chapter

6 Harmonic Progression

Harmonies in tonal music follow conventional progressions.

Beginning and Ending Phrases Melody Harmonization

Authentic and half cadences Matching chords to the melody
Perfect and imperfect authentic cadences Voice leading
Conventional harmonic progressions
Harmonic Patterns
T–D–T (Tonic–Dominant–Tonic)
T–S–D–T (Tonic-Subdominant-Dominant-Tonic)

B EG I N N I N G A N D E N D I N G P H R A S E S
AUTHENTIC AND HALF CADENCES

A phrase is the basic unit of tonal music, akin to a sentence in language. Within a
phrase, harmonies generally occur in conventional progressions. Typically, phrases
begin with a root-position I triad. Even more standard is the harmony found at the
end of the phrase, or the cadence. Phrases almost always conclude either with a
root-position V or V7 chord leading to root-position I, or with a root-position V. A
cadence consisting of V or V7 moving to I is an authentic cadence (AC); a cadence
ending with a V triad is a half cadence (HC). Because they end on a stable tonic har-
mony, authentic cadences generally sound more conclusive than half cadences.

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6.1  Beethoven, String Quartet in B Major, Op. 130, ii

Half cadence (HC):

The first phrase
ends with root-
position V.
Both phrases begin with a root-position I triad.

Authentic cadence
(AC): The second
phrase ends more
conclusively with a
V–I progression.

PERFECT AND IMPERFECT AUTHENTIC CADENCES

Authentic cadences are further categorized by the final note in the melody. An authen-
tic cadence that ends with 1̂ in the melody is a perfect authentic cadence (PAC). An
authentic cadence that ends with 3̂ or 5̂ (the third or fifth of the I chord) in the melody
is an imperfect authentic cadence (IAC). Perfect authentic cadences tend to sound
more conclusive than imperfect authentic cadences.

6.2  Mozart, Variations on “La Belle Françoise,” K. 353

Imperfect authentic cadence (IAC): The first Perfect authentic cadence (PAC): The second
phrase ends with V–I, and with 3̂ in the melody. phrase ends with V7–I, and with 1̂ in the melody.

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 As you will see later, there are some other types of cadences; nevertheless, the
HC, PAC, and IAC are by far the most common. Also, it should be noted that harmo-
nies alone do not determine where cadences occur: cadences appear only at the ends
of phrases, which are determined not only by the chords that are used, but also by
features of the rhythm and melody.

H A R M O N I C PAT T E R N S
Compared to the beginning and end, the middle of a phrase offers a wider variety of
harmonic possibilities. Choosing the proper order for chords in the middle of phrases
XR can be challenging, and will be a primary focus of Units 3 and 4. As you will see,
2x
each chord fits into one of a few possible categories, either Tonic, Dominant, or
Subdominant. You already know the terms tonic, subdominant, and dominant to
apply to I, and IV, and V, but the categories of Tonic, Dominant, and Subdominant
include more than these three chords, as you will see. These basic categories in turn
help determine the order in which chords progress.

T–D–T (TONIC–DOMINANT–TONIC)

A particularly common pattern involves a stable Tonic chord moving to an unstable

Dominant and then back to a Tonic (T–D–T). Different individual chords belong to
the functional categories of Tonic and Dominant. The Tonic chord in the T–D–T pro-
gression must be a triad (not a seventh chord), and it can be in root position or (espe-
cially if it appears in the middle of a phrase) first inversion (I6; it may not appear as
a second-inversion chord (I64), since I64 is an unstable harmony. The Dominant chord
may be V, V7, or (especially if it appears in the middle of a phrase) an inversion (like
XR V6), as well as other similar harmonies that will be discussed in Unit 3.
6.3  The Tonic-Dominant-Tonic pattern

Tonic harmonies:
I or 16 (not I64)

Dominant
harmonies: such as V,
V7, and V6

T D T
stability harmonic resolution
` tension

6.4

SOM E EXAMP L ES OF CHORD P ROGRES S I O NS T H AT F O L L O W T H E T–D–T PAT T ER N:

4
I –V –I I–V7–I I–V6–I I–V 3 –I6

T–D–T T–D–T T–D–T T–D–T

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 Within the T–D–T pattern, a chord may repeat or move to another chord within
the same category before progressing onward.

6.5

Two or more tonic chords may appear in a row;

two or more dominant chords may appear in a
row.

6.6  “Let all on Earth their voices raise” (from Hymnal of the Episcopal Church)

The chord progressions in this excerpt follow the standard Tonic-Dominant-Tonic pattern.

T–S–D–T (TONIC-SUBDOMINANT-DOMINANT-TONIC)

Another harmonic pattern involves a Tonic chord that moves through a Subdominant
chord to a Dominant and back to a Tonic (T–S–D–T). Like the Tonic and Dominant
categories, the Subdominant category includes a number of chords: IV, ii6, and other
chords to be discussed later.

6.7  The Tonic-Subdminant–Dominant-Tonic pattern

Tonic: I or 16

Dominant:
Subdominant: V and similar
IV and similar harmonies, such as
harmonies, such as ii6 V7 and V6

T S D T
stability leads to harmonic resolution
dominant tension

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 6.8

SO M E EXAMP L ES OF CHORD P ROGRES S I O NS T H AT F O L L O W T H E T–S–D–T PAT T ER N:

4
I–IV–V–I I–ii6–V7–I I–IV–V 3 –I I–ii 6 –V–I 6 I–ii6–V6–I

T–S–D–T T–S–D–T T–S–D–T T–S–D–T T–S–D–T

A Subdominant chord may repeat or be followed by another Subdominant

chord before progressing to a Dominant.

6.9

Two or more Subdominant chords may appear in a row.

Although a Subdominant often leads to a Dominant, the reverse is not true: in

in I–V–IV–I or I–vii˜6–ii6–I.
four-part harmony, it is very unusual for a Dominant to move to a Subdominant, as

6.10

I–V–IV–I I–vii 6–ii6–I

T–D–S–T T –D –S –T

Poor  In standard four-part harmony, a Dominant chord

does not move to a Subdominant-type chord.

T–D–T and T–S–D–T do not exhaust the possibilities for harmonic progres-
sions. For instance, another particularly common chord progression is I–IV–I (Tonic–
XR Subdominant–Tonic, see Chapter 16). Nonetheless, the harmonic structure of most
tonal music may be understood as framed by a series of T–D–T and T–S–D–T patterns.

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6.11  Beethoven, Variations in G, WoO 77

Phrase begins Phrase ends

with I. with V–I.

Progressions follow either the T–D–T or T–S–D–T pattern.

M E LODY H A R M O N I Z AT I O N
One way to enhance your understanding of harmonic progressions is to harmonize
melodies. In a melody harmonization, you are given a melody with a simple rhythm
and directed to supply a harmony for every note (or almost every note), using stan-
dard voice-leading and harmonic procedures. You begin such an exercise by identi-
fying the key and determining the scale degrees of the melody in that key. You then
locate the cadences and determine a proper bass line and Roman numerals for the
cadences, and finally determine the Roman numerals and bass line for the rest of the
harmonies by choosing appropriate chords.
Strategies for developing the skills for harmonizing melodies are discussed in
detail starting in Unit 3. In each case, the chords chosen for the harmonization must XR
include the notes found in the melody, allowing for good voice-leading and harmonic
progressions.

6.12
Task: Harmonize this melody by providing a bass line and Roman numerals.

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 The following harmonization of the melody is good: the notes of the melody appear
in each of the chords chosen to harmonize them, there are no voice-leading errors,
and the chord progression follows conventional harmonic practice, with an appropri-
ate chord progression at the cadence.

6.13

Good  (1) melody notes match chosen chords;

(2) voice leading is good; (3) uses conventional
harmonic progression.

After choosing the harmonies and writing the bass line, you can fill in the inner
XR voices, paying attention to chord construction (see Chapter 4) and voice leading (see
2x Chapter 5).

6.14

Good  Realization follows proper chord

construction and voice leading.

MATCHING CHORDS TO THE MELODY

In harmonizing a melody, you must make sure that each note belongs to the chord
chosen to harmonize it.

6.15

In C major, V = G–B–D; I6 = C–E–G (with E in bass).

Poor  The note Poor  The note

The note must be part of the chosen chord.
E (3̂) is not in V. D (2̂) is not in I6.

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VOICE LEADING

In harmonizing a melody, you should follow voice leading and chord construction
guidelines, such as avoiding parallel fifths and avoiding doubled leading tones.

6.16

The chords chosen to harmonize the melody create parallel octaves.

CONVENTIONAL HARMONIC PROGRESSIONS

Finally, the harmonization should follow conventional harmonic progressions, using

patterns such as T–D–T or T–S–D–T and ending each phrase with a cadence.

6.17

Use T–D–T and T–S–D–T

patterns and end with a
cadence.

Poor  Progression moves Poor  Phrase ends on IV instead

from a Dominant to a of root-position V or I.
Subdominant chord (ii6).

review and interact

POI NTS FOR REVIEW

• Phrases most often begin with a root-position I chord, and end with a cadence on
either a root-position V, or a root-position V (or V7) that leads to a root-position I.
• A cadence ending on a root-position V is known as a half cadence (HC).
• A cadence that ends V–I or V7–I is known as an authentic cadence (AC). An authen-
tic cadence that ends with 1̂ in the soprano is a perfect authentic cadence (PAC);
an authentic cadence that ends with 3̂ or 5̂ in the melody is an imperfect authentic
cadence (IAC).

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• The ordering of harmonies within a phrase follows conventional progressions,
including Tonic–Dominant–Tonic (T–D–T) and Tonic–Subdominant–Dominant–
Tonic (T–S–D–T).
• Chords in the Tonic category are I and I6; chords in the Dominant category include
V, V7, and V6; chords in the Subdominant category include IV and ii6.
• In a good melody harmonization, the chord chosen for each note of the melody
should include the melody note, conform to voice-leading guidelines, and result in a
chord progression that follows the conventions of harmony.

TE ST YO URSELF

1. In the examples below, do the phrases (each ending is marked by a fermata) end with
PACs, IACs, or HCs?

2. Why are the following phrase endings (indicated by fermatas) not conventional cadences?

3. Which of the following follow a Tonic–Dominant–Tonic chord progression, which follow

a Tonic–Subdominant–Dominant–Tonic progression, and which follow neither?

(a) I–V–I  (b) I–I–V–V6–I  (c) I–V–IV–I  (d) I–ii6–V–I

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4. Which of the following are good harmonizations of the given melodies? If the harmoni-
zation is not good, what is the problem with it?

Know It? Show It!

Focus by working through the tutorials on:
• Recognizing cadences
• Understanding standard harmonic patterns
• Harmonizing melodies

Learn with inQuizitive.

Apply what you’ve learned to complete the assignments:

• Beginning and Ending a Phrase
• Melody Harmonizations: Preparatory Exercises
• Harmonic Functional Categories: T, S, D

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