Questions tagged [harmony]
For questions about the "vertical" aspects of music and how to build and study them.
846
questions
2
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1answer
71 views
What is the harmonic function of this?
What is the harmonic function of the boxed beat in the fourth measure?
4
votes
6answers
964 views
How to make a plagal cadence sound convincing as an ending?
I am nearing the end of composing the first movement of my suite. And I plan to end the movement using a plagal cadence. But I know that a plagal cadence can be hard to make sound convincing. I mean ...
4
votes
1answer
185 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 ...
8
votes
5answers
2k views
What is the technical explanation of the note “A♭” in a F7 chord in the key of C?
I am practicing some blues bass lines and there is a chord progression of
C7 | F7 | C7. The notes played during the F7 chord are (the bass plays one per beat): F A A♭ D, followed by the notes G ...
0
votes
1answer
86 views
How do I harmonize my bass, melody, drum line, and chord progression all together? [closed]
I'm aspiring to be a pop music producer. When I create a catchy melody, I then attempted to add a bass line that was also catchy. Unfortunately, they didn't sound well together. And I know if I were ...
0
votes
0answers
70 views
(Conflict) Kostka/Payne Cadence Chart vs. Authentic Cadence in Natural Minor [duplicate]
According to Is this generic cadence chart from Kostka/Payne generally accepted?,
However, the authentic cadence in natural minor, which is v-i, does not meet the definition by Kostka/Payne here. ...
1
vote
1answer
73 views
Analysing harmony in music [closed]
I've read books like Theory of Harmony, Tonal Harmony, The Complete Musician, and just started reading structural functions of harmony. But I still find myself confused on those weird out-of-key ...
0
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0answers
59 views
Variant Cadences
I've gone through many unusual cadences so far - conclusive cadences that are not V-I, V-i, v-i (rare), viio-I, #viio-i, IV-I, or iv-i, and progressive cadences that are not V, v (rare), V-vi, V-VI, ...
4
votes
2answers
56 views
Use of sharps and flats when writing altered notes to chords in key
A quick question about the conventions of writing music. I have a song I am working on where I am going from a G major to a F#-b9. The song is in G major for most of it before going into a middle ...
3
votes
2answers
185 views
I wrote two alternate fugue expositions for one subject does either follow good harmonic conventions?
The fugue subject comes from a placement test example for the Peabody Institute...
First exposition...
Audio
Second exposition...
Audio
My question are about the interplay of harmony and ...
2
votes
1answer
407 views
♭VII-I Cadence, ♭III-I Cadence: Name?
I've gone through a bunch of ♭VII-I and ♭III-I cadences in rock music. In C major, they are B♭-C and E♭-C.
Is there a specific name for the two cadences? So far, I've been calling them authentic ...
2
votes
6answers
255 views
Is a bass line the same as a bass progression?
In alot of songs there's a chord progression. Say we have a 4 chord progression. Each chord can correspond to a note the bass plays. So now the bass is playing a 4 note progression. Is that called a ...
1
vote
0answers
34 views
Aural mnemonics: can we compile a list? [duplicate]
When I do ear training, I like to use mnemonics, in the form of a short snippet from a well-known song, to help me memorize certain aural patterns. I can share some of the ones I have so far, but I ...
4
votes
3answers
121 views
Is “stock progression” the common way to write about a set chord progression?
Moreover, would "stock progression" refer to a standard chord progression, say, I – VI – IV – V for a doo-wop song, or does it refer to a set form to write the harmony for a tune, adhering to the ...
1
vote
1answer
107 views
So how can you tell if music is good or not? How can you compare between two pieces of music? [closed]
So if we talk musically in terms of harmony and melody (apart from lyrics) how can you tell if music is bad or good when all music are just different chord progressions and different melodies?
If you ...
1
vote
2answers
58 views
Where is F7 in Elevation of Love by E.S.T. coming from?
I was looking at their official songbook. The key of the song is C minor. The progression goes Ab∆ (VI) C-7(I) Fsus4 (IV major???) F7 (IV dominant??) Ab∆.
The F in C minor is F-7, and F7 is neither ...
21
votes
5answers
2k views
Is there any set of 2-6 notes that doesn't have a chord name?
Is there any combination of up to six notes in the chromatic scale that could not be classified and named as a chord? Can anyone give me an example and explanation if so?
1
vote
0answers
86 views
Naming this chord? [closed]
The given image has a chord written (with the Treble clef above and the Bass clef under). The root of the chord is in the bass voice.
May not have the 5th of the chord in this.
Please help me ...
-1
votes
1answer
62 views
Ger.6-I cadence - Name?
I was looking at some Romantic era works, and I have found an unusual cadence of:
Is there a name for this cadence? I'm tempted to say it is a variant plagal cadence - A plagal cadence is ...
3
votes
2answers
108 views
A question regarding SATB (4 part) harmonization
I'm working through examples in my Harmony 9 book from the RCM Celebration series and I stumbled across a SATB harmony question that I am unsure of.
the red is what is given, you have to choose the ...
-2
votes
2answers
567 views
♭II6-I Cadence: Plagal or Authentic?
Chopin's Etude No. 16 in A minor, Op. 25 No. 4, ends with a cadence like this:
B♭/D - A
In Roman numerals, we write as:
♭II6 - I
Is this cadence viewed as Plagal (N6 - I), or Authentic (tt - ...
-4
votes
2answers
75 views
Why can't cadences like V-I or IV-I be viewed modally?
My previous revision of http://music.stackexchange.com/questions/42552/cadences-for-modes/81464#81464 looked like this:
Ionian: V - I
Dorian: IV - i or V(no3) - i
Phrygian: II - i or V(no5 ...
0
votes
0answers
53 views
Using the primary dominant as a secondary dominant to the same tonic?
This came up when a user on Musescore by the name of Tortualex gave me suggestions for my C minor piano sonata after I told him that I wanted to be innovative with it like how Beethoven was more than ...
9
votes
2answers
151 views
Is parallel modulation a thing?
I have heard that going in between 2 parallel keys is just modal interchange and not a modulation because the tonic note is the same. Maybe if the change in key is short and only to add color to a ...
0
votes
1answer
110 views
How do you construct triad superimpositions in the style of Steve Khan? [closed]
Steve Khan had a theory of triad superimposition and substitution he called Contemporary Chord Khancepts. How do you construct triad superimpositions in the style of Steve Khan?
1
vote
1answer
168 views
What is Pat Martino's Diminished Concept? [closed]
Is the basic principle of Pat Martino's Diminished Concept for chord construction anything more than simply altering diminished chords?
3
votes
2answers
152 views
Why is the minor 7th chord so consonant? [closed]
I find that the most consonant 7th chord in all of music is the minor 7th. But why is this? Well here is how I rank the common 7th chords from most dissonant to least dissonant(theoretically there are ...
8
votes
3answers
437 views
Interval of parallel 5ths in the resolution of a German 6th chord
In a music theory workbook, there was an example of a German 6th chord, which resolves to chord V. However, there is an interval of parallel 5ths in this (A♭ & E♭ going to G & D).
How are ...
7
votes
3answers
698 views
Writing an augmented sixth chord on the flattened supertonic
I have recently learnt about Augmented 6th chords. The examples in a music theory workbook had this chord written on the flattened submediant (6th degree of the scale). There was a small note in the ...
-2
votes
1answer
75 views
Is it even possible to to add voices to this 2-part harmony
Soprano: C-B-A-A-G (descending)
Bass: A-B-C (ascending), then down to D and up to G.
Can you even add tenor and alto without breaking the rules of harmony? It seems like it is impossible.
So what ...
2
votes
1answer
82 views
Rising Fourth/Descending Fifth bass movement in inversions
I understand that the sense of resolution is strongest with the root movement of a rising fourth/descending fifth. However, is the important thing that the chords be a fourth/fifth apart (i.e. Cmaj - ...
3
votes
1answer
70 views
Why does the first diminished 7th in this progression not resolve?
So, I wrote this pastoral piece and it sounds good to me. One thing I am curious about though is why the first diminished 7th here builds up tension and more specifically why the restatement of C ...
2
votes
2answers
76 views
What chords would harmonize well on slow blues progression? [closed]
I wrote this blues song with this chord progression:
High Cminor-Fmajor-HighCminor-Gmajor-Fmajor...back to High Cminor.
What chords would harmonize well on slow blues progression?
1
vote
1answer
50 views
Rising the song's key one semitone in the reexposition
I have frequently heard in pop music to use the technique described above: to start a song with a melody in a certain key and, after a while, to play again that melody raising the key one semitone.
...
0
votes
2answers
270 views
How to use solfège for chords?
I'm just wondering how one would use solfège for chords/harmony. For example to sing C major does one say "do mi so"? If so wouldn't that in practice mean that one would have to say alot of words when ...
3
votes
2answers
90 views
Are these upper voices in this final passage from Handel a bona fide F7 chord or some kind of non-chord tones?
Handel. Preludes, Air, and Lesson...
http://hz.imslp.info/files/imglnks/usimg/e/e8/IMSLP12246-Handel_-_Preludes,Air%26_Lesson.pdf
EDIT
I was complete off the mark with this. The only excuse I can ...
6
votes
5answers
452 views
How to make the Bass in SATB move more smoothly?
While writing for SATB, I realise I have a few chords where the Bass part is moving down in intervals of 6ths or 7ths from one chord to the next. For example, I have a chord progression iib in F ...
4
votes
3answers
314 views
What is a Bm chord with a G in it?
I am writing a song with G > Bm > Em as the main chord progression but I found a lot of nice fingerings on the guitar for the Bm chord with an added G in it. Does this make the chord a B minor 6 ...
7
votes
1answer
153 views
False modulation for doxology in a modal key
I am barely an organist, but occasionally cover for the real organist at my church. The next time I am doing this is three weeks from now, and because I'm a novice, I already have the hymns for that ...
4
votes
1answer
196 views
Chromatic 7th chords going upwards in Beethoven
This is about how the harmony is working in Rondo a Capriccio by Beethoven. Here is the passage I am talking about:
So starting at measure 291, there is a passage where 7th chords go up chromatically,...
3
votes
3answers
128 views
Is there a rule in SATB writing regarding the Soprano & Bass moving in contrary motion?
While writing a melody over a bass line, it is generally advised to have the melody & the bass line moving in contrary motion to each other. I want to know if such a rule also exists when you ...
5
votes
3answers
464 views
Maximum interval between Alto & Tenor, & intervals when writing for SATB
What is the maximum interval permitted between the Alto & Tenor when writing for SATB? I have read it should not be more than a 10th, whereas another source said it should not be more than an 8th. ...
2
votes
0answers
173 views
What is the best book on Jazz Harmony? [closed]
I would like suggestions for good books on Jazz Harmony that are easy to understand, thorough and have readily applicable principles for compositions. Thanks.
1
vote
3answers
48 views
How can one use theory/harmony in order to learn BWV anh 114?
How can one use theory/harmony in order to learn BWV anh 114?
I am only talking about theory/harmony in order to be able to play and memorize this piece.
0
votes
1answer
118 views
Modulation or passing through different keys in the following Bach chorale [closed]
This is Bach's chorale R.80. I want to know if the music has modulated to a particular key in certain, or is it only passing through different keys (and hence not a fixed modulation to only one key)?
1
vote
3answers
173 views
Is the ♭VII chord still a dominant chord in the natural minor scale? [duplicate]
If I have the progression Cm > Ab > Bb > Cm from the C natural minor scale, does the Bb chord still work as a dominant chord as it would in Eb major? I know that in the minor scale, ...
4
votes
4answers
981 views
Modulation from major key to relative minor - what could be the pivot chord?
I want to modulate from D major to B minor. I have a perfect cadence (A7 - D) in D major, after which I need to use a pivot chord to go into B minor. I was thinking of using the F# chord, but I am not ...
1
vote
2answers
83 views
Using passing notes in SATB writing
When writing for SATB, which is the best voice in which you can use passing notes & auxiliary notes? Also, in a music exam where the Soprano part is given to you (and you have to harmonise the ...
11
votes
9answers
3k views
Using chord iii in a chord progression (major key)
I haven't come across music as yet where chord iii is used in a chord progression. I read somewhere that generally chord iii is not used, or very rarely used. Is this correct?
If chord iii is used, ...
3
votes
2answers
63 views
Chords between i and an augmented-sixth chord [closed]
I am wondering about chords that can go between i and different augmented-sixth chords. Are there any resources on this? I've googled and searched past questions and didn't find anything...
edit: in ...
