harmony rules

Question 1

Spacing

Answer 1

• Top three parts should be as high as possible within their ranges.
• In each phrase the tenor should not be more than a 12th lower than the soprano and must at some point be less than an octave.
• Make sure the parts don’t cross.

Question 2

Leaps

Answer 2

• Avoid excessive leaps in bass.
• Avoid unnecessary leaps in alto and tenor.
• Avoid two leaps in the same direction.
• Avoid leaping both to and from a 1st inversion in the bass.

Question 3

Accidentals

Answer 3

• Raise the 7th in minor keys.
• Don’t forget accidentals needed for key changes.

Question 4

Parallels (5ths/8ves)

Answer 4

• Avoid consecutive parallel octaves and 5ths.
• Avoid hidden 5ths and 8ves (leaping to these intervals in the soprano when the bass is moving in the same direction).
• Edexcel considers that ‘a diminished 5th to a perfect 5th, or vice versa, is acceptable unless the bass is involved’. Bach often hides this type of 5th with a suspension.

Question 5

Suspensions

Answer 5

• Make sure suspensions are prepared and resolved.
• Common suspensions are the 7th in II7b and the 4 in V4-3.
• Dissonances in Bach are generally either unaccented (e.g a passing note) or treated as a suspension).

Question 6

Leading notes

Answer 6

• Don’t lead from the 7th of the scale to the 3rd, (particularly common at perfect cadences).
• Don’t ever double the leading note (e.g the 3rd in Vb and the root in viib).

Question 7

Augmented and Diminished intervals

Answer 7

• Avoid all, but the most common are tritones (between notes 4+7 of the scale) and augmented seconds (notes 6+7 of the minor scale).

Question 8

Passing 7ths

Answer 8

• Add a passing 7th (of V) at perfect cadences where possible.
• Make sure it is the 7th above the root of V (not the 9th).
• Where the melody goes from 7-8, passing 7ths should be avoided.