r

HARMONY 1

by Barrie Nettles

r-
Copyright (?) 1987 Berklee College of Music

All rights reserved.

 HARMONY I

Harmony deals with the study of chords and their relationship to one another.
The understanding of harmonic practice is essential to the uncerstanding of
the language of music. As in learning any language, the first step in the
learning process is the development of a vocapulary.

THE STAFF

The foundation of our notation system is a grid of five lines called a staff

The position of notes placed on the staff visually represents relative

"highness" or "lowness" of pitches.

—^--—
_ ____-lI....

—e-
high low

CLEFS

Each line and space of the staff may be assigned a letter name. The letter
names are arranged alphabetically in ascending order: A B C D E F G. The
location of the letter names is determined by a clef placed at the beginning
of the staff. The following example uses the F clef (also known as the bass
clef). The F clef locates F below "middle C" on the fourth line of the staff.

A 8 C D E F G
 Harmony I 2

The 6 clef, also known as the treble clef, locates G above "middle C" on the
second line of the staff.

The C clef locates "middle C on the middle line (or, in some cases, on the
fourth line) of the staff.

A B C 0 £ F 6

F 6 A B C D E

Note that the music alphabet goes from A to G, and then starts over.

When two staves and the treble and bass clef are used together, the result is
called the Grand Staff or Great Staff.
 Harmony l 3

LEGER LINES

Small lines called leger lines are added to extend the staff.

Notice that the notes in the spaces directly below or directly above :he staff
do not need added leger lines.
JL
The same applies to notes in the
""" spaces beneath or above the leger lines.

XX >-X X X X X X X X X X X X

XXXXXXXX XXX>)^)^-XXXX)^)fXXXXXXX)^XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXK)^

To summarize, pitch placement devices used in music notation are:

1) the staff, which shows the high/low relationship between different

notes.

2) the clefs, which locate pitch names given to lines and spaces of the
staff.

3) the leger lines, which extend the five lines of the staff for higher or
lower pitches.
 Harmony !

mu
I i I ' I ! ! * ) I i i
TTTTTTTTTTTTTT

L
T \ n
_A_^_ir.^ __ _

Homework numbers; 1,2, 3

W"-
 Harmony I 5

ACCIDENTALS

The foregoing information about the Grand Staff covers the letter names of
the white keys on the keyboard. What about the other five notes (the black
keys)?

In order to maintain the integrity of the alphabet, the other five pitcnes are
represented as alterations of the basic seven pitches. The terms are
sharp and flat. Sharp = 1 /2 step higher, written as^ , flat = 1 /2 sieo lower,
written as 1; . A ”C^" is the pitch 1 /2 step above C and 1 /2 step below 0. The
sharp sign is placed before the note for reading purposes.
 Harmony

’he names of the twelve notes in ascendrnq order are;

A A- B C C- D 0^ E F F- G A

HL zruzs:

This senes of notes is called the chromatic scale These notes :f tne
chromatic scale may also oe examined in descending order.

As with sharps, flats are placed before the notes to wnich they acolv

A , AP G Gb F E Eb D Db C B 5b A
1 9^
5= —zrirzrr
(H) -- . ^ ^ -

Note that there are two options for naming the five black key pitches H.e., Dc
or , Eb or etc.). When there are two (or more) possible names "cr tne
same pitch, it is said that enharmonic spelling is being applied.
 Harmony 1

Once a sharp or a flat has occurreo in a measure, there must oe a means of

cancelling (neutralizing) it so the no-te reverts to its unaltered conoiticn. The
symbol used for this is a natural ( ). Collectively, snarps, r’ats and
naturals are called accidentals.

within an octave (eight consecutive letter names), there are twelve

half-steps:

in certain situations, it may become necessary to raise or lower a oitch by

two half-steps. The symbols for these purposes are for a double-sharp
and bi? for a double-flat. These symbols are also called accidentals.
 Harmony I

The rules for sharps ), flats ( b ), naturals (fc| ), double-sharps ), and

double-flats (bb)aTe:

1. A natural cancels a sharp or flat.

2. A single sharp or flat will cancel a double-sharp or double-flat
respectively.
3. One natural alone will cancel both double-sharos and double-flats.
4. An accidental remains in effect for the duration of the measure it is
in, or for the duration of tied pitches, inside a measure or across the
bar-line.
5. To raise a note which has already been sharped, use a double-sharp,
to lower a note which has already been flatted, use a aoubie-flat.
6. An accidental ONLY affects a specific note, in that octave, in that
clef. All other notes of the same name are NOT affected.
 Harmony I ' 9

A scale is a series of ascending or descending notes in a stepwise pattern.

This is a chromatic scale. It uses all the notes between the F’s and all the
pitches move by 1/2 step. (Chromatic implies ’’1/2 step.")

I he following scale uses all natural notes in an octave from C to C:

This is the familiar

n O 2:
C major scale.

The same notes can be used to begin and end at different points in the order of
notes:

D to D £ to E F to F
2~2ZZ^
—^ ^

D Dorian E Phrygian F Lydian

G toG A to A B to B
n
zt=s=n:±±.
5=
G Mixolydian A Aeolian B Locrian
 1 A
1 |fj| I I ( WI (V I

A]] of .he 3Dove are scales, out tneyre noc cne same kind of scaie. i I 10
cnaracteristics of the C major scale above are the 1/2 steps from tne 3rd to
4th degrees and from the 7th to the ist degrees. The distance cecween the
other notes is a whole step (two 1/2 steps). In the other scales snown
above, the half-steps (from E to F and B to C) occur in different carts or each
resoective scale. This creates a collection of related scales known as
modes. The modes shown above are all relative to the C major scale. This
means that each mode starts and ends on a different note of t.he C maior
scale.

Here again is the C major scale.

1/2 i/2

If this stepwise pattern is applied starting on G, the result is a 6 major

scale.

All major scales utilize the same stepwise pattern.

Harnnonv I I I
 1 /2 steos between degrees (Parallel to "C”)

Ionian (major) 3-4; 7- .'g.

-O'

Dorian 2-3; 6-7 22:

Phrygian 'JiM.

Lydian 4-5; 7-1

Mixolydian 3-4; 6-7 £ •jr

-h
Aeolian (minor) 2-3; 5-6 \m . ■<? 176 ^^

Locrian -2; 4-5 S u^ i«c"?27

/ryc»
 Harmony I 13

Scales may also be described by comparing them to the parallel major or

minor scale.

Thus, Dorian mode may be described as a minor scale with the otn degree
raised:

T-r-!-A'
I,. ^
—
^
. -

Phrygian mode may be described as a minor scale with the 2nc degree
lowered;

.2(2J±.
-S-

Lydtan mode may be described as a major scale with the 4th degree raised:
^^ o

nixolydian mode may be described as a major scale with the 7tn aegree
lowered: ^
ii
7-
.i, „ ,, - A, ^ -—.

Aeolian mode (also known as the minor scale):

Locrian mode may be described as a minor scale with the‘2nd and 5tn degrees
lowered:
 Harmony ! 1~

The minor scale (Aeolian mode) is also known as ‘naturaT minor or

“pure” minor;

The harmonic minor scale may be described as a minor scale with the 7th
degree raised:

The melodic minor scale may be described as a minor scale with the 6th
and 7th degrees raised in its ascending form; in its descending form the
melodic minor scale reverts to pure minor:

(ll) ^ /b)

The major pentatonic scale is a five note scale, It contains scale degrees
}, 2, J, 5, 6 from the major scale, and does not contain any half-steps.

Homework numbers; 9, 10.

1

Harmony I 15

KEY SIGNATURES

Key signatures allow us to place the required accidentals of the various

scales at the beginning of a piece of music. They are placed directly to the
right of the clef;

The reader, before reading the music, will look at the key signature anc notice
the accidentals to be used for ail the affected notes. With the accicentals of
the key signature at the beginning, the key is recognizable immeciateiy even
if there is a lot of subsequent chromatic alteration.

Refer to the homework for scales. The sequence of examples was not
arbitrary (C, G, D, A, etc.). This sequence is the result of a phenomenon which
you will see throughout the study of music. It is called the cycle of 5ths.
To be logically sequenced, the building of key signatures follows the cycle of
5ths. The placement and position of the flats in a key signature follows the
cycle down in fifths:

Bb Eb Ab Db Gb Cb Fb

The key of Cb has 7 flats (all notes flatted).

 Harmony! !6 "

The placement and position of the sharps in a key signature follows the cycle
ue.“in fifths;

C"" B""

The key of has 7 sharps; all notes are sharped.

in order to be immediately recognizable, key signatures must always be

placed consistently on the staff:

The best way to recognize any key is to know the number of sharps or flats
used for it. Another way to recognize the key signature is:

1) For flat keys, the key is represented by the flat BEFORE the last flat;
I
= Db

2) Eor sharp keys, the key is a half step ABOVE the last sharp;

3) The key signature of one flat is F major. The key signature of no

sharps or flats is C major
 Harmony i 17

Note that there is no necessity to use leger lines for the piacement of any
accidentals in a key signature. Unlike the general rules concerning :he use of
accidentals, key signatures affect all notes of the same name regardless of
their octave.

Homework number: 11.

 Harmony i 8

INTERVALS

The relationship of adjacent notes in all the previous scales is a whole-siep

or half-step. As part of our vocabulary, we need a method to identify the
relationship between any two notes.

!n order to do this, we need a logical means of showing the distance, or

interval from one note to another.

A simple numerical means of accomplishing this is to count each oossibie

staff dearee between the two notes to. find which number the top pitch
represents.

The intervals in a major scale between the first note and the other notes are;

■n.

perfect major major perfect perfect major major perfect

unison 2ncl 3rd 4th 5 th 6th 7th octave

If a major Interval is made smaller by a half-step (by lowering the top note
or raising the bottom note) the major interval becomes minor

52Z
4/ /
"X 3:

minor minor minor minor

2ncl 3ra 6th 7th
 Harmony I 19

NOTE: Intervals may occur as melodic intervals (one note following the
other), as the minor 2ncj and minor 3rd in the above example, or as harmonic
intervals (both notes together) as the minor 6th and minor 7th above.

When a minor or perfect interval Is made smaller by a half-steo, ic becomes

diminished;

Notice that in all intervallic relationships, one must first count the number
of staff degrees involved, and then qualify the relationship.

Major and perfect intervals made larger by-a 1/2 step are called augmented
intervals:
 Harmony I 20

Diminis.^ied intervals made smaller by an additional Half-step become double

diminished:

double double double

dim. 5th dim. 6th dim. oct.

Augmented intervals made larger by an additional half-step become double

augmented;

double double double

aug. 3rd aug. 4th aug. 7th

It is also possible to have an interval which exceeds the octave:

This interval is called a

major 10th
-'M
■ •:‘.j
(or a major 3rd plus 1 octave).

"‘Si

Here are the basic rules and names (when examining the distance from the
first note of a major scale upwards):

1) 2nds, 3rds, 6ths and 7ths are major intervals.

2) Unisons, 4ths, 5ths and octaves are perfect Intervals.
3) Major intervals made smaller by 1 /2 step become minor.
KiXk-.

4) Major intervals made smaller by 2 half-steps become diminished.

5) Perfect intervals made smaller by 1 /2 step become diminished.
6) Perfect intervals made smaller by 2 half-steps become
double-diminished.
7) Major or perfect intervals made larger by 1/2 step are
augmented: by two half-steps they become double augmented.

.*1

i ~ ~
Homework numbers; 12, 13.
 Harmony l 21

INVERSION OF INTERVALS

Intervals describe the distance between two notes. The notes involved can
appear and sound in two ways;

or:

in other words, any interval can be turned upside-down (Inverted)

is the inversion of and vice versa.

When an interval is inverted, the note names involved are still the same, and
the intervallic relationship follows a pattern, in the above example, one
interval is a major 2nd; the inversion is a minor 7th. Some simple rules for
inversion of intervals follow:

1) ”9" minus the number of the interval equals the inversion

interval;

2:

—
—o—

9 minus 2(nd) 7(th) or: 9minus7(th) = 2(na)

2) Major intervals inverted become minor intervals;

2:
najor 3rd Minor 6th

3) Minor intervals inverted become Major:

' !..

Minor 6lh Major 3rd

 Harmony !

Augmented intervais inverted become oimmisned:

Aug. 6th Dim. 3rG

7) Double diminished interv^als inverted become double augmentea:

Double Double
Dim. 4th Aug. 5th

- Double Double
Aug. 5th Dim. 4th

in. order to correctly produce an inversion of any inten/al, the bottom

rriust be raised one octave or the top pitch must be lowered one octave,
inversion of a perfect unison becomes a perfect octave and vice versa-

A minus I(unison) = 6 (octave)

 Harmony 1 23

The tritone interval (augmented 4th) is a special case. Unlike any other
interval, when it is inverted, the number and qualifier change, but it: remains
a tntone.

is an augmented 4th (tritone - 3 whole steos)

is a diminished 5th (still tritone - 3 whole steps)

Homework number; 14.

 HarTiony I

CHORD CONSTPUCTiCN

TRIADS

\ve have looked at r.otef. a'one '.n scale situations and two notes tocetr^r -n
inter/ai situaOons. Now, we w!'] place three notes together tc ^'orm a cnora.
The terms uses to descnce three note cnorcs wHi oe the same as Petcre;
major, minor, augmented, and diminished CPerfect' is usee oriv w’th-
intervals).

Three note chords are called triads. The basic buiiaina o^ock for-triads 'S
tne interval of* a 3rd. To start with, the major scale will be used;

Above each note m the scale will be placed two mere Ditches - t.he ^'ms Ditch
a 3rd above t.he note from the scale the second pitch a 3rd above the eccfid
pitch;

All the pitches used to build the chords are from tne key of C major :hev are
diatonic to C major.

The diatonic triads in the key of C major contain three of the four ocssitDle
tnaaic chore structures ^major, minor, and diminisned). if the inie.'^a T.c
relationships within each cnord are studied, these three chord types and them
characteristics can oe seen:

1) Major triads; chords with intervals of a major 3rd from t.he rmt
(bottom note) to the middle note, and a perfect 5th from the root to
tne top note:
F 3

2) MINOR TRIADS, chords with inten/ais of a minor 3rd and perfect Suh
from the root respectively:

D min E min A min

 Harmonv l 25

3) DiniNISHED TRIAD: a Chord with an interval of a miner Jrd ano

diminished 5th, respectively:

B dim

Note that in all cases, the letter name of the triad signifies the coctom note.
This note is called the root of the chord.

In addition, each chord will be identified with a Roman numeral representing

the scale degree of the bottom pitch;

I maj n nTmTn ly mtj y mai yi mm yil dim 1 ma;

Here are some universally accepted abbreviations used for triads;

C = C major triad. Optionally ’’major'' or its abbreviation “maj” may

appear; i.e., C major or C maj.

"min" is the abbreviation for minor. Also used, though not universally, is
the minus sign " - " (which will remain the choice for this course).
"A minor" will be notated in this course "A-."

Diminished is represented best by "dim" or a small circle above the triaa

name, i.e.; B dim or

The diatonic triads are:

! maj li min 111 min IV maj V maj VI min Vli dim l maj

OR:
o
IV V vt- VI!
 Harmony I 26

The fourth type of triad, besides major, minor and diminished, is the
augmented triad. It Is abbreviated either "aug" or " + The augmented triad
has a major 3rd and an augmented 5th from the root:
A+ Eb+ Bb* D+

The augmented triad is not diatonic to any major key. Its usage will be
discussed later.

There is one more type of chord, ft is a very common chord in contemporary

music, and it doesen’t fit the normal pattern of stacked thirds. It is the
"suspended 4th" chord. The chord symbol used is sus4. A suspended fourth
chord (sus4) is a triad in which the 4th degree replaces the 3rd degree:

G(sus4) 6-(sus4)

—^^-

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XXXXX-XXXXX"X-XXXXXXXXXXXX^^XXXXXXXXXXXX-XXXXXXXXXXX^XXXXXXXXXXXX

To summarize;

Major triads are constructed with major 3rds

and perfect 5ths from the root;

Minor triads are constructed with minor 3rds

and perfect 5ths from the root;

Diminished-triads are constructed with minor 3rds

and diminished 5ths from the root;

Augmented triads are constructed with major 3rds

and augmented 5ths from the root:

Homework number: 15.

 Harmony i 27

The logical extension of a diatonic triad is the addition of another diatonic

third above the fifth of the triad.

The result is a diatonic seventh chord which contains a diatonic 7th degree
above the root, in triads there are only three interv'allic relationsh-cc. root
to 3rd, root to 5th and 3rd to 5th. With the added pitch of 7th chcras, tne
complexity doubles; root to 3rd, 5th, 7th; 3rd to 5th, 7th, 5th to 7th. Thus,
7th chords are more complex than triads.

Chords with a major 3rd, perfect 5th and major 7th from the root define a; ♦

Cmaj7 Fmaj7
major 7th
chord

Chords with a minor 3rd, perfect 5th and minor 7th from the root define a;

D-7 E-7 A-7

minor 7th
chord

A chord with a major 3rd, perfect 5th and minor 7th from the root defines a:

G7
. dominant 7th
chord

A chord with a minor 3rd, diminished 5th and minor 7th from the root defines
a;
B-7(b5)

minor 7(b5)
chord
 Harmony 1 28

It rielDS to compare these seventh chords with the triads on which they are
built;

The chords built on C and F are major triads with major 7ths;

Crnaj? FmaJ7

The chords built on D, E and A are minor triads with minor 7ths:

D-7 E-7 A-7

The chord built on 6 is a major triad with a minor 7th:

G7

The chord built on B is a diminished triad with a minor 7th:

B-7(b5)

The chord symbols for seventh chords which will be used in this course are:

maj 7 = major triad w/major 7th 7 = major triad w/minor 7th

-7= minor triad w/minor 7th -7(b5) = dim. triad w/minor 7th

The diatonic triads in C major are:

1 maj7 11-7 111-7 lVmaj7 V7 Vl-7 Vll-7(b5)

C maj7 D-7 E-7 F maj7 G7 A-7 B-7(b5)
 Harmony ! 29

There are other 7th chord structures which are not diatonic to a major key"'”"

The +7 (augmented 7th chord) which consists of an augmented triad with a

minor 7th;

The °7 (diminished 7th chord) which consists of a diminished triad with a

diminished 7th;

C dim7

Note; in the diminished 7th chord, the diminished seventh interval is

sometimes written enharmonically.

Cdim7 or: C dim7

The mlnor/major 7th chord [symbol; -(maJ7)J which consists of a minor

triad with a major 7th:

C-(maj7)

Notice in the chord symbol, the represents the basic chord sound (minor)
while the "(maj7th)‘' indicates the 7th quality. The parenthesis is necessary
to keep minor and major from being confused.
 Harmony 1 30

The major 6th chord and the -6 (minor 6th) chord which consist of a major
or minor triad respectively and an "added” 6th degree;

C6 C-6
_

.'T '
^----
J ^

The dominant 7(sus4) chord which consists of a suspended 4th triad with a
minor 7th;
G7(sus4) G-7(sus4)

Homework number: 16.

 Harmony I 31

INVERSION OF CHORDS

The basic rule for inverting triads is the same as that for intervals: bring ihe
bottom pitch up an octave. There are as many positions of inversion for a
triad as there are notes In the chord (j.e. three in a triad).

If the root is positioned on the bottom (where it would normally be for

naming purposes) the chord is in root position:

The first inversion is accomplished by bringing the root up an octave:

The second inversion is accomplished by bringing the root and the 3rd ud an
octave:

One more inversion would bring the chord back to root position. Notice that
there are three possible choices for the t^ note of any triad.
 TO
Harmony 1 ■J Z.

Since seventh chords contain Tour notes, there are four positions of inversion
possible:

I. Root position:

2. \ St inversion with the root on top and the 3rd on the bottom.

3. 2nd inversion with the root and 3rd brought to the top ana :re oth
on the bottom;

4 3rd inversion with the root, 3rd and 5th brought to the too and the
7th on the bottom:

Homework numbers; 17, 18, 19,20

r

-m
i ■
L-- - ••
 Harmony I ZJ

TENSIONS

Consideration is now given to further extensions of the 7th chord:

^ C maj7
_M^^_
4.^ -- - # ■
-^^- . a
.-
3 5 7 9 11 13

Chords laraer than 7ths exceed an octave and create interval!ic relat^cnshios
which are much more tense than the simple octave-or-less intervals cf tnaas
and 7ths.

No matter what the inversion is, all the intervals In a triad or 7th cnord are
less than an octave in size.

riad; Plus added 7th;

C maj7

Extend a 7th chord in 3rds as far as possible without repeating pitches:

1357911 13

There are now 21 intervals in this chord! A 7th chord in root position has 6, a
triad 3. The number of intervals has more that tripled from those of the 7th
chord, while the 7th chord has only tw-ice as many as the triad. In addition to
the intervals which are less than one octave, there are now compound
intervals (the 9, llth and 13th). Some facts about these extended 7ths
chords should be recoonized:

1. The added pitches are not chord tones of the 7th chords,

2. They create tense intervallic relationships with the chord tones.

 Harmony I 34

Because of this tense reiationship with the chord tones of the 7th chord,
these extensions are called tensions. 1,3, 5 and 7 are the chord tones; 9,
II and 13 form the basis for the chord's possible tensions. Here is a C iTiaj7
chord with its possible tensions:

The 9th (D) is a major 9th above the root; the 11 th (F) is a minor 9th above
the 3rd; the 13th (A) is a major 9th above the 5th. The tensions which sound
best will be those a major 9th above a chord tone. (A minor 9th incerval is
extremely harsh sounding.) In the following examples all tensions are chose a
major 9th above the chord tones:

13
^^ 1_
IL . _ ^ ^
t « <ir ^ ^ I Note that the "F” has been sharped
/At 44. .i.- ^
in order to create the major 9th
•i ^ ^ J interval.

maj 9th maj 9th maj 9th

The 13th (A) is a major 9th above the 5th; '*’11 (F^^) is a major 9th above the
3rd; 9 (D) is a major 9th above the root. Notice that tension ^11 is not
identified as "augmented 113 Tensions are labeled as follows:

The chart of available tensions for all chord changes is on the following page,
host of the available tensions are those which are a major 9th above a chord
tone. Any available tensions that are not a major_9th above a chord tone are
listed separately as exceptions.

haJ7 is inc4uded in the list as a special tension situation available on certain

chord structures.
 Harmony I 35
AVAILABLE TENSIONS

_
EXCEPTIONS TO THE
AVAILABLE TENSIONS -MAJ 9TH ABOVE A
AVAILABLE
WHEN DIATONIC CHORD- TONE RULE
TENSIONS
CHORD TO ICEY
1 .-....

nr»aj (triad) 9

min (triad) 9

auq (triad) 9.* 11 (or bS)

All available tensions must be a maj 9th above each chord tone
dim (triad) and diatonic to the key.
r
-

sus4 (triad) 11 (as chord tone) 9 .

1 _ - 1
maj 6 maj7, 9 ♦11

min 6 maj7. 9. 11
1 i
maj7 (as chord tone)
maj 7 9, 13 •11
..

maj? (as chord tone)

min (maj 7) 9. 11. 13
13 not available except
min 7 n 9 in Dorian mode context

min 7(b5) 11. b13 9

b9,*9, bSCsee note 1).
dom 7 13 bl3
9.11 (as chord lone),
dom 7 (sus4) very rarely: D9.-^hl3
13

aug 7 9. •!! (or bS)

All available tensions must be a maj 9th above each chord tone
dim 7 and diatonic to the

Note 1 - b5 is a special tension situation involving an alteration of tne 5th.

Note 2 - The available tensions on dim 7th chords are not numbered 9, 11,
13, etc. Unlike other 7th chords, a major or minor 9th above each
chord tone results in four possible tensions, not three. The
numbering system to 13 will not work here. Specific available
tensions for dim 7ths will be shown'when the chords are shown In
context
 Harmony ! 36
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Summary of Available Tensions

Tension: Available on;

maj 7 maj7; -(maj7); maj6; -6

9 Ail chords (when diatonic to the key)

&9 and/or ^9 dom7; rarely, dom7(sus4)

11 all forms of minor chords;

as a chord tone on dom7(sus4)

^1 ] maJ7 and maj6 when diatonic to key; dom7; ^7

bl3 *7(b5); dom7

13 maJ7; -{maJ7); dom 7; dom7(sus4)

Chord symbols used to show tensions fall into two categories:

1) The listing of tensions which are not diatonic; ^

2) The optional “courtesy” listing of tensions which sLs.diatonic. O

Tensions which would not normally be available MUST be included in the chord
symbol:

Cmaj7(*11)

C maJ7 In C major implies only 9 and 13 availability. C maj7C^l 1) would

indicate use of a non-diatonic tension.

Homework numbers; 21,22.

 Harmony 1

DIAiONiC HARMONY

Any diatonic chord mav progress to any other diatonic chord The
control factor is the relationship between the roots of the chores. This is
called root motion and falls into three categories:

!) ihe strongest diatonic root motion is movement down in 5ths (the

cycle of 5ths).

Imaj7 IVmaj7 Vll-7(b5) IM-7 VI-7 !i-7

6maj7 Cmaj7 F^-7(b5) B-7 E-7 .A-7

The tensions available are determined by the function of the chord in the kev,
the tensions that are diatonic to the key and the tensions that are a major 9th
above a chord tone..

!maJ7 IVmaj7 V!l-7(b5) li!-7 Vk7 11-7

V7 to 1 is the strongest diatonic root motion in the key, therefore it receives

a special analysis symbol;

The arrow will always be used to show dominant resolution down a

perfect fifth.

2) Root motion down a diatonic 4th is also strona although not as stronc
as root motion down a diatonic 5th.

I V7 11-7 VI- ill- Vlt-7(b5) !v

, G D7 A-7 E- B- F^-7(b5T C
T—p-^-j-^- -:r——--n

^.
mr r~~
1□ ^ ^
. !
^
.1_ r i
^ - ^!
^ _ _cl_«aJ
^-- 1
-j_11_1* I_1 1_1 1_1 1_j 1_1 t_r

TENSIONS; /"’’I
 Harmony ! 38

3) Stepwise root motion is a little more subtle than root motion of 4ths
and 5ths.

f IV V(SUS4) VI- V7
G C D7(sus4) £- 07

4) The other diatonic root motion is down or up ih thirds, novement

down is more common than movement up.

1 VI- iV tl- 1 III- II- IV VI- V(sus4)-

; 6 E- C A- G B- A- C £- D(sus4)^
r. rj-TD_-.1T- -T- . 1
—1
■ 1
!
...
I ^
-
r-Z7
'-’"S
^ r A
.—]
-r1 irj 1 . M
_1_ ___si_iJ
1 .. :.^ i ^ ^ ^ .^ 1 ^
--

In reviewing all of the previous examples, take note that they are repeated. If
an ending point is sought, the best final chord will be the t chord. The 1
chord may be followed bv anv other chord because it represents a
 Harmony I 39

The V7(sus4) chord is usually built on the dominant degree of the key;

D7(sus4)

12 3 4 5

The strength of dominant resolution lies in the root motion of a perfect 5th
down.

Since the V7(sus4) does not contain a tritone, its diatonic function is
dependent on context;

lmaJ7 lVmaj7 V7(sus4)^6 V7(sus4)V7-^

rm;:^i7 r)7f<;n<^4^ An n7^<^u<^4) 07

Another observation concerning the V7(sus4) chord can be seen if the

structure is categorized as having a suddominant upper structure (since the
tritone is not present). The chords sound subdominant but the root is
dominant;

The above_two chords each contain a suddominant sounding upper structure

and the dominant degree of the key as their root.
 Harmony I 40
'hese chords are common in contemoprar/ tunes:

!h7 IV iVmaj/
5 of key 5 of key
A-7 6(add9) C Cnnaj7 6(add9)
D bass D bass

!l-7 over 5 of the key and IVmaj-? over 5 of the key are both subtle versions of
V7(sus4) and should be analyzed as such:

The II- (11-7) over 5 of the key and the IV (IVmaj?) over 5 of the key can be
seen as chord structures derived from the extended structure of the V7(sus4):
 I —i
harmony

Oi atonic ^EHaPMON!ZA’'ON

Oi3Tonic chores have names hasea of the locafion of their roots vviih’n the
scale. The i chcra ss called tonic, the V c.nord is dominant, cne iV cnerd’s
cailea subdominant.

All diatonic cnorcs can be categorized as soundTig ip one o*‘ the three
categories:

t (tried) il!“ VI-

Tonic: imaj? :ii-7 /i-7

““g-—:
:

;V (tried)
Subdominant; iVma)7

V (triad) VltGim
Dominant: Y7 y;t-7(b5)
 arnr.

!Y6 y7(5us4;
,'0 D7<’sus4;

Lia
lr«*i

•la

Dominant rxt witn

(7) =T0N1C (S^ ==SUBDCM!HmNT DOMiHANT ( ^ ) = suodominart uDper
structure

3y substituting other chords rrom the same functional sound cateaorv, it

possible to reharmonize the above exampie. The end result wili oe a
chord progression vvnich sounds similar to tne original.

©(f) (§) ( ) 0 @
1-7 VI-7 II-7 V7.> VI-7 !6 iV6 V7(sus-^)

vwm
nam rf»*m 11
imi

In comparing these two progressions, some irripnrtant racts must be

considerea:

1) the root mctions are not the same, though the melodies are;
2) the melody and reharmonlzation choices must be compatable;
3) the original resolutions of the two dominant chords are no longer
aown a perfect fifth (the normal expected resolution for V7 or
V7(sus4) is aown a perfect fifth to the 1 chord;.
 Harmony 1 43

V7 V7(sus4) V7 VI-7 V7(sus4)> i-/

D7 D7{sus4) 6 07 E-7 D7(sus4) 8-7

—--rr- ' r ' ■■■"
~T-~'TT
‘±i

Notice that the analysis symbols for the “deceptive'’ resolutions of V7 to II1-7
or Vi*'7 are different from those for the resolution of V7 to I. The root
motion is not down a perfect fifth, so there is no arrow. The analysis symbol
is: V7/1. V7/1 means V7 of 1; V7 is expected to progress to i, but resolves
deceptively (deceptive resolution) to another tonic chord.
 harmony I 44

The term cadence means melodic and/or harmonic movement to a point of

rest. That point of rest is the cadence.

Dominant cadence:

©
B; 1
® ©
G: V7^^l
® © © ©
Eb: V7 --8: V7--—^1
8maj7 D7 Gmaj7 Bb7 Ebmaj7 F-^7 Bmaj7

Subdominant cadence:

©(§) © ©© @ ©(§) © ©@ ©
F; I IV 1 Bb: i lY I C: ! lY i F; 1 IV 1
F Bb F 6b Eb 8b C F C F 8b F

A subdominant to dominant to tonic progression Is considered a

full cadence since ail the functional sound groups of the key are
represented: IV to V to I is the traditional full cadence,

@lY ©Y --^1©
C D G
 Harmony I 45
Other cadential variations are possible:

IV to V(sus4) to 1 is subtle since there is no tritone involved:

lY YCsus4)^^ ^1
C D(sus4) 6

IV to IV/dominant root to 1 is even mere subtle because the motion from the
subdeminant to dominant only involves root motion from IV to V of che :<ey:

The 11-7 to V7 to I cadence is very strong since all the root motion is down
in perfect 5ths. This particular variation of the full cadence is so strong that
some styles of contemporary music rely on it almost exclusively:

6: li-7 --^lmaj7 r: 11-7 V7 -^Imaj7

A-7 07 6maj7 6-7- C7 • Fmaj7
(

Bb: 11-7 V7^Imaj7 6: 11-7 V7 -^Imaj7

C-7 F7 Bbnnaj7 A-7 07 6maj7
Harmony I 46
 HOMEWORK

?) iCjentlfy, by pitch name, all the following pitches.

A-

NOTE

2) Notate the melody in ex, i, above, in the bass clef. Use leger lines
when necessary Both examples should sound exactly the same on the
piano.

) Identify, by pitch name, all the following notes in two of the C clefs
HASnONY I HCr-IE'.vCP.K -:S
lotate chromatic motion between the given
overning accidentals.
NAriE. KARMONY I HOnEV/CRK

7) identify by name all the pitches. Then, place the number for all notes of
the chord on the aoDropnate key of the keyboard below. The first examcie
IS completed.
■I

NAM HARMONY t tOi iC f r'. f'

' '—
k w" ^

3) Complete the following enharmonic pitch chart;

Natural Sharp Flat Doudle-sharo Double-flat

Notation: Notation: Notation; Notation; Notation:
] ]) Write the key signatures for the following keys and identify the
missing tonality:

G major _major D major 5b major

_.minor 0 minor _minor _minor

_major £b major _major _major

minor _minor minor F minor

_major C major _major Cb major

A minor _minor minor _minor

_major 6b major _major major

minor minor minor 3D minor

 HARnONY i HOMEWORK-59

12) Complete the following chart of intervals from the key of Eb. KeeD the
highest pitch diatonic. Use the appropriate accidentals.

Diatonic Diatonic interval Diatonic iniervai

interval: reducea by increased by
1 /2 step: i /2 step:

min 2nd dim 2nd mai 2nd

NAM E HARMONY i HCMEw'CRK 60

Diatonic Diatonic interval Diatonic ’nterva!

intervai: reduced by increased cv
1/2 step: ! /2 step:

I
NAME HARMONY I HOMEWORK 61

Diatonic Diatonic interval Diatonic interval

interval; reduced by Increased by
1 /2 step: 1 /2 step:
NAM HARMONY i HOMEWORK 63

14) Complete the following chart of intervals and their inversions diatonic
to the key of 6. Label the intervals;

Diatonic Inversion of Diatonic Inversion of

Interval: diatonic interval: Interval: diatonic interval:
\ I A
INr^l iC HARMONY I HOMEWORK

(Ex. 14 continued:)

Oiatcnic Inversion of
interval: diatonic interval:
\r ,\M
E i_i'DMnNiv
. 'ui 1I

C ',
U) Ccnstrucc the indicaced '^'=^:!ADS ;n -COT PC 5 ■ t;
I I I 'jO r'.— '
11’j _

enharmonic sceHina.

o C- C aug Coim C(3J34') F p,jim F(305^1)

Qb 6b- Bbaug 6b(sus4) Eb Eb- E: aug Eb-nm Ebr3ii34;

AD AD- Ab aug AO dim ad(sus4) DD DD- Do aug Dbdim Doisus^-

Gb Gfc- Gb auG Gbdim Gb(sus4) Cb Cb- Cb aug Cbaim Cbisus^-^

F- F^- r-^^aug F-=^ dim F'='(sus4) B B- S aug 6 dim 3(3uc4)

E E- Eatsg E dim E(sus4) A A- A aug A dim A(sus4)

’ D D- Oaug Odim D(sus4) G G- Gaug Gdim G(3us4)

.A_A_
HARMONY 1 HOMEWORK 6
Ik. I
r'kMi iC.
A
HARnC^:Y 1 HCr!EV/CRK 63

£b-7(bb) Eb7 to aug 7 Eb7(sus4) Ebaim7

^ . ^ '

Ab iTia)7 Ab-(maj7) Ab6 AO-6 AO-7

Ab-7(b5) Ab7 Ab aug7 Ab7(sus4) Abaim?

DO maj? Db-(maj7) 006 00-6 00-7

00-7(05) 007 00 aug7 Db7(sus4) 00cim7

GO maj7 60-(maj7) GOG GO-6 GO-7

(7 I -
_ y 1 L ■ ■ • i
A-,-
-- _ i ^ _ ^-\-r
;^L
SSC_ 1 i
ft

60-7(05) -GO 7 GO aug7 Gb7(sus4) GO dim7

HARnONY [ HOMEWORK 69
K I A
IN r'.i • il._ HARM-ONY ! iiOME'/yORK i

E-7(D5) Eaug7 E7(sus4) EGim7

A ma)? A-( maj7)

^1
fil

A-7(b5) A 3ijg7 A7(3US4) a dim7

14%1

D maj7 D-(maj7)

AM
WJ

D-7(b5) D aug7 D7(su34) Ddim?

«*wi

G ma] 7 G-(ma]7)

G-7(b5) aug7 G7(sus4) Gdim?

NAME HARMONY 1 HOMEWORK 72

18) Complete this triadic chord progression by adding the remaming chord
tones beneath the melody pitches. Then indicate, beneath the chord, the
inversion using the following;

R = Root position, 1 = 1st inversion; 2 = 2nd inversion

F A- D- G B dim C 0- F

Bb 8b- F 8 aug E G^- C^- D G E-

_

-
1
11 .. L.
1
_^_
.J_
L ... _
k_^ _ _
r
1
--- J
^' _<1__£_

’P
r
f 1 ' r ; ;
.1_ 1 .. 1...

A- 0- E dim A aug D G aug , Gb F dim

t H-
 NAM HARMONY I HOMEWORK 74

U 20) Complete this harmonization of the cycle of fifths Dy placing the

remaining chord tones beneath the melody pitches. Then indicate the
inversion for each chord.

R = Root position; I = 1st inversion; 2 = 2nd inversion; 3 = 3rd inversion

D-7 Gi7 C maj7 Bb6 C7(sus4) F6

^_1_1_ i_ ^^ 1

R 2 R

C-7 F7 Bb maj7 F-7 Bb7 £b maj7

1
■HUWI||M
1 ! 1

-1 I 1-

Db6 Eb7 Ab maJ7 Gb6 Ab7(SUS4) Db6

 NAflE_;_ HARriONY t HCMEWCRK 75

I 21) All the melody pitches below are available tensions, incicate the
tension number for each note;