Chorale Style Voice Leading: I IV V Chord Progressions (SATB Tutorial)

The harmonic minor scale (A-Bb-C-D-E-F-G#) adds a raised seventh to natural minor, creating tension that gives it an 'oriental' sound. The dominant seventh chord (V7) contains a tritone (B-F in C major) that creates tension requiring resolution to the tonic. This tritone is the 'father of dissonance' in Western harmony. The authentic cadence (V7-I) is the fundamental progression driving Western music. The harmonic minor scale was developed to solve the problem that minor keys lacked dominant tension, enabling the cycle of fifths to work in minor keys. Minor key harmony operates through three interconnected systems: natural minor (basic scale), harmonic minor (raised seventh), and melodic minor (raised sixth and seventh).

The harmonic minor scale is characterized by a raised seventh degree (yettinchi qona ko'tariladi). In A harmonic minor: A-B-C-D-E-F-G#. The raised seventh creates a major third interval from the root, giving the scale a distinctive sound. In minor keys, the dominant chord is built from the fifth degree but uses the raised seventh degree (harmonic minor). For example, in A minor, the dominant chord is E-G#-B-D. The raised seventh (G#) creates a major third with the root (E), which is essential for the dominant function. This is why harmonic minor is used in minor keys.

The harmonic minor scale was created to solve a harmonic problem in minor keys: in natural minor, the fifth degree forms a minor chord (v) which lacks dominant function, but by raising the seventh degree (creating a major third above the fifth), the fifth degree becomes a dominant chord (V7) with a major third, enabling the classic II-V-I progression to work properly in minor keys.

The harmonic minor scale is particularly useful when improvising over dominant seventh chords that function as the V chord in minor keys. When a minor key progression includes a dominant seventh chord (such as G7 in C minor), the appropriate scale to use is the harmonic minor scale with the dominant chord as the root. This creates a natural and correct sound during those harmonic moments.

To create a major V chord in minor key music without breaking the rules, musicians invented the harmonic minor scale. This scale has the pattern: one, two, flat three, four, five, flat six, seven, eight. It is identical to natural minor except it has natural seven instead of flat seven, creating a step and a half interval. By raising the flat seven to natural seven, the third in the fifth mode is raised from flat three to major three, transforming the V chord from minor to major.

In C major, the seven diatonic triads are: C major (I), D minor (ii), E minor (iii), F major (IV), G major (V), A minor (vi), and B diminished (vii°). The three primary triads are C major (I), F major (IV), and G major (V), which contain all seven notes of the C major scale. The simplest harmonic progression is I-IV-V-I (tonic-subdominant-dominant-tonic). The dominant seventh chord (V7) is built by adding the seventh note to the dominant triad (e.g., G7 in C major: G-B-D-F). The seventh note creates a strong pull toward the tonic, making V7 resolve more strongly than the plain dominant triad. The progression V-I is natural and satisfying because V contains notes that resolve to both the tonic and subdominant. The progression IV-V is less natural because V strongly wants to resolve to I. Simple harmonic progressions can accompany any melody by selecting chords whose notes match the melody's notes. Mozart's Eine kleine Nachtmusik demonstrates that beautiful music can be created using only I and V chords.

Dominant secondary chords are non-diatonic chords that add special color to harmonic progressions. They are named using Roman numerals where the first number indicates the dominant function (5) and the second number indicates the target diatonic chord. The fundamental of any dominant secondary chord is always the sixth note of the scale. These chords are typically seventh chords (major with minor seventh) containing the tritone interval between the third and seventh, making them unstable and requiring immediate resolution. There are five dominant secondary chords: V7/ii, V7/iii, V7/IV, V7/V, and V7/vi. V7/ii resolves to the supertonic (second degree) with fundamental as the sixth note of the scale. V7/iii resolves to the mediant (third degree) with fundamental as the seventh note of the scale. Both chords must be placed on weak beats and differ from their diatonic counterparts primarily in their third (minor in diatonic, major in secondary).

The major harmonic field is the foundation of Western tonal harmony, formed by stacking thirds on each note of the scale. In C major, triads include: I (C major), ii (D minor), iii (E minor), IV (F major), V (G major), vi (A minor), vii° (B diminished). Tetrads add seventh degrees: I7, ii7, iii7, IV7, V7, vi7, viiø7. Any chord with '7' designation is a dominant chord (major with minor seventh). The vii° becomes viiø7 (half-diminished) when adding the seventh. This system enables melody harmonization, musical analysis, and composition.

In a major key, the primary triads are chords I, IV, and V (1, 4, 5), which are the most important and stable chords. The secondary triads are ii, iii, and vi (2, 3, 6), which are minor chords. The seventh chord (vii°) is called the leading note chord because it wants to resolve to the tonic.

Secondary dominant seventh chords are dominant seventh chords that do not belong to the home tonality but function as dominants to other chords. They can be V7 of II, V7 of III, V7 of IV, V7 of V, V7 of VI, and V7 of VII. The V7 of VII is uncommon because it would resolve to another dissonant chord. In minor keys, V7 of II is uncommon because the II chord functions as a diminished chord. The tritone with diminished fifth intervals must resolve to a stable interval, ideally a major third. The third note resolves to the tonic of the resolution chord as the ascending leading tone, while the seventh note resolves to the third of the resolution chord as the descending leading tone. This creates a chain of dominants where each dominant resolves to another dominant.

Embellishing tones are techniques that add movement and life to musical texture without altering fundamental harmonies, including chordal skips (leaping between notes of the same chord), passing tones (filling gaps between chord tones), neighbor tones (creating movement within stability), accented embellishments (on-beat passing tones and neighbor tones that emphasize dissonance), and suspensions (delaying expected notes through consonant preparation, dissonance, and resolution).

Non-chord tones add variety to melodies through passing tones and neighbor tones. Passing tones connect two different chord tones - for example, between C and E, the passing tone would be D. Neighbor tones connect the same chord tone by moving up or down by one half-step - for example, between two Cs, a neighbor tone could be D or B. These non-chord tones create melodic interest while maintaining harmonic function.

Non-chord tones (NCTs) are pitches that embellish chord tones and add character to music. The main types include: neighbor groups (escape tones + appoggiaturas), escape tones (step then leap opposite), passing tones (fill space between chord tones), anticipations (arrive early), chromatic passing tones (half-step motion), and appoggiaturas (leap then step opposite). Harmonic intervals must be classified as consonant (thirds, sixths, fifths, octaves) or dissonant (augmented/diminished intervals, perfect fourth above bass). In classical analysis (Mozart quintet), identify passing tones, seven-six suspensions, and lower neighbor tones. When creating embellishments, choose suspensions based on stepwise motion: nine-eight suspensions (ninth above bass resolves to octave), four-three suspensions (fourth above bass resolves to third), and bass suspensions (two-three). Each suspension should resolve by step to create proper tension and release.

Non-chord tones (or inessential notes) add melodic interest to plain harmony. Two main types exist: passing notes/passing tones (moving between chord tones by step) and auxiliary notes/neighbour tones (moving away from and returning to a repeated note). To apply passing notes, identify melodic thirds in any part and insert the intervening note between them. The technique requires approaching and leaving by step. Rhythmic variations like dotted notes, repeated initial notes, or changing note values from half to quarter notes can enhance the effect. Apply this primarily to the top line first, then consider lower parts where appropriate.

Embellishing tones (also called non-chord tones or non-harmonic tones) are notes that are not part of the prevailing chord but decorate structural notes in a melody, serving to add expressiveness and complexity to music; they are classified by their rhythmic placement (accented vs. unaccented) and their melodic movement (by step or by leap), with common types including passing tones (stepwise motion between chord tones), neighboring tones (decorating a single structural tone), appoggiaturas (accented tones approached by leap and resolved by step), anticipations (tones arriving early for the next chord), syncopations (accented notes on weak beats), and suspensions (prepared dissonances that resolve by step).

This comprehensive section covers the complete methodology for harmonizing Bach chorales in four parts. The foundational knowledge includes counterpoint, basso continuo, voice leading, and tessitura as essential skills. The cycle of fifths explains chord relationships, with major and minor keys having distinct harmonic fields. Essential rules include always beginning and ending with the tonic, using the fifth degree in the penultimate chord, and avoiding parallel fifths and octaves. The systematic procedure involves: establishing the first degree as the starting chord, using the fifth degree in the penultimate chord, analyzing each melodic note as a potential tonic, third, or fifth, and using the chord progression table method where each chord choice eliminates certain options for the next chord. Voice doubling rules include doubling the root only in root position, doubling the third when the soprano sings it, and avoiding parallel fifths and octaves.

A cadence is a two-chord progression used at the end of a musical phrase, and there are four types: Perfect (or Authentic), Plagal, Imperfect (or Half), and Interrupted (or Deceptive). A Perfect cadence progresses from chord V to chord I, such as G to C in C major, and creates a sense of finality. A Plagal cadence moves from chord IV to chord I, like F to C in C major, and is often described as softer or more gentle in resolution. An Imperfect cadence, also called a Half cadence, ends on chord V and may begin on chord I, II, or IV—for example, Dm to G in C major—producing an unfinished or suspended feeling. An Interrupted or Deceptive cadence surprises the listener by moving from chord V to chord VI instead of resolving to chord I, such as G to Am in C major, creating unexpected tension. Cadences are visually marked on sheet music with a horizontal line between the two chords. They are essential in composition for shaping the structure of musical phrases: Perfect and Plagal cadences signal completion, while Imperfect and Interrupted cadences suggest continuation or unresolved motion. Understanding these progressions helps composers control the emotional and structural flow of their music by choosing appropriate endings for phrases.

A plagal cadence is a 4:1 cadence, which is a progression from the four chord to the one chord. This is different from an authentic cadence, which progresses from the five chord to the one chord. Understanding these cadences helps musicians learn how to improvise over chord progressions.

A period in Bach chorales consists of two phrases, each ending with a cadence. The first period forms the first sector. The soprano melody is based on Lutheran hymn tunes that Bach harmonized, transforming simple diatonic melodies into complex compositions. Cadences can be open (creating tension) or closed (creating repose). Even when arriving at what seems like the dominant, it may function as local tension rather than the true tonic. We recognize this because when returning to the tonic, we hear it as the starting point rather than as a fourth degree.

The complete cadence consists of the fourth degree (subdominant), fifth degree (dominant), and first degree (tonic) in sequence, creating a fuller harmonic progression. A variant replaces the fourth degree with the second degree, which can fulfill the subdominant function when used in inversion. The plagal cadence (IV-I) is a conclusive cadence consisting of the fourth degree resolving to the first degree, such as F major to C major in C major. This cadence is particularly characteristic of hymns and religious music, providing a softer, more peaceful resolution compared to the authentic cadence.