Triads | Triad Inversions | Chords | Scale degree names | Figured Bass | Cadences | Non-Harmonic Tones | Passing Tones | Neighboring Tones | Escape Tones | Appoggiatura | Suspension | Retardation | Anticipation | PedalTone | Changing Tone | Review

Triads

Scale degree names

In figured bass the Arabic numerals represent the intervals that sound above a given bass part. Certain abbreviations have become well known.

Alterations
Alterations from the given key signature are indicated by placing an accidental before the Arabic numeral.

An accidental, such as a sharp, flat, or natural that appears by itself under a bass note indicates a triad in root position with the third interval above the bass note sharped, flatted or naturaled.

Any sharp, flat, or natural sign beside the Arabic number indicates that this interval above the bass note should be sharped, flatted, or naturaled depending on the symbol.

Roman Numeral Analysis In the early 1800's, German composers started to use roman numerals to symbolize harmony. Each note in a scale can have a triad or chord built above it. Upper case (Major) and lower case (minor) Roman Numerals are used to indicate the type of chord. I, IV, V are major triads/chords, ii, iii, vi are minor triads/chords, and vii is diminished.

Authentic Cadence
The authentic cadence harmonic progression is dominant (V) to tonic (I). There are two types, and Imperfect Authentic.

Perfect Authentic
In the Perfect Authentic cadence both the dominant (V or V7) and tonic (I) chords are in root position, and the tonic note is in the upper voice of the final tonic chord. It is the most final sounding of all cadences.




Imperfect Authentic
In the Imperfect Authentic cadence the third or the fifth of the final tonic chord is in the upper voice or one of the two chords (dominant or tonic) is not in root position.

Half Cadence
In the Half cadence, the harmonic progression is tonic (I) to dominant (V) or dominant 7th (V7). They can also be found using the subdominant (IV) to dominant (V), supertonic (ii) to dominant (V), and submediant (vi) to dominant (V).

Plagal Cadence
In the Plagal Cadence, the harmonic progression is subdominant (IV) to tonic (I). This cadence is known as the "Amen" Cadence.

Deceptive
In the Decepptive Cadence, the harmonic progression is from the dominant (V) to the submediant (vi). This is aptly named because the harmony "deceives" the listener and leads you to a different harmony than expected.

Passing Tone
A passing tone is a nonchordal tone that moves by step to another chord tone of a different pitch. The passing tone can be unaccented or accented or double.



Neighboring Tone (Auxilliary Tones or Upper and Lower Neighbors)
A neighboring tone is a non-chordal tone that leaves the chord tone by step and returns by step either up or down. These non harmonic tones go by Auxilliary Tones or Upper and Lower Neighbors.


Escape Tone (Eschappee)
An escape tone is a nonchordal tone that moves by step away from the chordal tone and resolves to the new chordal tone by leap.

Appoggiatura
An appoggiatura is a nonchordal tone that leaps from the chordal tone and resolves by step.


Suspension
A suspension is a nonchordal tone that resolves downward by step to a choral tone. The suspension is made up of three parts, preparation, suspension and resolution. Suspensions come in different types of resolutions.

Name	Suspended Tone	Resolution
9-8	9th	8th
7-6	7th	6th
4-3	4th	3rd









Retardation
A retardation is a nonchordal tone that is similar to a suspension but resolves upward rather than resolving downward.



Anticipation
An anticipation ia a nonchordal tone that anticipates a tone of the next chord. It leaves by step from the chord tone and moves by repeating itself to the next chord tone.




Pedal Tone
A pedal tone is a held or repeated note. It alternates from consonance and dissonance depending on the chord structures above it.


Changing tone
A changing tone is two nonharmonic tones that moves away from the chord tone by step and leaps to a new non harmonic tone and returns to the chordal tone by step.