Harmonic Composition Part I: Fundamentals 185 FOUR PART-WRITING EXAMPLES FROM FIGURED BASS AND ROMAN NUMERAL ‘When I teach part writing I begin with only tonic chords and inversions. Our “nents” of choices is greatly reduced—there are only three notes on the menul Let's begin with a figured bass example in C minor.* EXAMPLE 1: Figured Bass in C minor Sve? 1: Determine the Roman numerals and create the road map. The road map is the visible reminder of the menu of chord member choices, appropriate doublings, and resolutions. Write the Roman numeral chord symbols below the figured bass (FB); never attach your chord symbols to the same line as the FB symbols. The chord stack (with the root of the chord on the bottom in “snowman” style) is written below. If done correctly, this step can eliminate a maul- titude of mistakes when examples are more difficult. It is super simple to learn with only one chord. 4 i com: i i i i i i i [had the exe pinch inthe chord track aa reminder dub the © 6 GG G GGT T GS [Fintan ceo eee see eee bee eb ee debe Ceara CHaeGH ae c ‘There are no resolutions to consider since this is only the tonic triad. Shop is progression and the othere in this chapter are courtesy of Dr. Blase Fetrandino, Texas Christian Usveiy, For ‘Worth, Texas. : |186 AP Music Theory Step 2: Write the melody. i Look at the bass line and obscrve.the shape, recognizing the bass line has ascend. fag ing and descending lines. Try to create a melody that moves in contrary ot oblique ! motion to the bass line, 8 SteP 4: Check your work. When there is a limited menu it is more difficult to create a nice melody and avoid parallel fifths and eighths, Notice that it is appropriate to move the tenor into “ledger line” range; that is where he sings much of the time. When you have common tones between chords i is acceptable to make them half notes instead of rearticulating the tone as demonstrated in our melody. However, using a half nope for beats 2 and 3 in { time creates a syncopation that is not used in common- practice style. Also avoid syncopation using ties over the bar line. Now we will add the dominant triad and the dominant seventh chord using another figured bass example.Harmonic Composition Part |: Fundamentals 187 EXAMPLE 2: Figured Bass in D Major rep 1: Determine the Roman numerals and create the road map. Pace Vileereeaaal |B, v 1 Notice in this example there are two second inversion () chords. The first chord is used to prolong tonic and creates a passing chord between the | and I creating the uw line Do-Re-Mi. The If chord is used as part of the cadence. The cadential § chord can be used on a strong beat and is the only type of second inversion chord hur should be written on beat 1 or beat 3. Now create the chord stack, note the appropriate doublings, and show resolutions. aeeae $ - pb: I vie f I & v 1 G A EE A A AA B A OCR OF Ht ct Fe p A™“D D Ace | ‘What do we know for sure? | * There are two second-inversion chords that should double the fifth of the chord. * There is one V chord leading to a If (resolve the Tito Do) and one V’? chord | resolving to I (fesolve both Ti-Do and FaeMi). | NOTE: Arrows are used in the chord stack to show the pitches that must resolve, and to which pitch. In this guide, when the final progression is ‘written, you will sec the arrows within the composition as a reminder that the resolutions have indeed been written, This is a reminder and wway to check your work. Once you are confident that you are resolving correctly, leave out the arrows within the composition,