Questions tagged [harmony]
For questions about the "vertical" aspects of music and how to build and study them.
1,076
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How to think about this moment from BWV 816
I've been tasked by a textbook I'm going through to make a harmonic analysis of the G major "Gavotte" from BWV816, "The French Suite" specifically minding a handful of questions ...
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2answers
107 views
Allowed hidden parallel octaves [duplicate]
I have read that hidden direct octaves between two voices are not always forbidden, but that there are some circumstances in which they are acceptable. As I have understood it, the following general ...
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2answers
910 views
Voice leading: is it allowed to move from a perfect fifth to an augmented fourth?
I understand that it is allowed to move from a perfect fifth to a perfect fourth, even if it is not the most preferable solution. However, would it be valid to move from a perfect fifth to an ...
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3answers
147 views
What is this lead-sheet chord?
So, I have recently been studying for a theory test (blecch!), and as part of that I have been learning lead sheet notation.
In one of the review questions I have come across this chord which I can't ...
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5answers
141 views
What to learn in order to choose chords for a song? [closed]
I am trying to learn piano by myself and have been studying a little bit of music theory. But I still haven't faced anything concerning how to create chord progressions and how to choose chords for a ...
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2answers
143 views
Why the flat roman numerals in minor when they aren't needed?
This is one thing that has always bothered me, why are VI and bVI 2 different chords in major but the same chord in minor? That makes no sense to me. I mean it does but it also doesn't. If you view ...
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1answer
142 views
I-IV9b7-bVII-bIII-bVI-bII-I: what is this final-cadence called?
I remember this “cadence“ on the final melody note: a trombone solo Speak, my Lord arranged by Eric Leidzen.
Instead of remaining on the tonic or a plagal cadence he is passing from Bb to F7 Eb9 Ab7 ...
2
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1answer
81 views
What does “non-conformant” harmonization mean?
In context with this question:
Take 6: What chords are making this style so jazzy?
I came across the term non-conformant harmonization:
Non-Conformant Harmonization: The Real Book in the Style of ...
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0answers
56 views
How to understand a fixed note instrument [closed]
I play a kora, which has a fixed set of notes. I am playing traditional and non-traditional music on it. For the traditional music there is a specific didactic approach I am following.
For the non-...
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3answers
233 views
Take 6: What chords are making this style so jazzy?
Unfortunately this question has been closed as off-topic:
What is this Chord Progression
But the arrangements from Take 6 sound very special and interesting to me: I couldn’t identify at “first sight” ...
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1answer
70 views
Can someone talk me through the music theory behind Overwhelmed by Royal and the Serpent [closed]
Interested to hear the theory breakdown for the whole song - but specifically the theory behind the chorus harmonies (
@ 0:42)
I am trying to develop my music theory ...
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1answer
150 views
How do you figure an accented passing note in the bass?
How do you figure an accented passing note in the bass, specifically when the harmony changes?
If you have non-chord tones in the bass following a figuring, it's easy to show the same harmony ...
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3answers
148 views
How does this Bdim7 resolve to F/C?
( The song, the score I posted starts at 2:39 )
At the 4th measure, Bdim7 appears. It resolves to F/C. But I can't understand how this works.
Can someone explain what is going on ?
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3answers
358 views
Why does the relation between E major and Ab major feel especially connected?
I find that whenever I improvise in E major, I naturally move back and forth between E major and Ab major key areas. It's like E major and Ab major feel especially connected in a way that say Bb major ...
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2answers
63 views
What is it called when the vocal parts move to the harmony above
What is it called when there's 3 part harmony, and each part goes to the part above them(the highest part goes to the octave above the lowest part)? For example, in this video: at 1:16, the highest ...
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2answers
144 views
How do I describe this chord (A in bass with F# upper structure triad)?
I'm trying to expand my harmony (past the 7ths/9ths/sus4 which have served me fine for pop), and I constructed something funky. I never really got into chord vocab, so I don't know how to describe it ...
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2answers
72 views
(REVISED): Roman Numeral Analysis of Fuchs- 'Mother Tells a Story'
On the back of seeing the score, I have filled in the missing harmony. I am still stuck on the harmonic analysis in a few areas. The Roman numerals I have put in thus far are all relative to G major, ...
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Harmonic analysis of Fuchs: 'Mother tells a Story'- Any ideas?
I'm on the final practice keyboard question in the grade 8 workbook and it seems to be considerably more difficult than the others.
We seem to start in G major, quickly moving to chord half dim vii- (...
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3answers
237 views
Can I use two minor scales in the same song? [duplicate]
I've been composing a song, using the chord progression Am - G#° - Dm7/A - E (i - VII - iv - V), that is using the Harmonic minor scale.
The song has some melodies, that appear in different parts. The ...
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2answers
68 views
Why do many musical pieces transition between relative major and minor scales?
I understand that they have the same notes so they "sound related".
Another factor that might be at play: perhaps it makes the life of the performer easier, not having to adjust back and ...
2
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3answers
126 views
What is this pentatonic scale called?
I have been enjoying a wonderful scale recently, but I am unable to find its ‘proper name’ anywhere.
It’s essentially a minor pentatonic with a major 3rd in place of the 4th
1 - b3 - 3 - 5 - b7
e.g. C ...
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3answers
132 views
Is this a harmonic sequence?
Currently working on this keyboard piece, came across something that I think looks like a harmonic sequence.
We are newly in D minor, and the bars in question are labelled 1 and 2 (squint and you'll ...
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2answers
142 views
Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor, Op. 57 (Appasionata): harmony of the 2nd movement
I'm trying to identify the harmony used in the main theme of Beethoven's Appassionata's second movement, and I would like someone to review the analysis I have done, and help me identify a couple of ...
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1answer
92 views
Roman numeral analysis of exam practice exercise: “Polish Song” by Hiller
The piece in question is 'Polish Song' by Hiller. I have labelled the bars from 1 to 11.
The piece is in A minor, and we seem to have A minor leading to V7 in the opening measures (I'm putting the C ...
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2answers
75 views
Is this an example of III7 augmented chord?
I seem to have come across a III7 chord in A harmonic minor, and I'm not quite sure about its function.
I initially thought it might have been V7, but there is a leap of a third between the C and E in ...
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1answer
57 views
Is this a deceptive cadence?
i was wondering if someone could clear up whether this is some sort of deceptive cadence or not.
We are recently back to Bflat Major. The very last beat of the previous bar is F7 (labelled here ...
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2answers
370 views
Esus4 in the key of C. How can I use it?
Recently I've discovered that Esus4 chord can be built by using notes from C major scale (Esus4 notes: E-A-B - no 'sharps' or 'flats'). But I don't know how can I use the chord in the keys of C or Am
...
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4answers
115 views
Is this a Neapolitan 6?
I have a couple of questions regarding this passage. Have labelled the bars in question ''1'', ''2'' and ''3''. The stave in question is second from bottom (directly above ''N6??'').
We are in G minor,...
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2answers
81 views
Have I successfully/legitimately modulated?
Hi guys! Just wondering if I've done this properly.
We are newly in Csharp minor from the relative major E major, and we need to finish in the home key- F sharp minor. As it stands, I have written the ...
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0answers
264 views
Jacob Collier “Hideaway” Analysis
can Someone please analyse/explain the chordal part of the lyrics
"Even when I close my eyes ,Darling i'll.... "
in the song 'Hideaway' by Jacob Collier's ?? The chords are as folllows:
...
2
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1answer
134 views
Why harmonize major scale with sus chords?
I've started reading Mark Levine's The Jazz Theory Book, and I have a couple questions about how he harmonizes the major scale. (Let's not even get started on the melodic minor!)
First, I'm confused ...
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2answers
91 views
How to construct functions and chords of a scale?
For example
I ii iii IV V vi vii
____________________________________________________
Cmaj Dmin Emin Fmaj Gmaj Amin Bdim
...
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2answers
129 views
Who knows whats happening in this score?
Ran into some confusion when trying to work out the harmony of this keyboard piece, I have labelled the problem bars, '3, 4 and 5'.
In the second half of this piece, we seem to rolling through the ...
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1answer
39 views
Is this some sort of suspension? If so, how do I write it in?
Hi guys,
We are in F sharp minor. There is a G sharp being held over V7 (Csharp7), the second inversion tonic chord (Fsharp minor), and then the ii7 chord that follows. The G sharp is a chord tone of ...
0
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1answer
56 views
What key is this in? [closed]
I'm new in the forum. I have lots of unasked questions about music theory because I'm a self taught musician with no formal training, so I have a lot of confusion between concepts like, for example, ...
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1answer
83 views
Ear training - Did I correctly transcribe this harmony? [closed]
(Not exactly sure this belongs here, but I wish there was a Code Review stack exchange site for music ..)
I'm training my ear at recognizing and transcribing vocal harmonies (because I like to analyze ...
2
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1answer
63 views
Which modulation is correct? (amongst other things!)
Hi guys. I’ll try and be as concise as possible. Forgive the messy score, its just a product of the confusion! I have a few query areas, but please feel free to correct me in any other areas.
Bar 1-...
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2answers
86 views
What is “Four Part” Harmony?
Can someone explain “four part” harmony and its difference or/and its relation to regular harmony? I’ve been searching the internet and can’t find any information that clearly answers my question ...
2
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1answer
219 views
Can you solve these figured bass queries?
Hi guys- I'll try and keep it brief. Working through a figured bass workbook and came across a couple of points of confusion.
In bar 5, we seem to have just modulated to G minor, as shown by the A ...
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2answers
140 views
Can the harmony change at the resolution of a suspension?
I came across a 7-5 suspension for the first time today- as seen in the image. This is the first time I have come across a suspension which has a change of bass (that isn't an octave leap or fall) at ...
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2answers
327 views
What is the relationship between the chords in the bridge of Frank Ocean's Sweet Life?
The chords in the bridge to Frank Ocean's Sweet Life are:
||: C#maj9 | C#m7 | Bmaj7 | A#m7 :||
Here's a link to a tutorial of the song that shows the chords:
And a ...
2
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1answer
102 views
Voice-leading issue - Can you split your chords across instruments?
is thi sa voice leading issue?
I'm running into issues when creating my harmony section for pop songs, I can create melodies, chord progressions, basslines and percussion but I'm running into issues ...
2
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5answers
856 views
Bass notes relation to harmony?
I posted a question some time ago asking for tips
And suggestions hearing chord progression. Many of the answers I received back told me to “listen to the bass note”. Anyone care to explain or ...
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1answer
119 views
How polytonal is Stravinsky's music?
Stravinsky is known to have used polytonality in some specific cases. Wikipedia, for instance, lists in its page of polytonal pieces:
Petrushka, opening fanfare
Symphony of Psalms, 3rd Movement
...
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4answers
383 views
Tone Clusters Explained?
Can someone elaborate on tone-clusters and what exactly makes a set of notes be considered a tone-cluster? How are they similar and how do they differ from chords? To the users that are thinking of ...
4
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3answers
414 views
is '4 minor' sub-dominant?
Of the 3 'functions' - Tonic / Sub-dominant / Dominant, which is '4 minor'?
Is '4 minor', like 4, sub-dominant, or is it dominant? (Obviously, it's not a 'proper' dominant - but then, neither is iii, ...
2
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3answers
133 views
Harmony third above
If your singing a third above the melody and the last note in a phrase is the highest note in the chord, e.g. chord is A and melody note is E, what should you sing as harmony?
3
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1answer
111 views
What is the best way to teach a friend to sing? (Improving hearing ability)
In the past, I thought that singing (I mean hearing the notes and being able to produce the same note) was given at birth and couldn't be improved. But in a year, a friend of mine improved himself so ...
0
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2answers
103 views
Triad improvisation, Key centers
Below is a paragraph that attempts to explain what happens when non-diatonic tones are introduced into a melody. I'm copying it word for word:
While the key signature does establish the rules we must ...
3
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6answers
279 views
How to make chords and melody work together to sound good?
I write melodies. Now, I am trying to put harmony to them. I learned the chord basics. Today, I have two questions to ask, hoping to get answers by your kindness.
I put a chord under every accented ...
