Voice Leading in Four Voices

Rich Harris Jr

Root Position• When two roots lie a P5 or a P4 apart:

– Keep common tone ( tone shared by both triads) and move remaining two upper voices.

– If done correctly the root of the chords will be doubled

• If you can’t keep the common tone, move all three upper voices in similar motion to the nearest chord tone.

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When roots are a third apart:– Two common tones– Keep common tones and move remaining upper voice

stepwise

When roots are a second apart:

-No common tones-Move three upper voices in contrary motion to the bass-Make sure each voice moves to the nearest chord tone

of the next chord

Pg 162

When roots are a second apart:– No common tones– Move three upper voices in contrary motion to the bass– Make sure each voice moves to the nearest chord tone

of the next chord

When chords are repeated:-Maintain proper doubling

-Range of voices-Keep the usual order of voices

Pg 163

Sometimes voice leading conditions make it impossible

to apply stylistic practices

First Inversion TriadsUse to:

• Smooth bass line• Provide melodic motion in

repeated chords

Pg.164

-Double any triad factor that provides smooth voice leading(these notes are commonly found in the soprano line and less commonly in the bass line)

NEVER DOUBLE THE LEADING TONE

- Diminished first-inversions: double third or fifth

Stylistic Practice for Voice Leading in First Inversion Triads:

Pg 164

6/4 Chords** Should be used with “extreme

caution” because of its unstable nature

• Chord contains the interval of a fourth and cannot be used in the functional way that root and first-inversion triads are used.

Pg 165

6/4 Chords should be used in one of the following ways only:

• Cadential - tonic 6/4 chord resolves to the V chord at the cadence

• Passing Bass - the bass note (5th of the chord) acts as a passing tone. – May be found as a tonic between the IV and IV6 or

as a dominant between I and I6. Bass note is doubled.

Pg 165

• Arpeggiated Bass- Bass note (5th) participates in an arpeggiation of the same chord.

• Pedal Bass- (stationary bass or neighboring tone chords) Bass note (5th) is preceded and followed by the same tone and is scattered between two root positions of the same triad.

Summary for 6/4 Chords

1. Except under unusual circumstances, double the bass note (5th of chord)

2. Approach and depart from 6/4 chords with as few skips as possible

3. Only in arpeggiated 6/4 chords is the bass note approached or left by a skip

4. Use only cadential, passing bass, arpeggiated bass, and pedal bass

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Unstylisitic DeparturesNo exceptions

• Avoid: Parallel perfect octaves

Parallel perfect fifths Parallel unisons

•Never double the leading tone

•Do not write pitches out of the range of that particular voice

•Avoid the melodic augmented second and fourth in all voices

Pg 166

Occasionally Broken RulesOnly broken if there is no other alternative

1. Avoid crossing voices

2. Spacing between adjacent voices should not exceed an octave in the upper three voices

3. Do not overlap two adjacent voices more than a whole step

4. Do not move in the same direction to perfect intervals in the two outer voices. Such motion is thought by some theorists to create the effect of parallel perfect intervals

Pg 166

5. Unequal fifths, P5 to d5 or vice versa are found in chorale harmonizations and may be used sparingly.

6. The leading tone should progress upward to tonic when in an outer voice

Pg 166

Voice Ranges

• Keep all voices within their range