Basics of Tonal Harmony

Tonal = there is a tonal center (tonic) that the music gravitates towards.

Each key (Major/Minor) is divided into seven degrees (I, II, III etc.). Each of these degrees
can be a root of a harmony (chord) built on top of it. Classical harmony uses thirds stacked
upon a root to derive its chords. Therefore the simplest possible chord is one with two thirds
over the root (= the root, a third and a fifth) = Triad. Three thirds over the root (= root, third,
fifth and a seventh) = 7th chord. Next one - 9th chord, etc.

Triad types: Major, Minor, Diminished, Augmented

7th chord types: Major, Major-minor (“=dominant”), Minor, Minor-major (rare),

Half-Diminished, Diminished, Augmented

Inversions: In music, a chord can be set in a near infinite number of ways. The order of the
notes mostly has no influence on the perception of harmony (=it all sounds like the same
chord). The most important note/voice for the perception of harmony is the bass note – it
determines the inversion of the chord.

Triad: Root in bass = root position, 3rd in bass = 6th chord, 5th in bass = 6-4 chord.

7th chord: root in bass = 7th chord (root position), 3rd in bass = 6-5 chord, 5th in bass = 4-3
chord, 7th in bass = 2(-4) chord

Common way to label a chord in pop music: C/E = C Major over E (= E in the bass)

Degree theory labels a chord based on the degree of the scale that chord is built on (the
important note here is the ROOT, not the bass) and a number to show the chord’s inversion
(the important note here is the BASS). So in the key of C Major, the abovementioned chord is
a I6 (1st degree, 6th chord = 1st inversion, because the third of the chord – E – is in the bass).
This same chord can also be IV6 in G Major for example. ⇒ We are starting to put the chord
in the context of the key, not just as an absolute value.

The functional theory goes one step further and doesn’t only care about where the chord is
found in the key, but what role it plays there. The three main functions are Tonic (represented
by I), Subdominant (represented by IV, the definition of which has recently been broadened to
include more chords and is thus more appropriately labeled pre-dominant) and Dominant
(represented by V). According to this theory, all the other degrees can be seen as substitutes
of the main I, IV and V and will belong in one way or another to one of the three main
functions. The inversions are signified by writing which note is in the bass below the chord
symbol (such as T3 for our chord above = 3rd in the bass instead of I6)

Figured bass: very similar to the degree theory, except the degrees are not mentioned - only
the arabic numerals for chord inversions/shapes.

All the notes in the discussions above are called chord notes – those that belong to a certain
chord/harmony. They are necessary to be able to recognize a chord as such. In music,
however, many other notes appear together with the chord notes - non-chord notes. There are
several types:

Passing note: follows a chord note and continues in the same direction

Neighbour note: follows a chord note and returns in the other direction

Suspension: at the beginning of a harmony, resolves to a chord note

Anticipation: at the end of a harmony, “anticipates” the chord note of the following harmony.

There are several voice leading rules, most of which are broken at one point or another by
real composers. Nevertheless they are mostly followed and considered the standard. The most
important are:

- Avoiding parallel (and antiparallel) 5ths and 8ths

- Avoiding hidden 5ths and 8ths (=entering a 5th or 8th in outer voices by moving in
the same direction if the top voice jumps)
- The leading note (VII) should be resolved up to I
- The 7th of a chord should be resolved downwards.
- Critical notes including alterations and leading notes should never be doubled