Questions tagged [functional-harmony]
For questions to related to the accepted uses of harmonic progression within the common-practice period. Questions may also necessitate the chord-progressions tag.
15
questions
3
votes
1
answer
187
views
A chord progression from Leavitt: how to analyze the diminished chord
The question below is referred to W. Leavitt - Getting up there (duet), Vol. 2
The piece is in key of C. In the last system, upper staff, we have the following chord progression:
C A-6 A-7 F Gdim ...
- 541
3
votes
3
answers
2k
views
What is the functional role of the subtonic chord?
In this chart
the subtonic major chord can come before the mediant and submedian chords. Does this imply that it has a tonic functionality? If so that seems counter-intuitive; it seems to share more ...
- 291
10
votes
6
answers
5k
views
Definition of Functional Harmony
In a recent conversation I had, there was a disagreement regarding the definition of Functional Harmony. As I've understood it, Functional Harmony would be defined by chords having a function and is ...
- 7,409
7
votes
4
answers
2k
views
How to recognize harmonic intervals?
I've been doing some ear training, I'm quite at ease when recognizing melodic intervals, whether they are ascending or descending intervals, yet when it comes to harmonic intervals, I don't know how ...
- 461
6
votes
2
answers
947
views
Diminished chord constructed over the tonic degree?
I have heard in certain songs the usage of a diminished chord in a major tonality which I think is not constructed over the seventh degree nor over the second degree.
Moreover, in the two examples ...
- 760
5
votes
3
answers
538
views
Understanding function of diminished chord in Paganini's 4th caprice
I'm trying to understand this simple progression in the middle of Paganini's 4th caprice.
This seems like I-?-I-V7-I in Eb major, but I am unable to figure out what the function of the second chord is....
- 635
4
votes
6
answers
568
views
How to choose between Cdim and C#dim?
I have noticed that there is a common chord progression that exists in a few variants: C, C#dim, Dm, G7. It's often changed by changing Dm to D to give the progression a little bit more spark. However,...
- 1,418
7
votes
3
answers
5k
views
Can the leading note resolve down?
Would like to ask if the leading tone in chord V (G) could resolve downwards to Eb (fifth of chord I)?
I’ve somehow recall reading that the rule (leading note MUST resolve to tonic) only applies to ...
- 71
7
votes
5
answers
4k
views
What does "function" actually mean in music?
I remember when the term function was introduced in math - y=f(x) - the teacher was a substitution and still himself a student. He used the term function as if we already knew of what he was talking ...
- 25.5k
6
votes
5
answers
2k
views
Trouble reading roman numeral notation with flats
I am working my way through an article on transformations in rock harmony, but I am getting stuck trying to read the author's roman numeral analysis. I would really appreciate some help understanding ...
- 1,148
5
votes
5
answers
622
views
Bach prelude in C major: unresolved suspension?
I know that in the common practice style, even in free composition where guidelines don't apply strictly, a dissonant suspension must resolve. In the WTC 1 prelude in C major, bar 20 is a C dominant ...
- 1,597
5
votes
1
answer
167
views
What did Schoenberg mean with this?
A couple of years ago I decided to formalize my harmony studies (I'm a mathematician) by reading Schoenberg's book Theory of Harmony, however I left it since it felt a little too difficult for my ...
- 223
4
votes
6
answers
663
views
flattened-seventh chord function [duplicate]
I this post, I received some information on the usage of a flattened-seventh chord in progressions, which, along with the flattened-third, seem to be popular choices in the rock world to add flavor.
...
- 1,148
2
votes
1
answer
176
views
What's going on functionally/structurally in these four bars of Rachmaninoff's 3rd piano concerto?
From Rachmaninoff's 3rd piano concerto 1st movement 2nd subject:
I've been trying to understand what's going on structurally in this passage but I'm having trouble figuring out what's going on. In ...
- 263
1
vote
2
answers
265
views
How to fill the harmonic gap?
So I have thought of almost the entire progression for my trio that goes from D minor to D major. Here is what I have of it so far:
D minor -> C major -> B minor -> ??? -> A major -> D major
And ...
- 6,286