Pivot Chords
Pivot Chords A pivot is a chord which belongs to both the old and new keys. Pivot chords can make modulations smoother, but it is not essential to use a …
Prevailing Key
Prevailing Key The key at the start of a piece of music is the “home” key. Music can change key for brief moments, or for longer passages. When there’s a …
Close Keys
Close Keys for Modulation Whichever key you begin with, the closest keys to modulate to are the dominant (add one sharp or remove one flat), the subdominant (add one flat …
Modulation
Modulation “Modulation” in music means “change of key”. A modulation can happen with or without a change of key signature, and in fact, most modulations do not include a change …
Accidentals
Figured Bass Accidentals If a chord needs an accidental, a flat, sharp or natural sign is added as a figure. It is either written next to the number it applies …
5/3, 6/3 and 6/4
5/3 – Root Position Chords 5/3 means “root position chord”, or “a” chord. We must add a 5th and a 3rd above the bass note to make a complete chord. …
Figured Bass
Figured Bass – Introduction Figured bass is a 17th-18th century system for notating improvised chords, which is used in modern times as a tool for music theory and analysis (so, …
SATB Decoration
Here is an SATB hymn tune Pansies, Lilies, Roses which is not decorated: To make it a little more rhythmically and melodically interesting, we can add unaccented passing notes between …
SATB Voice Leading
The four voices in SATB writing have different characteristics. In fact, 4-part music has three separate layers. The topmost layer is the tune, found in the soprano part. The lowest …
Consecutive 5ths and Octaves
When two parts form a harmonic interval of a perfect 5th, this should not normally be followed by another perfect 5th between the same two parts, in Classical harmony. This …