1. Part Writing and Voice Leading THE #1 THING YOU’VE ALWAYS WANTED TO DO ON A TUESDAY

2. Voice Leading The basic vocabulary of tonal harmony consists of triads and seventh chords and its grammar involves the way in which these chords are selected using harmonic progression and connected using voice leading. Voice Leading (or part writing) is the ways in which chords are produced by the motions of individual melodic lines and is a close relative to counterpoint

3. Vocabulary Terms  Rhythm: Keep the rhythm simple with most durations being equal to or longer than the beat. The final note should occur on a strong beat (1 or 3)  Harmony: Every melody note should belong to the chord that it is to harmonize it (AKA: If it’s a I chord then every thing should be in the I chord)  Contour: The melody should be primarily conjunct (stepwise motion). The shape of the melody should be interesting but clear and simple with a single focal point

4. Vocabulary Terms continued…  Leaps: avoid augmented intervals, 7ths and intervals larger than a P8. Diminished intervals may be used but ONLY if the melody changes direction by step IMMEDIATELY after the diminished interval  A melodic interval larger than a P4 is usually best approached and left in the direction opposite to the leap  When smaller leaps are used consecutively in the same direction, they should outline a triad (i.e. 1-3-5) Tendency Tones: In tonal music 7 has a STRONG tendency to move up to 1 (we talked about that last week!). An exception is the scalewise line descending (1-7-6-5) Also consider 4-3 BUT NOT AS MUCH AS 7-1!!!!

5. Voicing Triads (The how we do it!) After you have decided which chord you are going to write, you now have to decide on the voicing of that triad (how the chord will be spaced) Think about these two terms when voicing a triad: Close structure: less than an octave between soprano and tenor Open structure: an octave or more between soprano and tenor

6. Things to avoid! (DON’T DO IT!) Crossed voices: Do NOT allow any part to cross above the soprano voice or below the bass voice. The alto and tenor can cross briefly BUT only if there is a musical reason to do so Spacing: When writing for 3 or more parts, avoid overly spacious sonorities by keeping adjacent upper parts (except for the bass….it’s in a league all on its own) within an octave of each other. FOR EXAMPLE: In a 4 part harmony, there shouldn’t be more than an octave between soprano and alto or between alto and tenor BUT there can be more than an octave between bass and tenor

7. Parallel Motion  Start to realize and consider relationships between any of the voices (SATB) in the texture. When music progresses from one chord to the next, there are five possible relationships between any two voices (or parts)  Static: Neither Part Moves  Oblique: Only one part moves  Contrary: Both move but in opposite directions  Similar: Both move in same direction but by different intervals  Parallel: Both move in same direction by the same interval

8. Types of 5ths and 8vas  In a four part texture (SATB), Parallel 5ths and/or Parallel 8va’s are always possible and must be given special attention.  Objectionable Parallels: when two parts are separated by a P5 or P8 or by their octave equivalents, move to new pitch classes that are separated by the same interval.  Contrary 5ths and 8ves: generally avoided in tonal music. Occasionally found at cadences ( we will get to that soon) when both melody and bass outline 5-1.  Unequal 5ths: results when a P5 is followed by a diminished 5 th or the reverse in the same two voices  Direct (hidden) 5 th or 8ve: when the outer parts move in the same direction into a P5 or P8, with a leap in the soprano part (with leap or step in bass)