Music Terminology - Harmony

Question 1

Primary Chords

Answer 1

Chords I, IV and V in a given key.

Question 2

Secondary Chords

Answer 2

Chords II, III and VI in a given key.

Question 3

Dominant 7th Chord

Answer 3

A chord composed of a root, major third, perfect fifth, and minor seventh. Also referred to as just a pitch and the number 7, for example “ a G7 chord”.

Question 4

Major 7th Chord

Answer 4

A chord composed of a root, major third, perfect fifth, and major seventh.

Question 5

Minor 7th Chord

Answer 5

A chord composed of a root, minor third, perfect fifth, and minor seventh.

Question 6

Diminished Chords

Answer 6

Chords with a root, minor 3rd and a diminished 5th (or 2 minor thirds stacked on top of each other).

Question 7

Neapolitan 6th Chord

Answer 7

A chord composed of a minor third and a minor sixth above scale degree 4. In the key of C, the Neapolitan sixth would be F, A-flat, D-flat. Sometimes it’s helpful to think of it as a bII chord in first inversion.

Question 8

Augmented Sixth Chords

Answer 8

There are three general types of augmented sixth chords—the Italian augmented sixth chord (It+6: 1, #4 and b6 in a key), the French augmented sixth chord (Fr+6: 1, 2, #4 and b6) and the German augmented sixth chord (Ger+6: 1, b3, #4 and b6).

Question 9

Ninth Chords

Answer 9

Are formed by adding an additional third to the top of a 7th chord (1,3,5,7,9)

Question 10

Secondary Dominants

Answer 10

A secondary dominant is any chord that has the dominant function over another chord that is not the tonic of the music. These will usually contain notes that exist outside of the key, it will tonicize the chord it precedes.

Question 11

Sus 4 Chord

Answer 11

A chord that has a root, perfect 4th and fifth (the 4th replaces the third). The 4th really wants to resolve downwards to the third.

Question 12

Added 6th Chord

Answer 12

Any triad with the 6th added above it.

Question 13

Power Chord

Answer 13

Commonly associated with Rock/Punk guitar playing. It consists of a root, fifth and octave.

Question 14

Inversions

Answer 14

When the bass note of the chord isn’t the root.

Question 15

Appoggiatura Chord

Answer 15

Is an extension of the appoggiatura (non-chord tone) melodic device. There is a momentary sense of change in harmony which ends up resolving by step to a functional chord. The Cadential 6 4 is an example of this.

Question 16

Tierce de Picardie (Picardy Third)

Answer 16

Found at the final cadence in a minor key. Instead of V(7) to i, the composer will resolve to the major chord; V(7) to I.

Question 17

Added Note Chord

Answer 17

Triads that have added notes (not the 7th).

Question 18

Perfect Cadence

Answer 18

V - I (Major) or V - i (Minor)

Question 19

Plagal Cadence

Answer 19

IV - I

Question 20

Interrupted Cadence

Answer 20

V - vi

Question 21

Imperfect Cadence

Answer 21

Any chord - V

Question 22

Phrygian Cadence

Answer 22

A chord progression where the subdominant chord (in first inversion) is followed by the dominant chord (IV6 -V).

Question 23

Modulation

Answer 23

The use of a chord to move to another key

Question 24

Suspension

Answer 24

A suspension is a situation in which a single note of one chord is held over into another chord, thus creating a dissonance, which is resolved by step in the following chord.

Question 25

Quartal Harmony

Answer 25

Chords that are stacked in 4th as opposed to 3rds.

Question 26

Quartal Harmony

Answer 26

Chords that are stacked in 4th as opposed to 3rds.

Question 27

Functional Harmony

Answer 27

Also referred to as “Harmonic Function”. This is a term used to denote the relationship of a chord or a scale degree to a tonal centre. It shows us how chords tend to move to other chords.

Question 28

Non-functional Harmony

Answer 28

Chords that don’t follow the functional harmony process.

Question 29

Consonance

Answer 29

An accord of sounds sweet and pleasing to the ear. The opposite of dissonance

Question 30

Dissonance

Answer 30

Two or more notes sounded together which are discordant, sound very jarring and clashing.

Question 31

Cluster Chord (Tonal Cluster)

Answer 31

A chord with at least 3 adjacent notes. Audible clashes.

Question 32

Chromatic Harmony

Answer 32

Chromatic harmony means harmony (chords) which use notes which do not belong to the key the music is in.

Question 33

Parallel Harmonies

Answer 33

Is the parallel movement of two or more lines in music. It often refers to the movement of chords where the intervals remain the same.

Question 34

Harmonic Rhythm

Answer 34

The rate at which the chords change within the music.

Question 35

Circle of Fifths Progression

Answer 35

A chord progression that moves down a fifth each time.

Question 36

Drone

Answer 36

Any note performed throughout a composition as a sustaining bass note. Drones are common in folk music and in Medieval music.

Question 37

Pedal

Answer 37

Term used for a low tone that remains steady in the bass of a composition while other voices move about above it. It differs from a drone because it doesn’t need to be sustained.