Chords in Context I

Supertonic Seventh

ii⁷ in Major Keys

• Quality is minor seventh - minor triad with a minor seventh function is pre-dominant - typically goes to V

• Chord seventh resolves down by step often found in first inversion

  • same bass note as IV

    

ii^o7 in minor Keys

• quality is half-diminished seventh typically goes to V

  • diminished triad with a minor seventh is pre-dominant

• chord seventh resolved down by step often found in first inversion

  • same bass note as iv

Supertonic Triad

• minor triad in major keys

• diminished triad in minor keys

  • functions as pre-dominant

  • often used in first inversion

  • “never” found in second inversion

Leading-Tone Triad

• quality is diminished in both major and minor keys

• leading tone (root) must be raised in minor

• typically moves to tonic

• the triad can be heard as a V⁷ without its root

• usually found in first inversion (vii^o6)

Leading-Tone Seventh

Part writing

• chord seventh resolves down

• chord root (leading tone) resolves up

• all voices should move by step

• irregular doubling of tonic chord is OK

minor keys vii^o7

• quality is fully diminished - diminished triad with seventh (all minor 3rds)

  • don’t worry about parallel 5th when resolving

major keys vii^o7

• quality is half-diminished seventh

  • diminished triad with minor seventh (m3,m3, M3)

half-diminished can produce parralell 5ths when resolving to I, any of these options will avoid these:

• resolve vii^o6/5 to I⁶ (cannot move to root position I)

• voice the chord as fourths (3rd above 7th)

• borrow vii^o7 from parallel minor (lower la to le)

Practice

• find the leading tone of the key and spell indicated chord from that root note

  • be sure to distinguish o7 VS o7

  • o7 = all minor 3rds

  • o7 = mmm

  • o do not exist

  • for vii^o triad, double chords 3rd

• raise the LT when in minor keys

• lower the chord seventh for fully diminished in major keys

• move all voices by step when resolving to I or i

• resolve chord root up and chord seventh down