AP Music Theory Unit 4 Harmony and Voice Leading I

Unit Four: Harmony and Voice Leading I: Chord Function, Cadence, and Phrase Lesson One: Soprano - Bass Counterpoint: ● bass 6 5 1: conclusive ● bass 4 5 1: conclusive ● bass 2 5 1: conclusive ● bass 1 5 1: conclusive ● bass 1 7 1: semi conclusive ● bass 6 7 1: semi conclusive ● bass 5 7 1: semi conclusive ● bass 1 5: inconclusive ● bass 4 5: inconclusive ● bass 6 5: inconclusive ● soprano 3 2 1: conclusive ● soprano 2 7 1: conclusive ● soprano 6 7 1: conclusive ● soprano 2 2 1: conclusive ● soprano 5 4 3: semi conclusive ● soprano 2 3: semi conclusive ● soprano 6 5: inconclusive ● soprano 4 3 2: inconclusive ● soprano 2 1 7: inconclusive Lesson Two: SATB Voice Leading ● Voice crossing: one voice goes above/ below voice that is above/ below it ● Voice overlapping: one voice exceeds range of previous upper voice note ● Space limitations: distance between adjacent voices (bass/tenor- no more than 12th & upper 3 voices- no more than an octave) ● Parallel octaves/ fifths: an octave/fifth between 2 voices moving in parallel motion ● Direct octaves/ fifths: motion to create 8ve/5ths by similar motion (only soprano/bass) by skip ● Hidden octaves/fifths: both voices move similar motion to 8ve/5ths (soprano by step/ bass by skip) ● Unequal 5ths: dim 5th--> P5 ● Restricted doubling: leading tone and chordal seventh ● Chord factor that can be omitted in root position triads/7ths: 5th ● Chord factor that can be omitted in inverted triads/7ths: nothing ● Roots that lie P4/P5 apart: Keep common tone, move remaining two upper voices stepwise to chord tones of next triad; ROOT DOUBLED & If cannot keep common tone, (usually when soprano descends from 2-1) move all 3 upper voices in similar motion to nearest chord tone; ROOT DOUBLED ● Roots that lie a 3rd apart: Keep both common tones and move the remaining upper voices stepwise; ROOT DOUBLED ● Roots that lie a 2nd apart: Move upper voices in contrary motion to bass; ROOT DOUBLED Exception: V to vi(VI), double 3rd of the vi(VI) chord; only two upper voices with move opposite of bass ● Roots that are the same & Maintain proper doubling (bass), keep voices in usual order ● First inversion triads: Double the soprano (if that's not possible, double bass) ● Diminished 6th in first inversion exception: Double the 3rd or 5th, move all voices with stepwise movement ● Diminished 2nd in first inversion exception: double the 3rd or the root ● Second inversion triads: ALWAYS double the 5th (bass note), depart all other voices by smoothest motion ● Cadential 6/4: I6/4 to V , triad precedes a V; I6/4 is on strong beat ● Passing Bass 6/4: Using second inversion V to make the bass line move by step smoothly; on passing 6/4 on weak beats ● Arpeggiated Bass 6/4 : bass voice arpeggiated through triad ending on second inversion; on strong or weak beats ● Pedal Bass 6/4: eliminating bass line, bass stays the same, upper voices move to neighboring chord; I IV6/4 I or V I6/4 V; on weak beats ● Errors: Parallel 5ths/8ves & Fifths and octaves by contrary motion & Unequal 5ths (d5--> P5) & Hidden fifths and octaves & Direct fifths and octaves & Voice crossing/ overlapping & Chordal 7th MUST resolve down by step and approach by step & Leading tone in outer voice MUST resolve to tonic & No melodic skips larger than 5ths, A2, or tritones, Doubling requirements: No doubling leading tone, No doubling chordal 7th, Second inversion triads MUST double bass, Final I(i) chord may triple root or omit 5th ● Chord Completion and Spacing rules: Root position triads and 7th chords can omit 5th only, Inverted triads and 7th chords- all factors must be present, SAT can be no more than an octave from an adjacent voice (bass exception), Voices must be written in acceptable part range. Lesson Three: Harmonic Progression, Functional Harmony, + and Cadences ● A cadence is any place in a piece of music that has the feel of an ending. This can be either a strong, definite stopping point – the end of the piece, for example, or of a movement, or section – but it also refers to the “temporary-resting-place” pauses that come at the ends of individual phrases. ● A piece of music can come to an end by simply stopping, of course, but when it does that, most listeners will react with dissatisfaction: the music simply “stopped” instead of “ending” properly. A more satisfying ending is usually provided by giving clues in the music (in the progression of chords, for example, or the number and length of the phrases) that signal to the listener that the end is coming up. ● The most fundamental “rule” of the major-minor harmony system is that music ends on the tonic. A tonal piece of music will almost certainly end on the tonic, although individual phrases or sections may end on a different chord (the dominant is a popular choice). But again, you cannot just throw in a tonic chord and expect it to sound like an ending; the music must “lead up to” the ending and make it feel inevitable. ● The term cadence, in tonal music, usually refers to the ending chord plus the chord or two immediately before it that led up to it. ● In the major/minor tradition, the melody will normally end on some note of the tonic chord triad, and a melody ending on the tonic will give a stronger (more final-sounding) cadence than one ending on the third or fifth of the chord. ● Changes in the rhythm, a break or pause in the rhythm, or a slowing of or pause in the harmonic rhythm are also often found at a cadence. ● Changes in the texture of the music also often accompany a cadence. ● Regularly spaced cadences can be expected in a piece as well such as every eight bars. Lesson Four: Voice Leading with Seventh Chords ● There is one general rule for voice leading any seventh chord: resolve the 7th of the chord down by step. All other voices should move smoothly to the nearest chord tone in a voicing containing the appropriate doubling. Lesson Five: Voice Leading with Seventh Chords in Inversions ● Sometimes you will encounter a situation where there are successive seventh chords. This is especially the case in circle of fifth progressions. When voice leading a circle of fifths progression with root position seventh chords in four parts (SATB), alternate between incomplete seventh chords (without the fifth of the chord) and complete seventh chords ● If you are asked to voice lead a circle of fifths progression involving inverted seventh chords, always resolve the seventh of each chord down step by step and move the other voices smoothly. You will see the following pattern: two voices will remain on common tones (shown with ties) while the other two voices resolve downward by step.