In music theory, a predominant chord (also pre-dominant) is any chord which normally resolves to a dominant chord.[1] Examples of predominant chords are the subdominant (IV, iv), supertonic (ii, ii°), Neapolitan sixth and German sixth.[1] Other examples are the secondary dominant (V/V) and secondary leading tone chord. Predominant chords may lead to secondary dominants.[2] Predominant chords both expand away from the tonic and lead to the dominant, affirming the dominant's pull to the tonic.[3] Thus they lack the stability of the tonic and the drive towards resolution of the dominant.[3] The predominant harmonic function is part of the fundamental harmonic progression of many classical works.[4] The submediant (vi) may be considered a predominant chord or a tonic substitute.[5]
The dominant preparation is a chord or series of chords that precedes the dominant chord in a musical composition. Usually, the dominant preparation is derived from a circle of fifths progression. The most common dominant preparation chords are the supertonic, the subdominant, the V7/V, the Neapolitan chord (N6 or II6), and the augmented sixth chords (e.g., Fr+6).
In sonata form, the dominant preparation is in the development, immediately preceding the recapitulation. Ludwig van Beethoven's sonata-form works generally have extensive dominant preparation — for example, in the first movement of the Sonata Pathétique, the dominant preparation lasts for 29 measures (mm. 169–197).