QEGS Music Department
Harmony: playing several notes together at the same time to make chords. Harmony can be consonant (pleasant sounding) or dissonant (clashing)
Harmony
Triads
Chords of three notes. Each note of the chord is the interval of a third from its neighbours. Triads can be major, minor, augmented or diminished depending on whether they are made up of major or minor thirds.
Primary and Secondary Triads
Primary triads are the most important and commonly used chords in any given key. These are chords I, IV and V. Secondary triads are also used but are considered less stable as they do not establish the tonality as firmly. Secondary triads are therefore useful for colour or when considering modulation.
Extended Chords
Extended chords are triads with additional thirds added. 7ths are the most common extended chord. 9ths, 11ths and 13ths are also used, but are most commonly found in jazz music and compositions of the 20th and 21st centuries.
Inversions
Inversions are when triads are turned upside down, usually to create a more melodic bass line. In root position, the root of the chord is in the bass. In first inversion, the third of the chord is in the bass. In second inversion, the fifth of the chord is in the bass. Extended chords can have further inversions depending on the number of notes in the chord.
Augmented Sixth Chord
An augmented sixth chord is built on the flattened sixth degree of the scale and has an augmented sixth between its bass and upper note. There are three variations on the inner notes of the augmented sixth: French, German and Italian. The augmented sixth usually resolves to the dominant, or it can be used in modulations.
Diminished Seventh Chord
Diminished seventh chords are made up of four notes, each a minor third apart. Because of their symmetrical structure, they can be used in any inversion interchangeably and thus are useful pivot chords for modulations.
Neapolitan Sixth Chord
A chord built on the flattened second of the scale and played in first inversion. Like the augmented sixth, the Neapolitan sixth is a chromatically altered chord that resolves to the dominant, usually at cadences. It is also used in modulations.
Phrygian Cadence
Chords IVb-V in a minor key, creating a semitone movement in the bass line. Often found in Baroque music at the close of an inner, slower section of the music.
Suspension
Suspensions are a special type of dissonance used to create tension and interest. The dissonant note in a suspension must be prepared in the previous chord and resolved downwards by step in the following chord. The preparation-dissonance-resolution sequence is what creates the suspension.
Figurations
Figurations are the different ways in which chords can be played. All the notes can be played simultaneously as block chords but broken chords, oom-pah textures and ostinati are also options.
Circle of Fifths
The circle of fifths is a chord progression where each chord is a perfect fifth away from the chords either side of it. The circle can be used in either direction and is a useful tool for modulating to unrelated or distant keys.
Cadences
Cadences are musical punctuation, used to provide natural breaking points in the music. Cadences are made up of pairs of chords. There are four main types of cadences, each with their own function: Perfect, Imperfect, Plagal and Interrupted.
Harmonic Sequence
A harmonic sequence is when a chord progression is repeated either up or down a tone.
Pedal
A pedal is a sustained bass note underneath changing harmony. A pedal in the top part of the texture is called an inverted pedal and a pedal in the middle of the texture is called an inner pedal. Note that the chords around the pedal must be changing for it to qualify - otherwise the sustained note is called a drone.