6.3 Harmonic Analysis
4 min read•july 29, 2024
Harmonic analysis is the key to unlocking a song's inner workings. It's like decoding a musical puzzle, revealing how chords work together to create tension, resolution, and emotional impact. Understanding this helps you grasp the bigger picture of chord progressions and cadences.
By breaking down a piece into its harmonic elements, you can see how composers use chords to guide listeners through a musical journey. This knowledge is crucial for writing your own music, as it shows you how to craft compelling progressions and use cadences effectively.
Roman Numeral Analysis
Chord Identification and Qualities
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- Roman numerals represent chords based on their scale degree within a key
- Uppercase numerals (I, IV, V) indicate major chords
- Lowercase numerals (ii, iii, vi) indicate minor chords
- Chord qualities are determined by the intervals above the root
- Major chords: major third and perfect fifth (C, E, G)
- Minor chords: minor third and perfect fifth (A, C, E)
- Diminished chords: minor third and diminished fifth (B, D, F)
Chord Functions and Progressions
- Primary chord functions in tonal harmony
- (I): provides a sense of stability and resolution
- (IV): creates a sense of departure from the tonic
- Dominant (V): builds tension and leads back to the tonic
- Secondary chords provide additional harmonic color and can serve as substitutes
- Supertonic (ii), mediant (iii), submediant (vi), leading tone (vii°)
- are identified using Roman numerals with additional symbols
- (V/V), (bVI), (bII)
Harmonic Structure Analysis
Chord Progressions and Harmonic Motion
- Chord progressions create a sense of harmonic motion and tension-resolution
- Common progressions: I-IV-V-I, I-vi-IV-V, ii-V-I
- Each progression has a characteristic sound and function
- : the rate at which chords change
- Interacts with melodic and rhythmic elements of the composition
- Recurring harmonic patterns, sequences, or motifs contribute to structure and coherence
Cadences and Phrase Endings
- Cadences are specific chord progressions that occur at the ends of phrases or sections
- Provide a sense of closure or transition
- (PAC): V-I with the root in the soprano
- Provides the strongest sense of resolution
- (IAC): V-I with a non-root in the soprano
- Offers a slightly weaker resolution
- (PC): IV-I
- Creates a sense of subdominant-to-tonic resolution
- (HC): ends on V
- Creates a sense of incompleteness or anticipation
- (DC): V-vi
- Subverts the expected resolution to the tonic, creating surprise or prolongation of tension
Insights from Harmonic Analysis
Tonal Center, Mode, and Modulations
- Harmonic analysis reveals the tonal center and mode of a piece
- Identifies modulations to different keys
- Frequency and types of chord progressions indicate style, genre, or historical period
- Comparing harmonic language illuminates stylistic similarities, differences, and innovations
- Non-diatonic chords highlight moments of harmonic tension, color, or departure from the key
- Secondary dominants (V/ii), borrowed chords (iv in major), Neapolitan chords (bII)
Phrasal Structure and Formal Organization
- types and placement provide insights into phrasal structure and formal organization
- PACs often indicate the end of a section or movement
- IACs and DCs can be used to extend or develop musical ideas
- Harmonic analysis contributes to understanding the emotional or expressive impact of a composition
- Supports or enhances melodic, rhythmic, and formal aspects
Harmonic Analysis of Compositions
Analyzing Original Works or Arrangements
- Identify the key and label chords using Roman numerals
- Consider the quality and function of each chord within the harmonic context
- Annotate the score to indicate chord progressions, cadences, and non-diatonic chords
- Use symbols or abbreviations (PAC, IAC, HC, DC, V/V, bVI)
- Analyze the harmonic rhythm and its interaction with melodic and rhythmic elements
- Identify changes in harmonic rhythm and their effect on musical tension and release
- Identify recurring harmonic patterns, sequences, or motifs
- Determine how they contribute to the overall structure and coherence of the piece
Reflecting on Harmonic Choices and Expressive Impact
- Consider the emotional or expressive impact of the harmonic choices
- How do they support or enhance the melodic, rhythmic, and formal aspects?
- Reflect on the use of non-diatonic chords and their effect on musical tension and color
- Secondary dominants, borrowed chords, Neapolitan chords
- Analyze the placement and types of cadences
- How do they contribute to the phrasal structure and formal organization?
- Compare the harmonic language of the composition to other works or styles
- Identify similarities, differences, and innovations in the use of harmony
Key Terms to Review (26)
Binary form: Binary form is a musical structure that consists of two contrasting sections, typically labeled A and B. This form is often used in various musical contexts to create a sense of movement and contrast, allowing composers to develop themes effectively. It can also provide a framework for harmonic exploration and thematic development, making it a fundamental aspect of many musical works.
Borrowed chords: Borrowed chords are harmonies taken from a parallel key, typically used to add color and contrast within a piece of music. By incorporating chords from a related scale, composers can create unexpected shifts in mood and texture, enriching the harmonic language of their compositions. This technique is particularly effective in enhancing emotional expression and complexity in harmonic progressions.
C Major Key Signature: The C Major key signature is defined by the absence of sharps and flats, meaning it contains only the natural notes of the musical scale. This simplicity makes it one of the most fundamental keys in Western music, serving as a foundation for understanding more complex key signatures and harmonic relationships. The C Major key is often associated with bright, clear sounds and is frequently used in both classical and popular music contexts.
Cadence: A cadence is a musical term that refers to a sequence of chords that brings a phrase, section, or piece to a close. It functions as a punctuation mark in music, indicating the end of a thought or idea and often providing a sense of resolution. Cadences can vary in their strength and type, influencing how music is perceived in terms of its melodic and harmonic flow.
Chord Progression: A chord progression is a sequence of chords played in a specific order that forms the harmonic backbone of a piece of music. These progressions create a sense of movement and emotional expression, guiding the listener through various musical phrases. By establishing a relationship between different chords, they help define the tonal center and contribute to the overall structure and character of a composition.
Deceptive Cadence: A deceptive cadence is a harmonic progression that creates an expectation for resolution but instead leads to an unexpected chord, usually moving from the dominant chord (V) to the submediant (vi). This surprising shift serves to prolong tension and can add emotional depth to a piece of music, making it an important concept in harmonic analysis, cadence types, common chord progressions, and the use of secondary dominants.
Diminished Chord: A diminished chord is a three-note chord that consists of a root note, a minor third, and a diminished fifth, creating a unique and tense sound. The diminished quality arises from the interval structure, which results in a symmetrical sound due to the stacking of minor thirds. This chord is often used in harmonic progressions to create tension that resolves into more stable chords.
Dominant seventh chord: A dominant seventh chord is a four-note chord formed by stacking a major triad with a minor seventh above the root. It plays a crucial role in tonal music as it typically leads to the tonic, creating tension that resolves in harmonic progressions. The dominant seventh chord's distinctive sound is essential for establishing a strong sense of key and movement within a piece.
Functional Harmony: Functional harmony refers to the system of chord progressions and their roles within a tonal framework, where chords are understood in relation to the key center and their functions as tonic, dominant, or subdominant. This concept emphasizes how different chords lead to one another, creating a sense of movement and resolution in music. Understanding functional harmony helps in analyzing compositions, crafting smooth transitions between chords, and enhancing melodic lines through appropriate harmonic support.
G minor key signature: The g minor key signature consists of two flats: B♭ and E♭. This signature indicates that any B and E in the music should be played as B♭ and E♭, which fundamentally shapes the tonal center of compositions in g minor. Understanding this key signature is essential for harmonic analysis, as it helps identify chord functions and the overall mood of a piece, allowing for deeper insights into compositional techniques and emotional expression.
Half Cadence: A half cadence is a musical phrase that ends on the dominant chord (V) and creates a sense of pause or incomplete resolution. This type of cadence typically follows a progression that leads up to the V chord, leaving the listener expecting further movement, often towards the tonic (I). In harmonic analysis, half cadences are significant as they indicate points of tension and anticipation within a piece, shaping the overall structure and flow of the music.
Harmonic Chart: A harmonic chart is a visual representation that outlines the harmonic progression of a piece of music, showing the relationships between chords and their functions within a musical context. It typically uses Roman numerals to denote chord functions relative to a key, helping to analyze how harmony develops over time and can aid in the understanding of a piece's structure and emotional impact.
Harmonic Rhythm: Harmonic rhythm refers to the rate at which chords change within a piece of music. It plays a crucial role in establishing the overall flow and movement of a composition, influencing how melodies are perceived and how tension and resolution are created. By varying harmonic rhythm, composers can create different musical textures, enhance melodic contour, and establish a specific emotional character in their works.
Imperfect Authentic Cadence: An imperfect authentic cadence is a type of musical resolution that typically involves the movement from the dominant chord (V) to the tonic chord (I), but does not fulfill the criteria for a perfect authentic cadence. It is characterized by either the presence of a chord inversion or the tonic note not being in the highest voice, creating a less conclusive ending than its perfect counterpart.
Lead Sheet: A lead sheet is a form of music notation that provides essential information for musicians, typically including the melody, lyrics, and chord symbols. It serves as a basic framework for a piece, allowing performers to interpret and expand upon the music with their own style. This format is particularly useful in genres like jazz and pop, where improvisation and individual expression are key components.
Major scale: A major scale is a diatonic scale that consists of seven distinct pitches arranged in a specific pattern of whole and half steps, characterized by the interval sequence: whole, whole, half, whole, whole, whole, half. This scale serves as a foundation for understanding harmony and melody, establishing a tonal center, and is essential for building chords and progressing through musical compositions.
Modulation: Modulation is the process of changing from one key to another within a piece of music, often enhancing emotional expression and structural complexity. This shift can be achieved through various techniques, impacting harmonic analysis, chord progressions, and the overall form of a composition.
Natural minor scale: The natural minor scale is a seven-note scale that follows a specific pattern of whole and half steps, creating a distinctive sound characterized by its darker, more melancholic tonality. It is derived from the major scale but starts on the sixth degree, resulting in a unique set of intervals. Understanding this scale is crucial for harmonic analysis, creating progressions, constructing triads, and recognizing intervals and chords.
Neapolitan Chords: Neapolitan chords are chromatic chords typically built on the lowered second scale degree, often notated as N or ♭II. These chords are commonly found in first inversion and serve as predominant chords, leading smoothly into the dominant chord. Their distinct sound adds richness and tension to harmonic progressions, making them a valuable tool in both classical and contemporary music composition.
Non-diatonic chords: Non-diatonic chords are chords that do not belong to the scale or key of a piece of music, introducing tones that lie outside the established harmonic framework. They serve to create tension, color, and contrast, often enhancing the emotional impact of a piece by breaking the expected harmonic patterns. These chords can be used for modulation, chromaticism, or adding complexity to the overall harmonic texture.
Perfect Authentic Cadence: A perfect authentic cadence is a strong resolution that occurs when a dominant chord (V) resolves to the tonic chord (I) in root position, with the tonic note in the highest voice. This type of cadence creates a sense of finality and closure, often used at the end of musical phrases or sections. Understanding this cadence is crucial for analyzing harmonic progressions, recognizing its function within the broader context of music, and applying it in four-part writing to create effective resolutions.
Plagal Cadence: A plagal cadence is a harmonic progression that moves from the subdominant chord (IV) to the tonic chord (I), often creating a feeling of resolution or completion. Commonly referred to as the 'Amen cadence' due to its frequent use in hymns and religious music, it serves to establish a sense of finality while also differing from the stronger perfect cadence (V-I). This type of cadence plays an essential role in harmonic analysis, cadence types, common chord progressions, harmonic progression rules, four-part writing principles, and the understanding of phrases and periods.
Secondary Dominants: Secondary dominants are chords that function as the dominant (V) of a chord other than the tonic in a given key, creating tension and leading to a resolution to that chord. They are a common way to add harmonic interest and variety to chord progressions, making them an essential element in tonal music. By introducing these non-diatonic chords, composers can create temporary modulations and enhance the expressive quality of their music.
Sonata Form: Sonata form is a musical structure often used in the first movement of sonatas, symphonies, and chamber works, characterized by three main sections: exposition, development, and recapitulation. This form allows for the presentation and exploration of themes, offering composers a framework to develop musical ideas through contrast and variation while maintaining a cohesive structure. Its flexibility in thematic development and harmonic exploration makes it a foundational element in Western classical music.
Subdominant: The subdominant is the fourth degree of the diatonic scale, typically represented by the IV chord, and plays a crucial role in harmonic progression and creating musical tension. It functions as a bridge between the tonic and dominant chords, contributing to a sense of movement and resolution within a piece of music.
Tonic: The tonic is the first and most important note of a scale, serving as the home base or point of resolution for melodies and harmonies. It establishes the key of a piece, providing a sense of stability and grounding for both listeners and performers.