This sheet has two purposes: the check list, and some thoughts on making progressions. Use the checklist to check any homework you turn in. The thoughts on making progressions we will discuss in class.
Every chord must contain root and third of chord; no open fifth.
An incomplete triad with tripled root and a third or two roots and two thirds, or a dominant seventh with two roots, third and seventh, are possible if those using those alternatives produces smoother (stepwise) voice leading. Do not use these alternatives unless they make smoother voice leading or avoid chord connection problems like unwanted parallels, overlapping or voice crossing.
Dominant (V) chord must be major in both major and minor keys; raise the third of the dominant chord (seventh tone of the scale) in minor key (like harmonic minor).
Do all of the notes in the chord belong to I, or V, or V7 of the key? For now, these are the only possibilities.
Is the chord the one specified by figured bass, Roman numerals or letter names?
Special Bass Check: Make sure the note in the bass is the one specified by the figured bass or required by the exercise. Determine whether the written bass note is the root, third, fifth or seventh of the chord; then make sure it is the one specified.
Chords may be in open or close spacing; changing from open to close or close to open spacing happens frequently in four voice textures.
There should never be more than an octave between soprano & alto and between alto & tenor voices.
Double root unless another doubling produces better (stepwise) voice leading.
Never double the leading tone in a dominant (V) or leading tone (VII) chord..
Never double the seventh in a dominant seventh chord.
Make sure soprano, alto, tenor and bass are within the normal range of each voice, (In keyboard spacing OK for tenor to go higher than normal tenor range.)
Steps should predominate in the upper voices; the bass line will skip more often between roots of chords. Avoid the augmented second in minor.
All consonant melodic leaps (3rd, perfect 4th, perfect 5th, 6th, octave) are allowed. In general, no dissonant leaps&emdash;this means no seventh leaps. OK to leap down diminished fifth in major or minor (from 4th to 7th scale degree) or diminished fourth in minor (from 3rd to 7th scale degree) if next note is a step up.
Leaps by fifth will dominate the bass line, especially at first; the soprano should use leaps sparingly, to create an interesting contour. Inner voices should move primarily by step; avoid leaps larger than a fourth or fifth in inner voices.
General guideline: a leap followed be a step in the opposite direction is always effective. The larger the leap, the more this becomes essential. Leaps of 3rd, perfect 4th or perfect 5th are often followed by a step in the same direction; leaps of a 6th or octave always require a change of direction in the line, usually by step.
Consecutive leaps in the same direction must outline a major or minor triad.
Movement from one chord to another should usually involve a mixture of parallel, similar, contrary and oblique motion. Avoid all four voices moving in the same direction, especially by leap.
Consecutive fifths and octaves
If there is the interval of an octave or perfect fifth between 2 voices in a chord, make sure that same interval does not recur between the same 2 voices in the next chord.
Movement into an octave or perfect fifth in similar motion
If the interval between soprano and bass is an octave or perfect fifth, then make sure that if the two voices move in similar motion to the octave or fifth, then the soprano moves by step.
Tenor and alto may cross occasionally if the crossing produces better melodic lines and/or makes the voice leading smoother in these parts. Do not cross bass with tenor or soprano with alto.
Avoid overlapping voices; it is usually preferable to change from closed to open or open to closed spacing from one chord to the next.
Half Steps in Scales
Half steps call for special care.
The half step between 7 and 8 in major and with the raised 7th degree in minor is especiall