Part Writing - Voice Leading
Dr. B Music Theory

Root position triads

Part writing with 4 parts:

  1. Complete chord: root, third and 5th.
  2. Double root, but exceptions:
    1. With final chord = tripled root + third.
    2. With deceptive resolution V-vi (or V-VI): double third of vi (or VI) chord.
Q:1/1=40 %%piano2+2CD K:C [V:C] "G"x | "C"x || "G"x | "C"x || "G"x | "C"x || "G"x | "Am"x |] [V:D] "V"x | "I"x || "V"x | "I"x || "V"x | "I"x || "V"x | "vi"x |] [V:S] !red!!r>(!B | !blue!!r>)!c || !n>(!!blue!G | !n>)!E || !n>(!d | !blue!!n>)!c || D | !blue!C |] [V:A] !n>(!!blue!G | !n>)!G || !n>(!D | !n>)!!blue!C || !blue!!n>(!G | !n>)!G || B, | !blue!C |] [V:T] D | E || !n>(!!red!B, | !n>)!G, || !red!!n>(!B, | !n>)!E || !blue!G, | !blue!E, |] [V:B] !blue!G, | !blue!C, || !blue!G,, | !blue!C, || !blue!G, | !blue!C, || !blue!G,, | A,, |]

Part writing with 3 parts:

  1. Complete chord: root, third and 5th.
  2. Omit 5th, allowed double root and third.

Let's complete this score:

%%player_off %%piano2+2N L:1/4 Q:1/1=30 K:C M:3/4 [V:S] c2 x | x3 | x3 | x3 |] [V:A] !blue!A2 x | x3 | x3 | x3 |] [V:T] E2 x | x3 | x3 | x3 |] [V:B] !blue!A,2 E, | A,,2 F, | D, E,2 | A,,3 |] [V:N] x2 "_#"x | x3 | x "_#"x2 | x3 |]

Step 1: Roman numerical analysis.

Score is in A minor (ended bass, # raises the leading-tone).

%%piano2+2DN L:1/4 Q:1/1=30 K:C M:3/4 [V:D] "i"x2 "V"x | "i"x2 "VI"x | "iv"x "V"x2 | "i"x3 |] [V:S] c2 x | x3 | x3 | x3 |] [V:A] !blue!A2 x | x3 | x3 | x3 |] [V:T] E2 x | x3 | x3 | x3 |] [V:B] !blue!A,2 E, | A,,2 F, | D, E,2 | A,,3 |] [V:N] x2 "_#"x | x3 | x "_#"x2 | x3 |]

Step 2: Write letter names for the chords that coming up.

%%piano2+2DCN L:1/4 Q:1/1=30 K:C M:3/4 [V:C] "Am"x2 "E"x | "Am"x2 "F"x | "Dm"x "E"x2 | "Am"x3 |] [V:D] "i"x2 "V"x | "i"x2 "VI"x | "iv"x "V"x2 | "i"x3 |] [V:S] c2 x | x3 | x3 | x3 |] [V:A] !blue!A2 x | x3 | x3 | x3 |] [V:T] E2 x | x3 | x3 | x3 |] [V:B] !blue!A,2 E, | A,,2 F, | D, E,2 | A,,3 |] [V:N] x2 "_#"x | x3 | x "_#"x2 | x3 |]

Step 3: Look for common tones.

Step 4: Move by step with least number of leaps.

%%piano2+2DCN L:1/4 Q:1/1=30 K:C M:3/4 [V:C] "Am"x2 "E"x | "Am"x2 "F"x | "Dm"x "E"x2 | "Am"x3 |] [V:D] "i"x2 "V"x | "i"x2 "VI"x | "iv"x "V"x2 | "i"x3 |] [V:S] c2 B | !n>(!c2 !n>)!c | !blue!d B2 | !blue!A3 |] [V:A] !blue!A2 ^G | !n>(!!blue!A2 !n>)!!n>(!A | !n>)!A !n>(!^G2 | !n>)!E3 |] [V:T] !n>(!E2 !n>)!!n>(!!blue!E | !n>)!E2 !n>(!!blue!F | !n>)!F !blue!E2 | C3 |] [V:B] !blue!A,2 !blue!E, | !blue!A,,2 !blue!F, | !blue!D, !blue!E,2 | !blue!A,,3 |] [V:N] x2 "_#"x | x3 | x "_#"x2 | x3 |]

Let's complete this score:

%%player_off %%piano2+2 L:1/4 Q:1/1=20 K:Eb M:3/4 [V:S] G G B | G A B | c B F | G3 |] [V:A] x3 | x3 | x3 | x3 |] [V:T] x3 | x3 | x3 | x3 |] [V:B] E, C, B,, | E, A,, E, | A, B, B, | E,3 |]

Step 1: Roman numerical analysis.

%%piano2+2D L:1/4 Q:1/1=20 K:Eb M:3/4 [V:D] "I"x "vi"x "V"x | "I"x "IV"x "I"x | "VI"x "V"x2 | "I"x3 |] [V:S] G G B | G A B | c B F | G3 |] [V:A] x3 | x3 | x3 | x3 |] [V:T] x3 | x3 | x3 | x3 |] [V:B] E, C, B,, | E, A,, E, | A, B, B, | E,3 |]

Step 2: Write letter names for the chords that coming up.

%%piano2+2DC L:1/4 Q:1/1=20 K:Eb M:3/4 [V:C] "Eb"x "Cm"x "Bb"x | "Eb"x "Ab"x "Eb"x | "Ab"x "Bb"x2 | "Eb"x3 |] [V:D] "I"x "vi"x "V"x | "I"x "IV"x "I"x | "VI"x "V"x2 | "I"x3 |] [V:S] G G B | G A B | c B F | G3 |] [V:A] x3 | x3 | x3 | x3 |] [V:T] x3 | x3 | x3 | x3 |] [V:B] E, C, B,, | E, A,, E, | A, B, B, | E,3 |]

Step 3: fill notes.

%%piano2+2DC L:1/4 Q:1/1=20 K:Eb M:3/4 [V:C] "Eb"x "Cm"x "Bb"x | "Eb"x "Ab"x "Eb"x | "Ab"x "Bb"x2 | "Eb"x3 |] [V:D] "I"x "vi"x "V"x | "I"x "IV"x "I"x | "VI"x "V"x2 | "I"x3 |] [V:S] G G !blue!B | G !blue!A B | c !blue!B F | G3 |] [V:A] !blue!E E F | !blue!E E !blue!E | E D D | !blue!E3 |] [V:T] B, !blue!C D | B, C G, | !blue!A, F, !blue!B, | B,3 |] [V:B]!blue!E, !blue!C, !blue!B,, | !blue!E, !blue!A,, !blue!E, | !blue!A, !blue!B, !blue!B, | !blue!E,3 |]
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