Unit 5 Guide: Harmony, Rhythm, and Melodic Harmonization

Harmonic Rhythm

The speed and regularity at which chords change within a musical composition.

Strong Beats

The beats in a measure where chord changes most frequently occur, typically on the downbeat or beat 1.

Weak Beats

Beats where chord changes can occur but usually serve to move toward the next strong beat.

Mandatory Change

A rule stating that harmonies should generally change across the bar line.

Syncopated Harmonic Rhythm

An incorrect harmonic rhythm where a chord holds over from a weak beat into a strong beat.

Bass Line

The lowest part of the music that helps determine harmonic rhythm when analyzing a score.

Tonic (T)

The stability chord in the functional phrase model, often represented as I or i.

Predominant (PD)

The preparation chord in the functional phrase model, moving away from Tonic and setting up the Dominant.

Dominant (D)

The tension chord in the functional phrase model that pulls strongly back to Tonic.

Retrogression

A mistake in harmony where a Dominant chord moves backward to a Predominant.

Authentic Cadence

A common cadence type typically formed by the progression V–I or V7–I.

Half Cadence

A cadence that ends on the Dominant chord (V), creating a pause without returning to Tonic.

Contrary Motion

When one voice moves in the opposite direction of another, commonly used in voice leading.

Doubling Rules

Guidelines for which notes to double in a chord based on its inversion.

Upper Voices

The voices above the bass (Alto and Tenor) that complete harmonic triads.

Parallel Fifths

An error where two voices move in the same direction by a perfect fifth, which is discouraged.

Leading Tone

Scale degree 7 that should never be doubled due to its tendency to resolve up to the tonic.

Unequal Fifths

An error involving the movement between a diminished fifth to a perfect fifth, particularly between two voices.

Crossing Voices

An error where voices are written inappropriately, with upper voices exceeding the range of lower voices.

Metric Placement

The alignment of harmonic changes with the hierarchy of measures in music.

Functional Phrase Model

A model outlining the standard progression of harmonic functions in composition.

Chord Tones

Notes that belong to the chord being played.

Non-Chord Tones

Notes that do not belong to the chord and often serve as embellishments.

Cadential Progression

The movement of chords that leads to a harmonic resolution, often emphasizing the finality of a phrase.

Soprano Line

The highest melody line that is usually harmonized in four-part writing.

Harmonizing Melodies

The process of creating chord progressions that support a given melody.

Bass Movement

The movement of the lower voice, crucial for determining the harmonic structure.