#41 LEARN FREE MUSIC THEORY

Andrew Furmanczyk

1 Dec 201048:25

EducationalLearning

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TLDRThe video explains imperfect cadences in music theory, focusing on common patterns like I to V, II to V, IV to V for major keys and i to V, ii6 to V, iv to V for minor keys. It provides guidance on important concepts for smooth voice leading like contrary motion, common tones, and small intervals between voices. Detailed visual examples are analyzed, comparing the advantages of different voice arrangements. Viewers are encouraged to practice writing cadences in multiple keys, experiment with variations, and always follow the rules around contrary motion and common tones for the best sound.

Takeaways

😀 Introduces imperfect cadences and how they differ from perfect cadences
😯 Explains common imperfect cadences like I-V, ii-V, iv-V in major and minor keys
📝 Shows examples of smooth voice leading for common imperfect cadences
🎹 Discusses importance of contrary motion and common tones in voice leading
🎶 Explains rules for ranges between voices like less than an octave
✏️ Walks through strategies for writing good imperfect cadences in coral style
🤔 Compares merits of different imperfect cadence voice leading options
🎓 Notes that these concepts prep you for more advanced harmonic analysis
👂🏽 Encourages learners to play/listen to cadences to intuit what sounds best
📚 Gives homework to write imperfect cadences in various keys to practice

Q & A

What is an imperfect cadence and how is it different from a perfect cadence?
-An imperfect cadence ends on the dominant chord (V) while a perfect cadence ends on the tonic chord (I). Imperfect cadences create tension and want to resolve to the tonic, while perfect cadences sound resolved.
What are the most common imperfect cadences discussed in this lesson?
-The most common imperfect cadences discussed are: I to V, ii to V, IV to V in major keys and i to V, ii dim6 to V, iv to V in minor keys. They all end on the dominant.
What is contrary motion and why is it important in voice leading?
-Contrary motion is when one voice moves up while another moves down. It creates smooth voice leading between chords instead of all voices moving in parallel.
What is a common tone and how can it improve voice leading?
-A common tone is a pitch that is held in common between two chords. This can make the transition between chords smoother.
Why is it best to limit intervals between adjacent voices to less than an octave?
-If intervals between voices exceed an octave, the chords sound less connected. Keeping voices within an octave creates tighter harmonies.
What causes a diminished triad?
-A diminished triad is created when there are two minor thirds stacked between chord tones, creating a dissonant sound.
Why raise the 7th scale degree in minor key harmony?
-Raising the 7th creates a leading tone to the tonic, improving the cadence resolution. This is called harmonic minor.
What defines the figured bass numbers under chords?
-The figured bass denotes inversions - 53 means the 5th of the chord is in the bass. A 6 indicates the 6th scale degree (3rd of chord) is in the bass.
Why is voice leading in chorale style different than keyboard style?
-In chorale style, you have 4 independent voices and must follow rules to connect the chords smoothly. Keyboard style involves playing chords, so voice leading is not a consideration.
What is the homework assignment for this lesson?
-The homework is to write out each cadence example from the lesson in 3 different keys, following good voice leading rules.

Outlines

00:00

🎵 Introducing imperfect cadences

The narrator introduces the concept of imperfect cadences, explaining that they end on the dominant chord rather than the tonic and give a sense of forward motion. He previews upcoming lessons on incorporating imperfect and perfect cadences into melodies.

05:03

🎹 Overview of imperfect cadence types

The narrator provides an overview chart of the different options for imperfect cadences in major and minor keys. He explains the Roman numeral notation and chords used. The common thread is that imperfect cadences always end on the dominant chord.

10:05

🎼 Rules for smooth voice leading

The narrator outlines important rules for smooth voice leading when writing imperfect cadences in four-part harmony: contrary motion, common tones, small intervals between voices, and limits on interval spans between voices.

15:07

😊 Example of major imperfect cadence: I to V

The narrator walks through an example of a I to V imperfect cadence in C major, explaining the chord tones, voice leading considerations, contrary motion, and common tones. He explains why this voice leading is smooth and effective.

20:07

😊 Example of minor imperfect cadence: i to V

The narrator provides an example of a i to V imperfect cadence in C minor, choosing a less ideal voice leading to illustrate the differences. He analyzes why the first C major example has better voice leading.

25:09

🎹 Example of major and minor imperfect cadence: ii6 to V

The narrator shows examples of a ii6 to V imperfect cadence in C major and C minor, explaining the voice leading decisions, including using a diminished 6th chord to enable smooth resolution to the dominant.

30:10

😊 Example of major and minor imperfect cadence: iv to V

The narrator provides examples of a iv to V imperfect cadence in C major and C minor. He stresses that contrary motion is more important than common tones for smooth voice leading.

35:13

📝 Homework on writing imperfect cadences

The narrator assigns homework to write out all the cadence examples covered in the lesson in three different keys, checking voice leading rules. This will develop familiarity with imperfect cadence patterns.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Cadence

A cadence refers to a chord progression that creates a sense of closure or resolution in a musical phrase or piece. The video focuses on 'imperfect cadences', which resolve to the dominant chord rather than the tonic chord, creating an unresolved feeling that propels the music forward.

💡Voice leading

Voice leading refers to the linear movement of individual vocal lines or musical voices in a chord progression. The video stresses the importance of smooth voice leading through techniques like contrary motion between voices and using common tones to connect chords.

💡Chord tones

Chord tones refer to the individual notes that make up a chord - the root, third, fifth, and any extensions. Identifying chord tones is the first step to writing smooth voice leading between chords.

💡Contrary motion

Contrary motion is when one vocal line ascends while another descends, creating smooth movement between vertical harmonies. The video emphasizes contrary motion as an important voice leading technique for cadences.

💡Common tone

A common tone is a note held in common between two chords. Keeping a voice on the same pitch while the other voices move creates smoother voice leading.

💡Harmonic minor

The harmonic minor scale is a variant of the natural minor scale with a raised seventh degree, used to improve the cadential harmony. The video shows how harmonic minor impacts the dominant chord quality.

💡Chord inversion

Chord inversions rearrange the order of chord tones so that a tone besides the root appears in the bass. The video uses six-four and six-three inversions to improve the voice leading.

💡Scale degree

Scale degrees assign numbers to notes of the scale to represent their position - like tonic, supertonic, mediant. Memorizing scale degree patterns helps apply cadence concepts across keys.

💡Chord progression

A chord progression is a series of chords in sequence. The video analyzes common imperfect cadence patterns like I-V, II-V, and IV-V.

💡Coral style

Coral style refers to writing chord progressions in open four-part vocal harmony, with separate staves for soprano, alto, tenor and bass voices. The video shows cadence voice leading in this style.

Highlights

An imperfect cadence ends on the dominant chord rather than the tonic, creating tension and pushing the music forward.

Contrary motion between voices leads to smooth voice leading from one chord to the next.

Common tones, where a voice sustains the same pitch from one chord to the next, also improve voice leading.

Small intervals between voices, generally less than an octave, create smooth voice leading.

The bass can move more freely than other voices, allowing intervals up to a tenth.

Memorizing scale degree patterns allows you to apply cadences to any major or minor key.

Diminished triads contain two minor thirds, created by lowering the fifth scale degree.

In minor keys, the seventh scale degree is raised leading to a major dominant chord.

Voice crossing between staves is carefully controlled to balance choir ranges.

Chord tones are written out to plan voice leading before arranging four voices.

Contrary motion overrides common tones in importance for smooth voice leading.

With no common tone available, contrary motion is essential.

Memorize imperfect cadence patterns to apply them easily to any key.

Experiment with different voice leading options to learn why one is superior.

Harmony involves fitting voices together like a puzzle to create logical progressions.

Transcripts

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