

[@jessrichardmoransee5468]

Really good lesson in passing chords. Thanks 👍

[@SierraRoute]

Thank you for all the great videos. You have a talent for laying out concepts in a simple and very useful manner. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge.

[@Piano_Pig]

No problem! Good to hear you've been enjoying the vids 😀

[@brooklinsummer]

Thanks! Very helpful. Have started using this in playing ii V I changes found in standards. Amazing how this technique really fills out a tune. Good stuff.

[@Piano_Pig]

Glad you found it useful man! Yeah it's a good trick to know :)

[@FrankSpeer66]

You can also use the five of any five chord that is resolving to a one chord for example, if you are heading to C major you can get there by using D7 to G7 to C - D7 is the 5 of G which is the five of C. You could even add in A7 which is the 5 of D7.

[@Emmystring_s]

Thanks made it really easy to understand

[@eliobeux]

UNMISSABLE-I LIKED IT SO MUCH. THANK FOR YOUR GENEROSITY.

[@MacMic333]

Nicely explained , makes creative sense thanks.

[@eduardogarzavaldez3745]

Your videos are pretty useful, keep doing this:)

[@davidbluecame]

Amazing, thank you so much!

[@kofiefelicio777]

It’s awesome man

[@3ktor123]

Amazing lesson!

[@Myaccountishacked]

Excellent piano tutorial 😀💙

[@dee3606]

Thank you again!! Subscribed! 😇

[@jessg4898]

this was so helpful, thank you!

[@fauvier3899]

WOOOw so good explained !

[@liberationhouse-paog-z2824]

I don't comment any how but this well explained keep it up. Here is my subscription...

[@samwright285]

Thank you. Awesome

[@bobmincberg1417]

Thanks so much for making this so clear!!

[@Piano_Pig]

You're welcome!

[@Diamond88keyz]

Simon is brilliant.

[@ammiammi1974]

Clear and concise. Wonderful. Looking forward to the follow up. Thanks a lot.

[@Piano_Pig]

I'm glad you enjoyed the lesson Ammi! :)

[@nuke97]

Excellent and to the point!

[@christyherron_]

Thanks. Very useful

[@gilgillis3816]

Great lesson!!!

[@vasannemoodley4466]

Wow You are a genius Thanks for explaining so nicely

[@vansullivan236]

Great, thanks!

[@Triumphinchrist1]

Wonderful! Just what we guitar keyboardist need to make us sound cool on keys! Need more of such lessons.Maybe the E7th error is a good way to get us more intrigued into the lesson lol.Thanks bro.Subscribing!

[@CyberBPLive]

Greatly explained!! Dankeschön 🙏🏾

[@PertNearFedUp-bj1tx]

Happiness on the passing chords! Wahooooooooooo😃❤️

[@Breathofheavenworship]

Very useful thank you so much .. god bless 🔥❤️

[@bryanblandon]

Thank you!

[@yozy4996]

EXCELLEANT TUTORIAL!!!

[@BrodaSoya]

Thanks Bro! Bless you!

[@kirky3051]

you are AMAZING!!! thank you! I get it now.

[@jasonmenor]

Thank you so much!!

[@dannuttle9005]

I've learned more about music in the past few months than my previous life combined, and much of it is on youtube, and Piano Pig is one of my sources. Secondary dominant and chromatic dominant 7 passing chords: MIND BLOWN. Lots of the jazz I've been listening to for decades suddenly became more understandable.

[@seedoflove4964]

THANK YOU

[@vansullivan236]

Thanks, this is great!

[@becks6180]

it took me too long to find this amazing video! on with the practice :)

[@mugabonzizafredy234]

sounds Pro !!! bring more of this concept !!! i really appreciate this one ; its gonna make my playing to another level

[@Piano_Pig]

Good stuff! I've been meaning to make a follow-up video to this one for a while... keep an eye out :)

[@marinduque-theheartoftheph]

Simple but excellent trick! It will absolutely go a long... long way. Thanks for these insights, PP ;)

[@Piano_Pig]

My pleasure! Glad you found it useful :)

[@oumajustin4511]

i enjoyed this lesson

[@georgerosander8775]

Is the passing cords explained #2 available? Your #1 was the clearest explanation I’ve seen - thank you!

[@nicholasr6381]

Thankyou that's really helped

[@DarkerSideOfDawn]

Very helpful Thank You!

[@stephenkyambadde7393]

Beautiful concept so well explained,,, Thank you!

[@Piano_Pig]

My pleasure! I'm glad you found it useful :)

[@HarshitRatore]

Thank you

[@user-wj8eb6pr5t]

your video is so good ! It’s really useful thank you 👍🏻👍🏻

[@Piano_Pig]

I'm glad you found it useful! 😁

[@SuperDenon]

Thanks!

[@uglymule]

OK, I think I've finally worked out what the first, finished, 5 chord progression is. The initial key is C major & it progresses from the major 1 through the vii half diminished 7 of IV (secondary leading tone chord), to the minor vi, to the major V7 of IV (secondary dominant chord) to the new key of F. Both chords, the secondary leading tone & the secondary dominant, signal the coming of the new key. Sorry for being annoying but I'm a 4th semester music major & your videos are helping me to tie what I know into the keyboard by explaining things in a different manner than my theory professor.

[@AmandaKaymusic]

Thanks for the useful clip.