Basic Harmony

Theory

Welcome to the basic harmony portal! You can find reference material and homework listed here.

Review Articles

  • Week 6

    1. Non chord tones:
      • Workbook p. 49 to 51: question 1, 2, 3B, 3D, 3E. Identify non chord tones – review and complete any unfinished questions.
      • Workbook p. 117, question 1. Write out suspensions using the FB as a guide. For example: if there is an E held in bass, D-C# in soprano, then the figured bass is 7-6 (7th between E and D, 6th between E and C#)
      • Revise your chorale project according to the markups I sent you. Add a non chord tone of every type into the chorale, in any voice. Omit the anticipation and suspension (V64-53 is a suspension).
    2. Analysis: listen to, play through, and analyze the 1st of these 2 famous minuets: Petzold – Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach – Menuets in G
      • Youtube recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWPoH5fSEAQ
      • Before analyzing chords, do the following:
      • find the form (binary, or rounded binary)
      • identify the key and approximate location of the modulation (look for accidentals indicating leading tone)
      • identify the harmonic rhythm
      • Analyze with RN, FB, cadences, and functions. Circle and label any ambiguous chords.
      • Remember, each phrase has one T-PD-D-T, and one cadence only. Phrases are typically of regular lengths (4 or 8 measures).

  • Week 5

    1. Workbook (modulation, descending 5ths sequences):
      • p. 187, question 3 (A and B) – before filling in the inner voices, use the bass line and FB to analyze each question first (add RN and function labels)
      • p. 193, question 6B – analyze the first 2 lines only. Where do the chords change (look at the rhythm of the bass line)? Where is the pivot chord for the modulation? What key does it modulate to? Play through the minuet.
      • p. 165, question 1A – complete the sequence by transposing the model, and analyze the chords with FB/RN
      • p. 173, question 6D – analyze the chords using RN/FB. Where in the 5/4 measure do the chords change?
    2. Keyboard exercises: play the following on piano
      • p. 421, 2C (descending 5ths sequence)
      • analyze with FB/RN first.

  • Week 4

    1. Workbook (secondary dominants, pivot chords):
      • p. 175, question 1 (A to H) – always think of the secondary dominant in terms of the secondary key (e.g. think of V/V of Bb as V in F major)
      • p. 185, question 1A – note the minor keys pivot to III. Indicate the pivot chord’s function in both keys.
      • in class we discussed how the scale degree of V/V is the same as ii. Which chord tones were altered between the diatonic ii and V/V? What is the scale degree of V/III in a minor key, and what notes were altered?
    2. Chorale project: link to instructions.
      • fill in all voices with the revisions from last week (include V64-53 at the end)
      • play through your chorale, looking for good voice leading throughout
      • don’t add non chord tones yet
    3. Analyze chorale: analyze the third one (in E major) using RN/FB
      • in each phrase (ending with a fermata), identify the functional chords (T-PD-D-T should happen once only)
      • bring your analysis to next class

  • Week 3

    1. Workbook (resolving II7, III and VI):
      • p. 106, question 2 (B, D, G to L) – 7ths should resolve down by step, and tritones (iio) should resolve in contrary motion
      • p. 138, question 2 (A to E, omit D) – resolve the L.T. in V to vi
    2. Chords on scale degrees: fill in the handout with all of the chords covered so far, identifying their functions (III, VI are new). Be careful with the quality of III and VI in the minor mode.
    3. Chorale project: link to instructions.
      • fix any problems in your bass line and harmonic progression
      • follow week 2’s instructions to add II and V64 chords, and fill in ALL voices
      • send me your chorale in progress
    4. Analyze chorale: print this sheet: Diatonic chorales, if you don’t have it on the back of your chorale project instructions.
      • analyze the first one (in C major) using RN/FB
      • in each phrase (ending with a fermata), identify the functional chords (T-PD-D-T should happen once only)
      • bring your analysis to next class

  • Week 2

    1. Workbook (resolving V inversions, II):
      • Revise all of the V-I resolutions on p.67, question 3 (A to F). Make sure every resolution is one of the 3 types we discussed.
      • p. 95, question 3 (A to E) – all of these dominants are in inversion, but the same rules for doubling and resolving apply
      • p. 106, question 2 (A, C, F) – treat these like IV chords. You can also double the third (^4) instead of root.
    2. Chords on scale degrees: fill in the handout with all of the chords covered so far, in both the major and minor keys.
      • I, ii, and IV, root and 1st inversion
      • V and viio, root and 1st inversion
      • V7 and ii7, all inversions
      • cadential V64
    3. Week 2 online exercises: click here. Use this online exercise to practise your 7th chord recognition. You can also read the instructions in the link to submit your time to the leaderboard.
    4. Chorale project: link to instructions.
      • Fix any problems in your bass line and harmonic progression (see my email)
      • Follow week 2’s instructions to add II and V64 chords, and write a soprano melody

  • Week 1

    1. Workbook (resolutions of V and viio): For each question, circle the active notes: leading tone (^7) and the tritone above (^4). Remember to always resolve properly and never double them.
      • p. 67, question 3 (A to F). Use all 3 possible resolutions of the V7: missing 5th in V7, triple root of I, or resolve L.T. to another voice (^7 falls to ^5 )
    2. Workbook (6/4 chords): for each 64 chord you write/find, indicate how it’s used: cadential (V64-53), passing (voice exchange), or neighbour motion.
      • p. 128, question 2 (A to K)
      • p. 130, analyze question 3, last line only
    3. Chorale project: link to instructions.
      • Read this article: Chord Function, and review the bass line you wrote for the chorale project
      • Send me your bass line and any additional work you’ve completed
    4. Chords on scale degrees: on the handout from this week, fill in the chords we’ve covered so far in class, on both the major and minor scales. For example: V is a root position triad on scale degree ^5, so you would write in the triad under ^5 (G) for the major and minor keys, on the first line.
      • I (i) and I6 (i6)
      • V and V7
      • IV (IV) and IV6 (iv6)
      • V6, V65, V43, V42, viio6
      • I64, IV64, V64 (non-functional!)