5 Ways to Make a Basic Chord Progression Sound Beautiful
You can make a basic two-chord progression like Bb major to D major sound richer by adding passing chords in between: relative minors, plagal (IV) chords, authentic (V) chords, secondary dominants, and ii-V-I approaches to the next chord, all found easily with the Circle of Fifths.
Key points
- Relative minors (up a major sixth): Bb goes with Gm, D goes with Bm.
- Plagal passing chords use the IV (Eb for Bb, G for D); authentic ones use the V (F for Bb, A for D), major or minor.
- Secondary dominants target the next chord: A7 before D, F7 before Bb.
- A ii-V-I into each chord (Em7 A7 to D, Cm7 F7 to Bb) gives a jazz sound.
- The Circle of Fifths is the quickest map for finding all these passing chords.
What this lesson teaches
In this lesson Jason Zac takes a very static progression, just two major triads, Bb major (Bb D F) and D major (D F# A), and shows five harmonic ways to make the journey between them more interesting. It is aimed at intermediate pianists and songwriters who know their basic triads and want to start composing with richer harmony.
Rhythm and melody can also add interest, but here the focus is harmony only. Play every chord as a simple block chord. You can practise both chords in root position, first inversion (D F Bb, F# A D) and second inversion (F Bb D, A D F#).
1. Relative minor passing chords
Every major key has a relative minor. To find it, go up a major sixth, down a minor third, or move three steps clockwise on the Circle of Fifths.
- Bb major: relative minor is G minor (Bb, F, C, G on the circle).
- D major: relative minor is B minor (D, A, E, B).
Give each chord two beats: Bb, Gm, D, Bm, then repeat. You can also reorder them, for example starting on Gm and going to Bb. Placing the two minor chords next to each other works well because Bm and Gm share the note D. For a subtler version, play three beats of each original chord and slip the relative minor in on the last beat. Because these chords are not all in one key, your melody is pushed to follow chord tones, which gives a distinctive, progressive sound.
2. Plagal passing chords (IV)
A plagal cadence is IV going to I, also called the amen cadence in gospel. The IV is one step anticlockwise on the Circle of Fifths.
- IV of Bb is Eb.
- IV of D is G.
Play Bb, Eb, D, G. The passing chords can be major or minor, so Bb, Ebm, D, Gm also works. Jason Zac's favourite is Bb, Eb, D, Gm. You can also keep the original bass note under the passing chord, so it sounds like a true passing colour, or walk the bass up and down to guide the listener's ear.
3. Authentic passing chords (V)
An authentic (perfect) cadence uses the V, one step clockwise on the circle.
- V of Bb is F.
- V of D is A.
Try Bb, F, D, A, then make the V chords minor. One appealing version sandwiches two minor chords between the major ones: Bb, Fm, Am, D. These new chords also invite new rhythmic ideas, such as a relaxed arpeggio on one pair and a busier pattern on the other.
4. Secondary dominants
The first three ideas relate the new chord to the chord you are on. A secondary dominant instead relates to the next chord: you play the V of your target.
- Before D, play A7 (A C# E G).
- Before Bb, play F7 (F A C Eb).
The loop becomes Bb, A7, D, F7. The dominant seventh pulls almost magnetically to its target, and it can resolve to either the major or minor version of it. You can also replace the secondary dominant with a diminished seventh chord for a different colour.
5. ii-V-I into each chord
Extend the secondary dominant into a jazz ii-V-I aimed at the next chord.
- Into D: Em7 (E G B D) to A7 to D.
- Into Bb: Cm7 (C Eb G Bb) to F7 to Bb.
The full loop is Bb, Em7, A7, D, Cm7, F7. For a bolder sound make them all dominants (E7, A7, C7, F7), or colour the targets as Bbmaj7 and Dmaj7.
How to practise
- Learn Bb and D major in all three inversions.
- Work through each strategy separately with block chords, finding the new chords on the Circle of Fifths rather than reading them.
- Experiment with chord lengths: two beats each, three plus one, or an extra bar.
- Improvise or sing a melody on chord tones over each version, and let the harmony suggest new rhythms.
Questions about this lesson
What is a passing chord?
A passing chord is an extra chord added between the chords of an existing progression to make the movement more interesting without changing the song's basic harmony. In this lesson they are added between Bb major and D major.
How do I find the relative minor of a major chord quickly?
Go up a major sixth, down a minor third, or three steps clockwise on the Circle of Fifths. For Bb major that gives G minor, and for D major it gives B minor.
What is the difference between plagal and authentic passing chords?
A plagal passing chord is the IV of the current chord, one step anticlockwise on the Circle of Fifths, while an authentic passing chord is the V, one step clockwise. Either can be played as a major or minor triad.
How is a secondary dominant different from the other approaches?
A secondary dominant is based on the next chord rather than the current one: it is the V7 of the target, such as A7 before D or F7 before Bb. Adding the ii chord before it, like Em7 A7 D, turns it into a ii-V-I.
Practise it
- Circle of FifthsExplore the Circle of Fifths through keys, scales, chords and intervals.
- Cadence LibraryCompare piano cadences across keys and listen to how different chord movements create closure, suspense or a turn in a new direction.
- Piano classes at Nathaniel School of MusicLive online or in Bangalore, with a teacher.
- All free music apps40 practice tools for harmony, rhythm, ear training and more.
Related lessons
- How to Make I V vi IV Sound Way More Exciting on Piano (5 Methods + Bonus)To make the I V vi IV progression (C, G, Am, F in C major) sound more exciting, keep the four chords but add plagal embellishments, passing bass lines, an epic bVI-bVII cadence, secondary dominants or ii-V-I approaches, or revoice the chords with fifths, sevenths, spread thirds, add2 and sus chords.
- The Mixolydian Cadence: A Bright, Bluesy Piano Progression (bVII–IV–I)The Mixolydian cadence is the chord progression bVII–IV–I built from the major chords of the Mixolydian mode, such as Bb–F–C in C Mixolydian, and it gives the bright, anthemic sound heard in songs like With a Little Help from My Friends.
- Build Long, Emotional Piano Progressions With the Circle of Fifths (Cadences Explained)You can build long, emotional piano chord progressions by moving around the Circle of Fifths one cadence at a time, chaining perfect (V–I) and plagal (IV–I) cadences and adding minor chords for colour, before finally resolving back to your home key.
- 10 Types of Cadences Explained: Theory, Ear Training and PianoA cadence is a short chord progression of two to four chords, such as V–I (authentic), IV–I (plagal), V–vi (deceptive) or i–bVII–bVI–V (Andalusian), used to end, extend or redirect a musical phrase.