An introduction to SATB worksheets 1 last revised 7th September 2012
AS Music Unit 3
Developing Musical
Understanding
Understanding Chords &
Lines
An introduction to
SATB
Worksheets 1
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An introduction to SATB worksheets 1 last revised 7th September 2012
Introduction _________________________________________ 3
Major keys __________________________________________ 4
Primary triads .................................................................................................................. 4
Exercise 1 ................................................................................................................................................... 4
Exercise 2 ................................................................................................................................................... 6
Primary & secondary triads........................................................................................ 7
Exercise 3 ................................................................................................................................................... 7
Recognising primary & secondary triads ............................................................. 9
Exercise 4 ................................................................................................................................................... 9
Inverting chords ........................................................................................................... 10
An introduction to SATB _______________________________ 11
Starting your harmonisation ............................................................................................................. 11
Perfect cadence ...................................................................................................................................... 11
Exercise 5 ................................................................................................................................................. 12
Perfect cadences: I – V – I ................................................................................................................ 12
Extended chords _____________________________________ 14
Types of perfect cadences ................................................................................................................. 15
II(7)b – V(7) – I .................................................................................................................................... 15
Exercise 6 ................................................................................................................................................. 15
An introduction to SATB Ib – V – I part 1 __________________ 18
Perfect cadence using chord Ib ........................................................................................................ 18
Exercise 7 ................................................................................................................................................. 19
AS Music Understanding Chords & Lines ___________________ 21
An introduction to SATB part 3: Ic – V – I .................................................................................. 21
Exercise 8 ................................................................................................................................................. 22
Available chords in major keys up to four sharps ____________ 24
Manuscript _________________________________________ 26
2
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An introduction to SATB worksheets 1 last revised 7th September 2012
Introduction
To successfully complete a harmonisation in the style of JS Bach it helps to have
some knowledge of the intention of the original Bach settings. Bach’s Chorales
are vehicles for worship so the settings had to be direct and unambiguous. Bach
discarded the harmonic crudities of his predecessors and adopted a language of
seamless and fluid musical thought.
There are moments of darkness, even
doubt and moments of repose but his works always end on a positive and
conclusive cadence. So a minor setting will close with a Tierce de Picardie which
is a chord of the tonic major.
A chorale should ideally achieve balance in its vertical (harmony) and horizontal
(melody and counterpoint) aspects, so awkward leaps, especially in the inner
parts, poor doubling of harmony notes or poor vertical spacing between the
notes, unprepared dissonances and inappropriate chords will distract from the
religious message of the text.
Remember when working on a harmonisation that the original setting would
have a text under the vocal parts. For the purposes of an academic exercise you
will not be required to include a text.
Above all, at this stage at least, be simple. Strive to have a liberated Bass. You
can treat your bass part as a countermelody as it is generally the most
important and dynamic part.
Let your inner parts be fluid and try to let the
progress to the following note in a step of a tone or semitone. You cannot alter
the melody as this is a fixed element.
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An introduction to SATB worksheets 1 last revised 7th September 2012
Major keys
Primary triads
Exercise 1
Using the primary triads alone harmonise the following melody by drawing the
chords in the lower stave.
a)
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An introduction to SATB worksheets 1 last revised 7th September 2012
b) G major
c) F major
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An introduction to SATB worksheets 1 last revised 7th September 2012
Exercise 2
Add melodies to the following chord progression of major primary triads. Write
melodies using crotchets only so each note will be present in the underlying
harmony. These are known as harmony notes or chord notes. Once you have
completed this add passing notes to all notes spaced a third apart.
So this melody of harmony notes
becomes this melody of harmony notes with passing notes between notes
spaced a third apart.
a) C major
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An introduction to SATB worksheets 1 last revised 7th September 2012
b) G major
c) F major
Primary & secondary triads
Harmonise the following melodies using a combination of primary triads.
You
must begin with chord one and end with a perfect cadence of chord V to I. Write
the chord number under each note using Roman numerals. Do not harmonise
passing notes.
Exercise 3
a) C major
A is not a passing note
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An introduction to SATB worksheets 1 last revised 7th September 2012
b) G major
B and C (*) are not passing notes
c) F major
d) D major
e) B flat major
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An introduction to SATB worksheets 1 last revised 7th September 2012
Recognising primary & secondary triads
Label the following chords using Roman numerals.
Exercise 4
a) C major
b) G major
c) F major
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An introduction to SATB worksheets 1 last revised 7th September 2012
Inverting chords
A chord with the root or name of the chord in the bass is in root position. Here
is chord I of C major in root position.
If the chord was to be inverted once, meaning not C but E is the bass note, then
chord Ib is achieved.
Note how the root of the chord is doubled in the harmony. This is essential, but
if you cannot double the of the chord root then double the fifth. Doubling of the
third in a minor chord is accepted. If the chord were to be inverted one more
time then Ic is achieved.
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An introduction to SATB worksheets 1 last revised 7th September 2012
Note how the bass note is doubled and not the root.
This is the only second
inversion accepted in this style and must only be used at a cadence preceding
the dominant in a Ic – V – I cadence.
Root position chords are strong but an overuse leads to a rather dull
harmonisation. Also, to achieve an idiomatic bass line you will need the bass to
walk and so inversions become unavoidable.
An introduction to SATB
Starting your harmonisation
Before you begin your harmonisation it is important that you identify what type
of cadence is required. A cadence is a chord sequence at the close of a phrase
which has the effect of bringing the harmonic motion to a temporary or final
close. We will be focussing on the perfect cadence.
Perfect cadence
This cadence is the most common and has the effect of completing a harmonic
phrase using the chords
V-I
or
Dominant to Tonic
Harmonise the following perfect cadences. Write in the Bass part first then your
Alto and Tenor, adding the Alto first. Keep the inner parts as high as possible
within their ranges and never cross parts, so the Alto must never rise above
the Soprano or descend below the Tenor. The Tenor must never rise above the
Alto or descend below the Bass; the Bass must never rise above the Tenor.
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An introduction to SATB worksheets 1 last revised 7th September 2012
Try to double the root of each chord’
If you cannot double the root then double the fifth’
Let each note move to the nearest available note in the next chord. This is vital
and by doing so you lessen the occurrence of consecutive fifths or octaves.
Remember that the Soprano is fixed and cannot be changed. The Bass and Alto
note tails go down and the Tenor note tails go up.
Exercise 5
Perfect cadences: I – V – I
Complete these harmonisations of cadences labelling each chord in Roman
numerals. The first one is complete.
1)
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An introduction to SATB worksheets 1 last revised 7th September 2012
2)
3)
4)
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An introduction to SATB worksheets 1 last revised 7th September 2012
Extended chords
A chord extension is an extra note added to a triad. The triad’s intervals are 1,
3, and 5 as illustrated here on the dominant of C major.
If the chord were to be extended once then the chord of V7, the dominant 7th is
achieved.
Typically a seventh extension is a dissonance and must resolve, and in a
dominant 7th the 7th extension must fall a semitone to the 3rd of the following
tonic chord.
At this stage you will only use a few extended chords:
Extended chords can be inverted as in the cadence II7b – V – I, which is the
most common cadence in this style.
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An introduction to SATB worksheets 1 last revised 7th September 2012
Types of perfect cadences
A perfect cadence is characterised by three chords:
Preparation
Dominant
Tonic
II(7)b – V(7) – I
The 7th chord extension on the dominant is in brackets as it is optional. The
II7b – V(7) – I is the most common and most effective cadence.
Where the
Bass part is included add the Alto first. Where the bass is omitted add the Bass
part first.
Exercise 6
a)
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An introduction to SATB worksheets 1 last revised 7th September 2012
b)
c)
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An introduction to SATB worksheets 1 last revised 7th September 2012
d)
e)
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An introduction to SATB worksheets 1 last revised 7th September 2012
f)
An introduction to SATB Ib – V – I part 1
Perfect cadence using chord Ib
This cadence is common and has the effect of competing a harmonic phrase
using the chords
Ib -V - I
or
Tonic (1st inversion) to Dominant to Tonic
Why not try adding passing notes in the Bass?
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An introduction to SATB worksheets 1 last revised 7th September 2012
Exercise 7
a)
b)
c)
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An introduction to SATB worksheets 1 last revised 7th September 2012
d)
e)
f)
20
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An introduction to SATB worksheets 1 last revised 7th September 2012
g)
AS Music Understanding Chords & Lines
An introduction to SATB part 3: Ic – V – I
Chord Ic is an unusual chord as it requires you to double the Bass note rather
than the root of the chord. This is because chord Ic is really chord V with two
notes in suspension, so by doubling the Bass note you are in effect doubling the
root.
The progression Ic – V – I has to be resolved in a very specific manner.
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An introduction to SATB worksheets 1 last revised 7th September 2012
Ic: The C (4 above the bass) falls into the next chord; the E (6 above the bass)
falls into the next chord
The Bass (G to G) falls down an octave and then rises to the tonic.
This is the archetypal pattern for the Ic – V – I cadence.
Remember to double the Bass note in chord Ic and not the root.
Exercise 8
a)
b)
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An introduction to SATB worksheets 1 last revised 7th September 2012
c)
d)
e)
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© Dr Nick Redfern 2012
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An introduction to SATB worksheets 1 last revised 7th September 2012
Available chords in major keys up to four sharps
24
© Dr Nick Redfern 2012
www.nickredfern.co.uk
Contact: education@nickredfern.co.uk
An introduction to SATB worksheets 1 last revised 7th September 2012
25
© Dr Nick Redfern 2012
www.nickredfern.co.uk
Contact: education@nickredfern.co.uk
An introduction to SATB worksheets 1 last revised 7th September 2012
Manuscript
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An introduction to SATB worksheets 1 last revised 7th September 2012
27
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An introduction to SATB worksheets 1 last revised 7th September 2012
28
© Dr Nick Redfern 2012
www.nickredfern.co.uk
Contact: education@nickredfern.co.uk
An introduction to SATB worksheets 1 last revised 7th September 2012
29
© Dr Nick Redfern 2012
www.nickredfern.co.uk
Contact: education@nickredfern.co.uk