Passing Tone between Chord Tones by Scale Step

Passing Tones

The complete definition of passing-tones is very specific:

PASSING TONE between two different CHORD TONES by SCALE STEP.

In order to create them, a scale which contains all three (triad) or four (seventh) chord-tones is required. In addition, for seventh-chords the scale must be at least a seven-note scale (with certain exceptions) with one of each pitch-class, or letter-name ( A - G ).

In scale-degree numbers, the chord-tones are 1, 3, 5 for triads, and 1, 3, 5, 7 for sevenths. The passing-tones will be scale-degrees 2, 4 and 6, with diminished sevenths having a passing-tone between the 7th and the root.

Scale-degree Distribution
triads						sevenths
chord tones	1		3		5		7
passing-tones		2		4		6

This produces two or three groupings of notes which become passing-tone cells. These cells can express ascending or descending, and can be combined with chord-tones to produce prototype patterns for progression studies.

Passing-Tone Cells
scale-degree	1 2 3	3 2 1	3 4 5	5 4 3		5 6 7	7 6 5
example in C	C D E	E D C	E F G	G F E		G A B	B A G

In order to apply passing-tones to a harmonic situation, the Rhythmic Resolution must be determined. Straight-eighth rhythms like rock or latin can usually be covered with an eighth-note 1-and-2-and-3-and-4-and resolution (8). Shuffle and swing rhythms sub-divide each beat up into three equal parts called triplets, in a 1-trip-let-2-trip-let-3-trip-let-4-trip-let resolution (12).

Applications
Straight 8th example (8)
prototype	1 - 2 - 3 - 5 [ 2-beat ]	1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 3 - 1 [ 4-beat ]

Shuffle example (12)
prototype	1 - 2 - 3 \| 5 - 4 - 3 \| 5 - 6 - ^b7 \| 5 - 4 - 3

Working with passing-tones is much more effective if done with multiple prototype groupings. This ensures that the concept of passing-tones will be absorbed, avoiding rote repetition of one or two ideas. Passing-tone drills like the Giant Steps Exercises are usually presented in groups of eight or twelve related prototypes, with mechanisms for different chord durations, as in two-beat and four-beat.