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Figured bass might look a bit mysterious if you've never seen it before. Even if
you have heard of it, you might think it's rather strange!
Most theory students find that having a teacher to help with figured bass is essential.
MyMusicTheory also offers a teacher-led harmony course which covers figured bass and
harmonising a melody in a step-by-step way, with plenty of guided practice exercises.
Please click here for more information about our tutored harmony course.
So, let's find out what figured bass is all about.
This is what it looks like - the figured bass is the little numbers and accidentals written
underneath the lower stave:
Figured bass is a shorthand method of composing. It was invented during the Baroque
period (about 1600-1750). In those days, composers only wrote out a melody and a bass
line (and not any of the middle parts). The melody was played (or sung) by a soloist, and
the bass line was usually played on a keyboard instrument, such as the harpsichord or
organ.
Obviously, the keyboard player needed to do a bit more than just play the bass line with his
or her left hand, but where was the rest of the music? Well, he or she had to improvise! The
composer added small numbers underneath the bass line, like a kind of code, which told the
player which chords to play. However, this code (which is the "figured bass") didn't tell the
player exactly how to play the chords - for example, they could choose to play them as
solid chords, broken chords or could weave them into heavily decorated individual voice
lines.
In fact, keyboard players in those days were judged on their ability to create amazing
improvisations from a figured bass - and of course, the same piece of music would be
played in totally different ways by different musicians.
Don't worry though - in grade six theory you only need to write out the chords in their most
basic forms - you don't need to add anything fancy (except perhaps a passing note or two!)
In the modern world, you can find a similar kind of thing in sheet music for pop songs. Have
you ever seen a tune written out with chord markings for piano or guitar? The accompanist
uses the suggested chords, but plays them in whatever way they feel like. Figured bass is
just the same, except that there are a few rules you have to obey - the rules of harmony.
Figured bass is hardly ever used today except in music theory exams, or in early music
groups. So why is it tested? Well, it's been part of the study of music theory for hundreds of
years and it's an excellent way to test your knowledge of harmony. Although no one
composes using figured bass any more, it's still a useful way of referring to chords and
chord progressions quickly. Figured bass is a compulsory part of Grade Six Theory.
5-3 Chords
5-3 means root position chord.
Look at the bass note (B). Add a note which is a fifth higher (F#) and another which is a
third higher (D). This makes a root position chord: B-D-F#.
The F# and D can occur in any octave, and because this is four-part harmony, one of the
notes will need to be repeated.
In this example chord, the B (root) is repeated in the tenor part, and the F# and D are on the
treble stave, built as compound intervals (more than an octave) from the bass note.
6-3 Chords
A 6-3 chord is a first inversion chord.
The notes we need to write are a third and a sixth above the bass note.
Here is a bass note C. We need to add a note a sixth higher (A) and another a third higher
than the bass (E). This gives us the chord notes C-A-E, with C in the bass. It is an A minor
chord in first inversion, with a doubled root.
Because 6-3 chords are also very common, they are usually just written as a lone 6 instead
of 6-3. The figure 6 means first inversion.
6-4 Chords
A 6-4 chord is a second inversion chord.
The notes we need to write are a fourth and a sixth higher than the bass note.
Here the bass note is C. The figured bass tells us to add F (a fourth above C) and A (a sixth
above C). The chord notes are C-F-A, which is F major in second inversion.
Chromatic Alteration
Figured bass sometimes includes sharps, flats or naturals. The accidental is written next to
the figure which it affects.
If the accidental is not next to a figure, but just appears on its own, then it always refers to
the 3rd above the bass.
For example:
Chromatic alteration is very common in minor keys, where the dominant chord has a
sharpened third which does not appear in the key signature. For example in A minor, the
dominant chord is E major, with a G sharp accidental.
Lines
Horizontal lines in figured bass mean that the same harmony applies to two or more notes.
It means "don't change the chord!".