Harmony Guide for Part Writing Errors

>8

spacing exceeds an octave (upper adjacent voices)

>12

spacing exceeds a 12th (bass next to adjacent voice)

R (with circle and slash through it)

root of the chord missing (nearly always required)

3 (with circle and slash through it)

3rd of the chord missing (almost always required)

5 (with circle and slash through it)

5th of the chord missing (where there’s no voice leading reason to omit it)

2x#?

questionable or inappropriate doubling

2xLT

doubled leading tone

2x7

doubled 7th of the chord

X

crossed voices (within a chord or from one chord to the next)

2xR (circle and slash through it)

root of the chord not doubled (where there’s no voice leading reason not to)

2×5 (circle and slash through it)

fifth of the chord not doubled (required in 2nd inversion)

any note crossed out

note is not part of the apparent chord

=5

parallel 5ths

=8

parallel octaves

D5

direct 5th (always and only between bass and soprano)

D8

direct octave (always and only between bass and soprano)

UR7

uncharacteristic resolution of the 7th

URLT

uncharacteristic resolution of the leading tone

URD

uncharacteristic resolution of any other dissonance

≠5

unequal 5ths (augmented to perfect between bass and next adjacent voice)

+2

melodic augmented 2nd

TT

incorrect use of melodic tritone

L7

melodic 7th (leap of a 7th)

CC5 

consecutive 5ths by contrary motion

CC8

consecutive octaves by contrary motion

leap(s)

one or more awkward melodic leaps

UPL or URL

uncharacteristic (incorrect) preparation or resolution of a melodic leap