Unit 5: Harmony and Voice Leading II: Chord Progressions and Predominant Function

key of C

In the major, the supertonic triad is a D minor chord (D- F- A)

tension

It is often used to create and release in a composition.

significant time

The difference between modulation and tonicization is the occurrence of a convincing cadence and in the new key.

second scale degree

Supertonic triad- Built on the of a major scale.

fourth scale degree

Subdominant triad- Built on the of a major scale.

bass note

The of the 6 /4 chord is the same as the root of the dominant chord.

mediant chord

In minor keys, the is often used to create a sense of harmonic ambiguity because the can be either major or minor, depending on whether the scale is natural or harmonic minor.

In the key of C major, the subdominant triad is an

F major chord (F- A- C)

Predominant function

A chord or group of chords that lead to the dominant chord in a musical composition

Subdominant chord

The chord built on the fourth scale degree of a major or minor key

Supertonic chord

The chord built on the second scale degree of a major or minor key

Predominant chords

Chords that typically come before the dominant chord in a progression

Submediant

The sixth degree of the scale

Deceptive cadence

A chord progression that creates a sense of resolution but ends on a chord other than the expected tonic chord

Most common deceptive cadence

V-vi progression

Contextual analysis

The process of analyzing a piece of music in its entirety, taking into account its historical, cultural, and social context

Subdominant triad

Built on the fourth scale degree of a major scale

Supertonic triad

Built on the second scale degree of a major scale

Mediant

The third degree of a diatonic scale

Modulation

The process of moving from one tonal center to another, with or without changing the key signature

Tonicization

When we have a region of a new key or experience a temporary sense of a new tonic by the occurrence of one or two non-diatonic chords

6/4 chord

A chord that has its fifth replaced with a fourth, resulting in the intervals of a root, fourth, and sixth

Cadential 6/4 chord

Functions as a dominant chord and resolves to a tonic chord

Pedal 6/4 chord

Functions as a harmonic pedal point

Passing 6/4 chord

Used to connect two chords that are a third apart, often in a stepwise motion

Arpeggiating 6/4 chord

Chord in which the notes are played one at a time in a specific order, rather than all at once

submediant as a tonic expansion

it prolongs the tonic chord by using the submediant chord (vi) as a substitute for the tonic chord (I).

submediant as a weak predominant chord

used to lead to the dominant chord (V)

most common modulation

from major to relative minor

common modulations

• From major to relative minor
• Modulation to the dominant
• Modulation to the subdominant
• Modulation from major to parallel minor