approach chord

{{Short description|Type of musical chord}}

{{Tone|date=February 2025}}

File:I-vi-ii-V turnaround in G.png in GBoyd, Bill (1997). Jazz Chord Progressions, p.43. {{ISBN|0-7935-7038-7}}. {{audio|I-vi-ii-V turnaround in G.mid|Play}}.]]

File:Approach chords in G.png

File:Turnaround in F.png

File:Approach chords in F.png

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:Sokolow, Fred (2002). Jazzing It Up, p.11. {{ISBN|0-7935-9112-0}}.

|G / Em / |Am / D7 / ||

may be filled in with approach chords:

|G F9 Em A♭m |Am D♯7 D7 G♭7 ||

F9 being the half-step to Em, A{{music|b}}m being the half-step to Am, D{{music|#}}7 being the half-step to D7, and G{{music|b}}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 subdominant (FMaj7) preceding the tonic (CMaj7) creating a strong cadence through the contrast of no more than two common tones:Felts, Randy (2002). Reharmonization Techniques, p.19. {{ISBN|0-634-01585-0}}. FACE – CEGB.

Approach chords may thus be a semitone or a fifth or fourth from their target.Grove, Dick (1989). Arranging Concepts Complete: The Ultimate Arranging Course for Today's Music, p.139. {{ISBN|0-88284-484-9}}.

Approach chords create the harmonic space of the modes in jazz rather than secondary dominants.Pease, Ted (2003). Jazz Composition: Theory and Practice, p.68. {{ISBN|0-87639-001-7}}.