HC

Unit 4: Harmony and Voice Leading I: Chord Function, Cadence, and Phrase

Harmony and Voice Leading

  • Voice leading - The art of arranging musical voices in a way that creates smooth and logical progressions. It is an essential aspect of music composition and performance, particularly in classical and jazz music.

Types of Motion

  • Motion - The direction in which the melody moves in relation to the bass line.
  • Contrary motion - Moves the melody in the opposite direction of the bass.
  • Oblique motion - When one voice remains on the same note and the other moves in either direction.
  • Similar motion - When the bass and the soprano move in the same direction but at different intervals.
  • Parallel motion - Where the soprano and bass move in the same direction and at the same interval.

Voice Leading Rules for Outer Voices

Outer Voices

  • Outer voices - The highest and lowest voices in a musical texture.
    • They are usually the melody and bass lines.
  • Rules for outer voices
    • Avoid large leaps between adjacent notes.
    • Avoid crossing the voices.
    • Avoid parallel fifths and octaves.
    • Avoid doubling the leading tone.

Open or Closed Positions

  • Open and closed positions - The spacing between the voices in a chord.
    • In open position, the voices are spaced far apart.
    • In closed position, the voices are spaced close together.

Doubling Rules

  • Double the root note
    • The root note of a chord should always be doubled. This helps to reinforce the tonality of the chord and gives it a strong foundation.
  • Double the fifth
    • The fifth note of a chord can also be doubled. This can help to add brightness and clarity to the chord.
  • Avoid doubling the third
    • The third note of a chord should generally be avoided when doubling. This is because it can create dissonance and clash with other notes in the chord.
  • Use common sense
    • While these rules provide a good starting point, it's important to use your ears and common sense when doubling notes. If a particular doubling sounds good to you, go with it!
  • Consider the instrumentation
    • Different instruments have different tonal qualities and strengths. When doubling notes, consider which instruments will work best together to create the desired sound.

Voice Leading Rules: Intervals between the Voices

  • Avoid parallel perfect intervals (unison, octave, fifth, fourth) between any two voices.
  • Avoid parallel diminished and augmented intervals between any two voices.
  • Avoid direct fifths and octaves between any two voices.
  • Avoid voice crossing, where a lower voice moves above a higher voice.
  • Avoid large leaps between any two voices.

Voice Leading Rules: Spacing between the Voices

  • Keep the voices within a comfortable range for the singers or instruments.
  • Avoid overlapping of voices, where one voice covers up another.
  • Avoid large gaps between any two voices.
  • Keep the voices balanced, with no one voice dominating the others.
  • Use spacing to create a sense of tension or release in the music.

Harmonic Progression, Functional Harmony, and Cadences

Harmonic Progression

  • Harmonic progression - A series of chords played in a specific order
  • Each chord is related to the key of the piece
  • Progressions can be simple or complex
  • Common progressions include I-IV-V and ii-V-I

Harmonic Rhythm

  • Harmonic rhythm - The rate at which chords change in a piece of music
  • Can be fast or slow
  • A fast harmonic rhythm creates a sense of tension and excitement
  • A slow harmonic rhythm creates a sense of calm and stability
  • Can be used to create contrast within a piece of music

Cadences

  • Cadence - The harmonic, melodic, and rhythmic conclusion to a phrase. It helps to establish the tonal center.
    • They end with only three chords: I (i), vi (VI), or V (v).
  • Authentic cadence - The most common phrase-ending chord progression that uses the dominant chord to set up the tension and the tonic for the release.
    • Perfect Authentic (PAC) - Concluding cadence that requires both dominant and tonic chords to be in root position.
    • Authentic refers to the harmonic process of V-I.
    • The tonic chord must double the root of the chord in the soprano.
    • Imperfect Authentic (IAC) - Weaker authentic cadence that has either chord inverted, or has a chord member other than the root in the soprano of the tonic chord.
  • Plagal Cadence (PC) - Weaker progression using the subdominant to tonic to provide the resting point.
    • Often called ā€œAmen cadenceā€.
  • Deceptive cadence (DC) - Ending progression where the dominant chord is unexpectedly resolved to the submediant instead of the tonic.
  • Half Cadence (HC) - Unresolved tension used especially in the middle of a melody.
    • Ends on the dominant.
    • Phrygian Half Cadence (PHC) - Occurs in a harmonic minor. The dominant chord is preceded by the minor subdominant in first inversion and the descending bass line is approached from above by a half step.

The Chordal Seventh

  • Chordal seventh - A seventh note added to a chord, creating a four-note chord.
    • It is also known as the seventh chord.
  • The chordal seventh can be added to any chord, including major, minor, diminished, and augmented chords.
  • The chordal seventh is usually written as a superscript "7" after the chord symbol.

Voice Leading with Chordal Seventh

  • Voice leading - The art of moving from one chord to another in a smooth and melodic way.
  • The chordal seventh should resolve in a melodic way, usually by moving down a half step to the third of the next chord.
  • The other notes in the chord should also move in a smooth and logical way, avoiding large leaps or awkward voice leading.

Tips to Write the Voice Leading FRQs

  • Start with a clear understanding of the chord progression and the key.
  • Use common chord progressions and cadences to create a sense of familiarity and structure.
  • Pay attention to the melody and ensure that it flows smoothly from one chord to the next.
  • Use chordal sevenths to add interest and complexity to the harmony, but be careful not to overuse them or create awkward voice leading.

Voice Leading with Seventh Chords

  • The seventh note should resolve in a melodic way, usually by moving down a half step to the third of the next chord.
  • The other notes in the chord should also move in a smooth and logical way, avoiding large leaps or awkward voice leading.
  • Seventh chords can be used to create tension and release, adding interest and complexity to the harmony.