Approach chord

I-vi-ii-V turnaround in G^[1]  Play (help·info).

I-vi-ii-V turnaround with approach chords in G  Play (help·info).

I-vi-ii-V turnaround in F  Play (help·info).

Approach chords in F  Play (help·info).^[2]

In music, an approach chord (also chromatic approach chord and dominant approach chord) is a chord one half-step higher or lower than the goal, especially in the context of turnarounds and cycle-of-fourths progressions, for example the two bar 50s progression:^[3]

|G   Em      |Am    D7     ||

may be filled in with approach chords:

|G F9 Em Abm  |Am D#7 D7 Gb7 ||

F9 being the half-step to Em, A♭m being the half-step to Am, D♯7 being the half-step to D7, and G♭7 being the half-step to G. G being I, Em being vi, Am being ii, and D7 being V7 (see ii-V-I turnaround and circle progression).

An approach chord may also be the chord immediately preceding the target chord such as the dominant (FMaj7) preceding the tonic (CMaj7) creating a strong cadence through the contrast of no more than two common tones^[4]: FACE – CEGB.

Approach chords may thus be a semitone or a fifth or fourth from their target^[5].

Approach chords create the harmonic space of the modes in jazz rather than secondary dominants^[6].

See also

• Passing chord
• Predominant chord
• Tritone substitution

Sources

1. ^ Boyd, Bill (1997). Jazz Chord Progressions, p.43. ISBN 0-7935-7038-7.
2. ^ Fisher, Jody (2000). Jazz Skills: Filling the Gaps for the Serious Guitarist, p.30. ISBN 1929395108.
3. ^ Sokolow, Fred (2002). Jazzing It Up, p.11. ISBN 0793591120.
4. ^ Felts, Randy (2002). Reharmonization Techniques, p.19. ISBN 0634015850.
5. ^ Grove, Dick (1989). Arranging Concepts Complete: The Ultimate Arranging Course for Today's Music, p.139. ISBN 0882844849.
6. ^ Pease, Ted (2003). Jazz Composition: Theory and Practice, p.68. ISBN 0876390017.