Modern Harmony Notes by Virginia Lakeman

Modern Harmony examination exercises are set in major keys. The best answer may
begin with the relative minor chord (6m), but will end on the tonic major.

Getting started on a Modern Harmony exercise.

1. Name the major key with the given key signature and write the scale.
2. Draw the chord notes above the scale to the seventh on every note, and label each
chord.

Triad Type Root – 3rd – Root – 5th Root – Abbreviation Chord

3rd 5th 7th in Key
Major 7th Major minor Perfect 5th Major 7th Maj7 OR  1&4
3rd 3rd
minor 7th minor Major Perfect 5th minor 7th m.7 2, 3, 6
3rd 3rd
Half Minor Minor Dim 5th minor 7 Half Dim 7. 7
Diminished 3rd 3rd OR 
7th OR m7b5
Dominant Major minor Perfect 5th minor 7th 7 5
7th 3rd 3rd

Making strong harmonic progressions.

Consider the following as possibilities in Modern Harmony Exercises.

The circle of fourths in the key:- 1 4 7 3 6 2 5 1. Moving the bass or root note of
chords by 4ths / 5ths makes a strong harmonic progression. Examine the following.

Note that fragments of this sequence can be used.

A good opening is 6 2 5 1. Although the first chord is the relative minor the key is
well established by the 5 to 1 (Perfect) Cadence.
Chord 7, the Half Diminished chord, may be left out without weakening the
progression as the movement of a semitone between the root note/Bass note of chords
4 to 3 also makes a strong progression from one chord to the next.

The 2 5 1 cadence is used extensively in Jazz Harmony in a variety of keys. Here it is

in the tonic of C Major.

Modern harmony exam questions are contrived so that portions of the circle of fourths
sequence can be used when harmonising the melody.

Note that the chords given above are all in root position to assist in correct chord
spelling. They have not been voiced appropriately. (See below for suitable chord
voicing and voice leading.)

Commonly repeated harmonic progressions:-

2m7,57,2m7,57
2m7,57, 1^, 2m7, 57, 1^.

Cadences:-
The most common Perfect cadence (sounds finished) is the 2m7, 57, 1^ in the
tonic, though 4^, 57, 1^ may be an alternative.
Plagal cadence:- 4^, 1^.
Imperfect cadence:- any of the following:-
 2m7,57
 4^, 57
 6m7,57
 1^ ,57
The Interrupted cadence:- 57, 6m7.
The Dominant 7th chord

What are its features?

Built on the Dominant note in a key, it is the only Major triad with a minor 7th in both
Major and Harmonic Minor keys.

Triad Type Root – 3rd – Root – 5th Root – Abbreviation Chord

3rd 5th 7th in Key
Dominant Major minor Perfect 5th minor 7th 7 5
7th 3rd 3rd

It is the only chord that includes the Augmented 4th between notes 4 (Subdominant)
and 7 (Leading Note- raised in a minor key).

It is this Augmented 4th that makes the chord sound unstable and in need of
resolution. This interval is also known as a Tritone (3 tones) it is half of the octave
distance of 6 semitones. It is a Diminished 5th when inverted.

The resolution of the Tritone will always be by semitone steps in contrary motion.

The dominant 7th chord resolves onto a chord that contains the Tonic and 3rd of the
key. These notes belong to both the Tonic and the Submediant chords. If the Tonic
chord is used a Perfect (5 – 1) cadence is created. If the Submediant follows the
Dominant then an Interrupted (5 – 6) cadence is formed.

To imply a Dominant 7th chord only the notes making the Tritone are required.
Non-chord notes.

An understanding of Non-essential or Non-chord notes (Passing, Neighbouring or

Auxiliary, Appoggiaturas, Escape, suspensions and anticipations etc) is essential. That
is; knowing what melody notes do not need to belong to the harmonising chord and
therefore can be ignored. The following gives a description of the main types of
diatonic Non-essential or non-chord notes and a brief discussion of the chromatic
equivalent types of some Non-essential or non-chord notes.

Passing Notes

A passing note comes between two chord notes where the pitches in the three-note
pattern rise or fall by step in the same direction. There can only be one non-chord note
in the sequence. Examine the following and notice that passing notes can be on or off
the beat. Accented passing notes are more obvious than non-accented passing notes.
They propel the melody onwards with more drive because they create dissonance.
Notes that belong to the harmonising chord are Concordant.
Notes that do note belong to the harmonising chord are Dissonant or create
dissonance if they make a 2nd, 4th or 7th with the Root note of the chord.

Neighbour Notes or Auxiliary notes

Again it is a three-note pattern this time with the same chord note first and last and a
non-chord note between these repeated pitches. The movement is either up or down
but always by step. Neighbour notes can be accented or unaccented.
Non-chord notes that leap.

Appoggiaturas
Again it is a three-note sequence. This time there is a leap to the pitch that does not
belong to the harmonising chord from a chord note, and a return inside the leap by
step to a chord note. These non-chord notes can be accented or unaccented.

Escape note
A three note sequence that moves by step first then a leap usually in the opposite
direction. This type of non chord note is frequently used to decorate a movement by
step in a melody.

Further Non-chord notes that move by step.

Suspensions
These can occur in melodic lines, though probably not in a Jazz harmony examination
question. There are three stages to a suspension.
 Preparation. The note to be suspended belongs to the harmonising chord.
 Suspension. The note is either held or resounded over a new chord. This note
usually makes a 4th, 9th, or in rare cases a 7th with the root note of the chord.
(The note of resolution should not be present at this stage.)
 Resolution. The suspended note should be resolved to the chord note (4 to 3
Or 9 to 8 Or 7 to 8 depending on the note suspended.)
Anticipation
This type of non-chord note anticipates the change of chord. It usually moves by step
from a chord note.

Chromatic Non-chord notes.

These are not usually seen in Jazz harmony exercises, but may be used in composing
or arranging. The three types can be used in any part and are particularly effective in a
walking Bass line.

Using Non-chord notes in more than one voice.

When using non-essential notes that sound together care must be taken to ensure that
the non-essential notes make concordant intervals such as major or minor 3rds or 6ths
if the movement is either in parallel or contrary motion, OR a Perfect 5th, Perfect 8ve
or Perfect Unison if the movement is in contrary motion.

Non-essential notes that are sounded together must not make dissonant intervals of a
2nd, 4th or 7th, or Augmented or Diminished intervals.
Chord Voicing and Smooth Voice Leading

Generally aim for low to middle chord voicing for piano.

Notes should be between and may include the F on the ledger line below the Bass
Clef and C in the 3rd space in Treble Clef.

As a guide the 1,4,7,3,6,2,5,1 has been harmonised here. It is not likely that such a
complete use of this progression will fit a Modern Harmony examination answer.

Notice the chord symbols. Chord symbols must be included for each chord in
examination answers.

The bass should have one note only. This should be the root note of the chord in
general. (Which it is in all of the chords in the example above.)

The Right hand of the piano part.

 Upper pitches should be close. That is, the Right hand piano part should use
Close Position chords. These will not be in the same inversion from one chord
to the next for smooth voice leading. Only the upper note need be considered.
Move by step or repeat the upper pitch when moving from chord to chord.
 Generally the bass pitch of the chord will be omitted, and occasionally the 5th
which can be completely absent from a chord.
 You should check that you do not have semitone clashes in your chord voicing
(Chords 1 and 4 may be used without the major 7th.) and that you do not have
a semitone clash with the melody note with any right hand chord note.
 All voices move smoothly from one chord to the next with only the bass
leaping.
 The leading note should rise to the tonic if it is the highest piano pitch. (bars 4
– 5 above)
 Avoid making parallel 5ths or 8ves between the bass and the highest pitch.
(Repeating the same pitches does not constitute parallel 5ths or 8ves.)

Harmonic Rhythm
 Use only one or two chords per bar for a simple but effective answer. In 4/4
time these chords should be on beats 1 and 3 only.
 Do not syncopate the harmony by changing chords on weak beats.
  Do not make your harmony too fussy by changing chords on every beat and
certainly not on every quaver.
 Remember that the more chord changes you use the more you possibly limit
your counter melody. (And the more chances for errors.)

Adding colour to a harmonisation.

Chord extensions
Two or three chord extensions to the 7th are usually possible in examination answers.
At least two will be required.

Major, minor, dominant and diminished chords can be freely extended to the 7th,
though care should be taken to avoid semitone clashes with the given melody.
Remember to admit to the correct type of 7th in your chord name.

Think:- in C major for the chord of C the 7th is B. This is not simply a C7 (which
would mean Bb) but a CMaj7 or C ^. Check the building of chords to the 7th chart
above.

Chord substitutions
Two or three chord substitutions are usually possible in examination answers. At least
two will be required.

A chord may be added (increasing the number of chords) to your answers, OR a chord
can replace an existing chord.

How is a suitable chord chosen?

 Examine the melody, ignoring all non-chord tones. List all of the possible
chords either triads or chords to the 7th that could be used to harmonise the bar
or half bar.
 Check which one of the possible chord choices makes the best choice by
seeing whether the resulting progression gives all or part of the circle of 4ths
or one of the other progressions listed above, including the cadences if you are
adding a chord at the end of a musical phrase.

Writing a good Counter Melody

 Complete your keyboard harmony part first with its chord extensions and
substitutions.
 Use both your chords and the given melody to make decisions about your
counter melody.
o Use the rhythmic elements of the melody in your counter melody, but
in different bars.
o Use some of the melodic features and pitch directions in the given
melody either:- at the same pitch, at a different pitch (transposed to fit
the new chord), or inverted.
o Have your melody move when the given melody has long notes and is
fairly static.
o Use sustained notes when there is movement in the given melody.
 o It is best if your counter melody has chord notes when the given
melody has chord notes. A suspension would be an exception to this.
o Non chord notes in the given melody should either exist over a
sustained chord note in your counter melody OR should be harmonised
(3rd, 5th, 6th, or 8ve) with another (legal) non chord note.
o Your melody should be able to stand alone as a melody in its own
right.
o If a suggested beginning is given use it. (You won’t have mistakes in
that section!)
o Think about the directions your melody moves against the given one.
Have a mixture of
 Similar motion – same direction but not necessarily the same
distance (interval) apart,
 Contrary motion – opposite directions,
 Oblique motion – one part remaining on the same pitch while
the other moves in any direction – up, down or both up and
down.
 Parallel motion – in either strict 3rds or strict 6ths. This is the
least effective for a true counter melody so should be used very
sparingly.
o Think about the ending. Your counter melody could continue to the
next strong beat. (Don’t end on a weak beat of the bar or continue past
the last bar given.)

Transposition:- All have their music written in treble clef.

Instrument Sounding Written Key signature change

B flat clarinet Bb C (Up a maj. 2nd) 2 less flats or 2 more #’s

B flat trumpet Bb C (Up a maj. 2nd) 2 less flats or 2 more #’s

B flat tenor saxophone Bb C (Up a maj. 9th) 2 less flats or 2 more #’s

E flat alto saxophone Eb C (Up a maj. 6th) 3 less flats or 3 more #’s

French horn in F F C (Up a perf. 5th) 1 less flats or 1 more #’s

Code:-
C = chord note
P = passing note (moving by step between two chord notes in the same
direction)
N = neighbour note – sometime called ‘auxiliary note’ (moves from and
returns to the same chord note)

Things to note:-
 The 3rd, 6th, 5th etc indicate the distance between the two melody parts for those
notes sounding together. (Some non-chord notes have been ignored, though
note those that begin at the same time as a note in the other melody.)
 The treble chords are all in close position, with the highest pitch Bb.
 The bass has the root notes of every chord, with the lowest pitch F.
 The interval between the lowest bass pitch and the highest treble pitch varies
according to the following (add an octave or two):-
o First line:- 8ve, 5th, 3rd, 8ve, 5th, 7th,
o Second line:- 5th, 7th, 3rd, 7th, 3rd.
o Notice that no two consecutive chords are the distance of either a 5th or
8ve. These consecutive intervals between the lowest and highest piano
pitches are to be avoided. (5ths and 8ves are forbidden!)
 Chords to the 7th. The chosen chords have only chords 3m, 6m and 5 taken to
the 7ths. This is quite appropriate for an answer. Though it is legitimate to take
more chords to the 7th this is not necessary.
 The chord sequence:-
o Bars 1 & 2 establish the key by using a Perfect cadence:- 2m, 5, 1.
o Bars 3 & 4 use an imperfect cadence:- 4, 6m, 57. The 4 is merely a
good choice for the chord before the cadence.
o Bars 7 & 9 use a Perfect cadence:- 2m, 57, 1
 Examining the direction of movement between the Bass and the highest
piano pitch when moving from chord to chord the following can be found:-
o Two uses of Oblique motion where the upper pitch remains the same
while the Bass moves.
o Three uses of Similar motion, though in all cases not by the same
interval – upper pitches and bass notes move by differing amounts.
Very wise!
o Five uses of Contrary motion. This is the best choice so should
dominate.
 The counter melody does not have the same rhythm as the given melody at the
same time anywhere. Elements like the dotted crotchet rhythm and some of
the quaver movement has been included in the counter melody.
 The counter melody ends on a strong beat, (beat 3) but after the ending of the
melody.
 The counter melody is consistently lower than the given melody. This is the
safest way to write an examination answer.
 For all chord notes that are sounded on one of the 4 beats in the bar, the
supporting pitch in the counter melody is also a chord note. This is always a
good choice.