Procedures of Four-Part

Writing Chord Construction and

Voice-Leading
Soprano
Alto
Tenor
Bass

G 5 5
Soprano Alto Tenor Bass 5 '' '' 5
​

'
' 5 '' 5
 E 5 5 5 5 5 :5
G 5 5 5 5 55 5
5
5 5
​

E 5 5 55
55 5 5 5

55 %55
55 5

Notation Style
E5 5 5 5 5 :5
G 5 5 5 5 55 5
 5
5 5
​

E 5 5 55
55 5 5 5
55
55 5

%55

Soprano and alto in the treble clef

Notation Style
 E5 5 5 5 5 :5
G 5 5 5 5 55 5
5
5 5
​

E 5 5 55
55 5 5 5
55
55 5

%55

Soprano and alto in the treble clef

 Bass and tenor in the bass clef

Notation Style
E5 5 5 5 5 :5
G 5 5 5 5 55 5
5
5 5
​

E 5 5 55
55 5 5 5
55
55 5

%55
 Soprano and alto in the treble clef
Bass and tenor in the bass clef
Stems distinguish one voice from another

Notation Style
E5 5 5 5 5 :5
G 5 5 5 5 55 5
E 5 5 55
55 5 5 5
​ 5
5 5
 55
55 5

%55

Soprano and alto in the treble clef

Bass and tenor in the bass clef
Stems distinguish
one voice from another
Note the unison on the third beat
All else being equal, it’s best to double the root
However, any note of a chord may be doubled unless it is a
note which requires a specific resolution, such as:
The 7th of a seventh chord
The leading tone
Do not think of “double the root” as a hard-and-fast rule.
A progression can be vastly improved sometimes by
doubling notes other than the root.
In this first example, doubling the root of the first two chords results in a
parallel fifth (an illegal motion) being written between the two inner voices.

E B B B B '
G E B B B B'
​

E B B BB
E BB B B ''
In this revision, the third of each chord is doubled (between tenor and soprano in
the first chord, and between bass and tenor in the second chord) and solves the
problem.

E B B B B '
G E B B B B'
​

E B B B BB
EB B B ''
Chords are complete when they contain at least one instance
of each chord element (root, 3rd, 5th, etc.)
Chords are incomplete when one of those elements is
missing.
It is sometimes necessary to write incomplete chords to
avoid problems with voice-leading.
Do not write incomplete chords in inversions
Generally speaking double (or triple) the root and omit
the fifth of the chord
Never omit the 3rd of a chord!
Do not allow more than one octave between two adjacent
voices
Between bass and tenor the distance may be as much as two
octaves
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Open: a chord element could be placed between any two of
the upper three voices
Close: no chord elements could be placed between any of
the upper three voices
Identifying Close and Open
 '
G '
​
'
'
 '
G '
​
'
'

Open
Identifying Close and Open
 '
G '
​
'
'
 '
G '
​
'
'

Open
Identifying Close and Open
 '
G '
​
'
'
 '
G '
​
'
'

Close
Identifying Close and Open
G ''
​
'
'
G ''
​
'
'

Open
Identifying Close and Open
G ''
​

'
'
G ''
​

'
'

Close
Comes from the old system of “realizing” a figured bass line
The right hand is used to play the upper three voices, while
the left hand plays the bass
The upper three voices are written in the treble clef, while
the bass line is written in the bass
The soprano line may or may not be stemmed separately
from the alto and tenor
 555 5 5 5 5 55 55 55 55 55 55 BB
G 555 55 55 55 55 BBB 5 5 5 5 5 5 B

5 5 5 5
55 55 B 55 55 B
Melodic Motion
Motion Conjunct

Motion
Conjunct Motion
Disjunct Motion
Leaps
Small leaps (up to about a fifth) aren’t much of a problem
Small leaps (up to about a fifth) aren’t much of a problem
Larger leaps need to be handled more carefully:
 Small leaps (up to about a fifth) aren’t much of a problem
Larger leaps need to be handled more carefully: The
octave is the maximum distance
 Small leaps (up to about a fifth) aren’t much of a problem
Larger leaps need to be handled more carefully: The
octave is the maximum distance
Avoid two in a row in the same direction, unless they
arpeggiate a triad (and even then be careful!)
 Small leaps (up to about a fifth) aren’t much of a problem
Larger leaps need to be handled more carefully: The
octave is the maximum distance
Avoid two in a row in the same direction, unless they
arpeggiate a triad (and even then be careful!)
Generally after a larger leap, return stepwise in the
opposite direction whenever possible
 Small leaps (up to about a fifth) aren’t much of a problem
Larger leaps need to be handled more carefully: The
octave is the maximum distance
Avoid two in a row in the same direction, unless they
arpeggiate a triad (and even then be careful!)
Generally after a larger leap, return stepwise in the
opposite direction whenever possible
Do not allow a leap of an augmented second
 These are all good

G 5 5 5 555 5
555 555 5 55 55 5 5
 These are leaps involving sixths and above
55 5 55 5
5 5 5 5
5 55 5
55 5 5 5
5 5 55 5 55 5
G5
good good poor poor good poor forbidden
 Multiple leaps, some good, some not
55 55 5
5 5 poor 5 good 5 5
5 5 5 good 5 5good

G5
Simultaneous Motion
Parallel Motion
Both voices move in the same direction and retain the
same interval between them
Parallel Motion
Both voices move in the same direction and retain the
same interval between them
Similar Motion
Both voices move in the same direction, but the interval
between them changes
Parallel Motion
Both voices move in the same direction and retain the
same interval between them
Similar Motion
Both voices move in the same direction, but the interval
between them changes
Oblique Motion
Only one voice moves while the other remains stationary
Parallel Motion
Both voices move in the same direction and retain the
same interval between them
Similar Motion
Both voices move in the same direction, but the interval
between them changes
Oblique Motion
Only one voice moves while the other remains stationary
Contrary Motion
The voices move in opposite directions
Simultaneous Motion
G '
'''
G '
'''

Similar
Simultaneous Motion
G '
'''
G '
'''

Contrary
Simultaneous Motion
G '
'''
G '
'''

Parallel
Simultaneous Motion
G '
' ''
G '
' ''

Oblique
Simultaneous Motion
G '
' ''
G '
' ''

Parallel
Simultaneous Motion
G '
'''
G '
'''

Contrary
Simultaneous Motion
G '
'''
G '
'''

Trick
Question! No motion at all
Simultaneous Motion
G '
'''
G '
'''

Oblique
Simultaneous Motion
G '
'''
G '
'''

Contrary
Simultaneous Motion