Voice Leading Basics: Relative Motion in Four-Part Chorale Style

This section covers the three main voice leading rules for secondary leading tone chords. Rule 1: Resolve the chordal seventh down by step (standard practice for all seventh chords). Rule 2: Resolve the temporary leading tone up by step (the chordal root of the secondary leading tone chord). Rule 3: Move the remaining two voices by step to double the chordal third of the destination chord. The instructor notes that fully-diminished seventh chords are more common than half-diminished seventh chords because the two tritones intensify directionality to the expected resolution.

The leading tone (sensible) must always resolve to the tonic. This applies regardless of the key (major or minor). The leading tone can only be avoided in exceptional cases of common sense, such as when the following chord does not contain the tonic. This typically occurs when the dominant resolves to the second or fourth degree rather than the tonic.

Common tone retention: When chords share common tones, retain those tones while moving other voices to create proper distribution. Dominant resolution: When chord 5 appears, its common tone must resolve to the root. 2-5 connections: Lower the 2nd degree to the 7th degree. 5-6 connections: Raise the common tone to the root and lower other voices. Parallel fifths and octaves must be avoided. Voice crossing to the same pitch is acceptable but voice swapping is not.

The seventh chord on the seventh degree should connect to the dominant seventh chord, not directly to the tonic sixth chord. The reason is that the seventh chord's seventh note (the leading tone) needs to resolve to the tonic's third. If the seventh chord connects directly to the tonic sixth, the leading tone resolution is not achieved. The proper progression is: seventh chord → dominant seventh → tonic sixth. This rule applies to both major and minor keys.

Tone resolution is the concept that notes and chords in a musical progression have an inherent desire to move from one to another, creating an invisible force that pushes music forward. Within a scale, certain notes are 'inactive' (stable) while others are 'active' (unstable). In C major, the root (C), third (E), and fifth (G) are inactive and fit comfortably within the chord, while the fourth (F), sixth (A), and seventh (B) are active and create tension. A standard chord progression (I-IV-V7-I in C major: C-F-G7-C) naturally wants to resolve back to the tonic. The strongest resolutions are: the superonic (D) resolves down to the tonic (C); the subdominant (F) resolves up to the dominant (G); the leading tone (B) resolves up to the octave (C). The dominant seventh chord (G7) contains a seventh that creates additional tension, transforming a stable chord into an unstable one that strongly wants to resolve back to the root. By using these resolutions, musicians can create music that feels safe, happy, and stable, commonly used in children's television theme music.

Doubling rules address how to handle triads in four voices since older classical music is triad-based with only three unique notes. The general principle is to double the most stable note in the chord. In root position triads, this is almost always the root. In first inversion triads, the choice depends on the chord's function, with a useful guideline to double the chord tone that is either the tonic, fourth, or fifth degree of the key. Second inversion triads always double the bass due to their specific uses in four-part writing. However, the leading tone should never be doubled in a dominant function chord.

When arranging a three-note triad across four voices, one note must be doubled since there are only three chord tones. Three simple guidelines govern this process: First, the default for major and minor chords is to double the root of the chord, with one root typically placed in the bass (for root position chords). Second, if doubling the root becomes difficult due to specific harmonic situations, doubling the third is preferable. Third, doubling the fifth is acceptable but less preferred than doubling the root or third. Third, sensitive pitches—notes with strong resolution tendency such as the leading tone—should never be doubled. For example, in the key of C, B is the leading tone; if voicing a G chord where B would be the third, it should not be doubled. Instead, double the root or fifth.

Four-part harmony requires four notes, but triads only have three, so one note must be doubled. The doubling rule depends on inversion: in root position (53), double the root; in first inversion (63), double the third; in second inversion (64), double the fifth. This creates a finished sound when the tonic surrounds the chord. These rules apply when writing four-part harmony, cadences, and other harmonic progressions.

In four-part harmony writing, primary triads (I, IV, V) require doubling the root note in root and first inversions, and the fifth in second inversion, while secondary triads (ii, iii, vi, vii) require doubling the third in root and first inversions; the leading note must never be doubled, and all voice spacings should remain within an octave.

When part writing root position triads in four-part harmony, always double the root note; however, there are two important exceptions: (1) in the final chord of a piece, you may triple the root and omit the fifth for a more relaxed, restful sound, and (2) during a deceptive resolution (V to vi), you should double the third of the vi chord instead of the root. Additionally, when moving from one root position triad to another, use contrary motion where the bass moves up by step and all upper voices move down, which helps avoid parallel fifths and other unacceptable intervals.

Figured bass is a Baroque music shorthand system where Arabic numbers indicate chord inversions: no number means root position, 6 means first inversion triad, 64 means second inversion triad, 65 means seventh chord in first inversion, 43 means second inversion seventh chord, and 42 means third inversion seventh chord; a slash through a number indicates the note above the bass is raised one half step, and any standalone accidental means the third above the bass must have that accidental. When realizing figured bass into four-part chorale style (SATB), composers should maintain common tones, avoid doubling the fifth of chords (except cadential 64), ensure the seventh resolves down by step, and allow the leading tone to resolve up, while avoiding parallel perfect fifths and octaves.

Standalone accidentals in figured bass always modify the third above the bass; slashed numbers indicate chromatic alterations. Converting figured bass to Roman numerals reveals harmonic functions: root position chords match scale degrees, first inversions show bass as third. Pivot chords function in two keys simultaneously, facilitating modulation. Realizing figured bass involves completing middle voices (alto and tenor) with smooth voice leading. Bach's chorales demonstrate sophisticated voice leading beyond basic realization, often including passing notes and embellishments. The tierce de picardie convention raises the final chord's third in minor keys for brighter resolution.

Figured bass is a Baroque-era harmonic notation system where a written bass line includes numerical markings below each note to indicate which intervals above that bass note should be played, allowing performers to realize the harmony by assigning voices and creating smooth melodic lines; the numbers represent intervals (e.g., 5/3 for root position triads, 6/3 for first inversion, 6/4 for second inversion, and 7/6 for seventh chords), with some numbers assumed by convention (like the 5 and 3 in root position), and accidentals can be added to non-diatonic notes to modify specific chord tones.

Figured bass describes chords using numbers representing intervals above the bass note. Root position triads (5-3) are abbreviated to nothing, first inversion (6-3) to 6, and second inversion (6-4) must be written fully. This convention exists because root position and first inversion are extremely common. The system was popular during the Baroque period for indicating chord voicings and remains valuable for analytical purposes when combined with Roman numerals.

This segment covers the complete process of analyzing and harmonizing a chorale using figured bass notation. The instructor demonstrates how to write figures for different chords: 35 for triads, 6/4 for six-four chords, and 7 for seventh chords. Key concepts include recognizing when to write figures (like 35 followed by 6/4), understanding hemiola rhythms, and applying harmonic principles in minor mode. The instructor explains that when the same notes appear in different harmonic contexts, the same principles apply, and demonstrates how a six-four chord can progress to a seven harmony with a sharp.

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).

Non-harmonic tones are melodic notes unrelated to the underlying harmony. Chord tones (Bb, D, F in Bb major) form the foundation. Tensions (C, G) are scale notes that don't clash with chord tones. Fast dissonant notes become non-harmonic tones. Types include: neighboring tone (step away then back), passing tone (connect chord tones through middle note), reaching tone (overshoot target), escape tone (feint away then return), suspension (hold previous chord note into new chord), anticipation (play new chord note before change), and pedal tone (repeat note while harmony moves). Each serves to add decoration, smooth motion, or create forward momentum in melodies.

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.

Nonharmonic tones are notes that don't belong to the current chord but serve important melodic functions; passing tones move stepwise in one direction between chord tones (e.g., C to B to A), while neighbor tones move stepwise in opposite directions (e.g., C to B back to C), both creating tension that resolves back to chord tones.

Neighbor tones and passing tones in inner voices add color and melodic value without disrupting harmony. These tones are fundamentally not going to mess with the harmony because they always sound like they need to resolve, keeping the focus on the main chord tones. When moving to a dominant chord (especially 1-5 or 5-1 progressions), omitting the fifth of one of the chords can improve voice leading and help avoid parallelism. This technique is very common in four-part writing. The omitted fifth creates space for other voices to move more freely, and the resulting voicing can still sound consonant because the fifth is rendered consonant by the other chord members. These techniques allow for smoother voice leading while maintaining harmonic clarity.