Passing chords
In gospel, short chords (an eighth note or a quarter note) are inserted between two “arrival” chords to connect the bass and the voices. The main families:
| Type | Example in C | Bass |
|---|---|---|
| Ascending diminished | C – C#°7 – Dm7 | C C# D |
| Diminished on the IV | F – F#°7 – C/G | F F# G |
| Secondary dominant | C – C7/Bb – F/A | C Bb A |
| Passing inversion | C – G/B – Am | C B A |
| Chromatic upper neighbor | Dbmaj7 – C | Db C |
| Dominant tritone | (descending tritones) | chromatic |
| “5 of 5” | D7/F# – G7 – C | F# G C |
Moving tritones
The tritone (the third and seventh of a dominant seventh) is the soul of gospel. Each tritone belongs to two dominants (G7 and Db7 share the same tritone B–F). Moving tritones chromatically downward produces a chain of dominants:
| Tritone (right hand) | Possible dominant | Alternative (tritone sub) |
|---|---|---|
| F – B | G7 | Db7 |
| E – Bb | C7 | Gb7 |
| Eb – A | F7 | B7 |
| D – Ab | Bb7 | E7 |
With the bass playing the roots of your choice (G – C – F – Bb or G – Gb – F – E), the right hand always makes the same gesture: two notes descending by semitone. This is the sound of the “tritone walk-down” toward the arrival chord.
Example of arriving at F with descending tritones: A7 (G – C#) → D7 (F# – C) → G7 (F – B) → C7 (E – Bb) → F. The two voices descend by semitone with every chord (G → F# → F → E and C# → C → B → Bb) while the bass plays A – D – G – C – F in fifths.
The gospel “2-5-1”
Richer than the jazz ii–V–I, with tensions and often substitutes:
| Chord | Suggested voicing (right hand, above the bass) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dm9 (ii) | F A C E | 3, 5, 7, 9 |
| G13(b9) (V) | F Ab B E | 7, b9, 3, 13 |
| Cmaj9 (I) | E G B D | 3, 5, 7, 9 |
Typical variants:
- Suspended ii – V: Dm9 – F/G (G9sus4) – C(add9).
- ii – bII – I: Dm9 – Db7#11 – Cmaj9 (tritone substitution).
- iv – bVII – I (backdoor): Fm9 – Bb13 – Cmaj9.
- “Passing 5”: Dm9 – G7(#5 #9) – Cmaj9.
The “1-7-3-6-2-5-1” turnaround
C – Bø7 – E7 – Am7 – D7 – Dm7 – G7 – C: a cycle of fifths with secondary dominants (E7 = V/vi, D7 = V/V). In gospel every dominant is often enriched (E7#9, D9, G13) and connected by descending tritones.
Shout and vamp
In the shout (fast gospel, 120–140 BPM) the chords change every beat with a repeated pattern: C – F/C – C – F/C with chromatic passing tones in the bass (C – B – Bb – A – Ab – G). The pianist alternates the left hand (octaves on the downbeat) and the right hand (chords on the upbeat).
Common mistakes
- Too many passing chords of equal weight: the song loses direction. Keep the arrival chords clear.
- Voicings that are too low (below C3) with tensions: they sound muddy. Tensions belong above middle C.
Producer exercise
- Piano (or Stage-73 V) at 80 BPM: play only the tritones from the table, descending by semitone, with the bass G – C – F – Bb.
- Do it again with the bass G – Gb – F – E (tritone substitutes): same tritones, different color.
- Finish with Dm9 – G13(b9) – Cmaj9 and then with Fm9 – Bb13 – Cmaj9: compare.
Related
Gospel harmony (fundamentals), extended tritone substitution, passing diminished chords, chromatic voice leading, backdoor progression.