Augmented Sixth "Chords"
Dr. B Music Theory
Spelling
- Pick a scale degree as a major or a minor triad could be built on.
- Bass is m2 above scale degree (b^6 or ^6).
- Upper voice = m2 below that scale degree up the octave (#^4).
- Upper voice = add M3 above bass (^1).
- Choose type:
- Italian (It+6) = double M3 above bass.
- French (Fr+6) = add A4 above bass.
- German (Ger+6) = add P5 above bass.
Q:1/1=40
[V:0] "core""_+6"[_Ac^f] | "_It+6"[_Ac!green!c^f] | "_Fr+6"[_Ac!green!d^f] | "_Ger+6"[_Ac!green!_e^f] |
Labeling
type / scale degre, ^5 is most command and can be left out.
Q:1/1=40
[V:0] "core""_+6"[_DFB] | "_It+6/^1"[_DF!green!FB] | "_Fr+6/^1"[_DF!green!GB] | "_Ger+6/^1"[_DF!green!_AB] |
Harmonic Progression
1. Usually precedes V or I64.
Q:1/1=40
%%piano2+2D
[V:D] "It+6"x "V"x "I"x || "It+6"x "I64"x "V"x "I"x || "It+6"x "i64"x "V"x "i"x |]
[V:S] ^F !blue!G G || ^F !blue!G !blue!G G || ^F !blue!G !blue!G G |]
[V:A] !green!C D/F/ E || !green!C E D/F/ E || !green!C _E D _E |]
[V:T] C =B, !blue!C || C C =B, !blue!C || C C =B, !blue!C |]
[V:B] _A, !blue!G, !blue!C, || _A, !blue!G, !blue!G, !blue!C, || _A, !blue!G, !blue!G, !blue!C, |]
Q:1/1=40
%%piano2+2D
[V:D] "Fr+6"x "V"x "I"x || "Fr+6"x "I64"x "V"x "I"x || "Fr+6"x "i64"x "V"x "i"x |]
[V:S] ^F !blue!G G || ^F !blue!G !blue!G G || ^F !blue!G !blue!G G |]
[V:A] !green!D D/F/ E || !green!D E D/F/ E || !green!D _E D _E |]
[V:T] C =B, !blue!C || C C =B, !blue!C || C C =B, !blue!C |]
[V:B] _A, !blue!G, !blue!C, || _A, !blue!G, !blue!G, !blue!C, || _A, !blue!G, !blue!G, !blue!C, |]
Exception for Ger+6 that always goes to I64 or i64.
Q:1/1=40
%%piano2+2D
[V:D] "Ger+6"x "I64"x "V7"x "I"x || "Ger+6"x "i64"x "V"x "i"x |]
[V:S] !green!_E =E F E || !green!_E _E D !blue!C |]
[V:A] C C =B, !blue!C || C C =B, G, |]
[V:T] ^F, !blue!G, !blue!G, G, || ^F, !blue!G, !blue!G, _E, |]
[V:B] _A,, !blue!G,, !blue!G,, !blue!C, || _A,, !blue!G,, !blue!G,, !blue!C, |]
2. Another progression
!%
['m6','','+6/^5','?'],['M2/P5','','V|64/V','D2'],['P5/M3','','V|6','d'],['P1','m','i','T','up'],
['m6','','+6/^5','?'],['A4/m3','','vii°|65/V','D2'],['P5/M3','','V|6','d'],['P1','m','i','T']
Q:1/1=40
%%piano2+2D
K:Cm
[V:D] "It+6"x "V43/V"x "V6"x "i"x || "It+6"x "vii°65/V"x "V6"x "i"x |]
[V:S] ^F ^F G G || ^F ^F G G |]
[V:A] !green!C D !blue!D E || !green!C _E !blue!D E |]
[V:T] C C !blue!D !blue!C || C C !blue!D !blue!C |]
[V:B] _A, =A, =B, !blue!C || _A, =A, =B, !blue!C |]
Q:1/1=40
%%piano2+2D
K:Cm
[V:D] "Fr+6"x "vii°65/V"x "V6"x "i"x || "Fr+6"x "vii°65/V"x "V6"x "i"x |]
[V:S] ^F ^F G G || ^F ^F G G |]
[V:A] !green!D _E !blue!D E || !green!D _E !blue!D E |]
[V:T] C C !blue!D !blue!C || C C !blue!D !blue!C |]
[V:B] _A, =A, =B, !blue!C || _A, =A, =B, !blue!C |]
3. As Neighbor chord for V (V +6 V)
Q:1/1=40
%%piano2+2D
K:Cm
[V:D] "V"x "It+6"x "V"x || "V"x "Fr+6"x "V"x |]
[V:S] !blue!G ^F !blue!G || !blue!G ^F !blue!G |]
[V:A] D !green!C D || D !green!D D |]
[V:T] =B, C =B, || =B, C =B, |]
[V:B] !blue!G, _A, !blue!G, || !blue!G, _A, !blue!G, |]
Resolution
+6 expands out to octave and smooth voice leading.
Augmented Sixth "Chords" is a bad naming, it's better with Augmented Sixth Sonorities.
Other Bass Position vs. Inversions
- Smooth voice leading / linear sonority vs. chord.
- Any of the notes in an It+6 may be in the bass.
Q:1/1=40
K:Cm
[V:1] [Ac^f] | [C^FA] | [^FAc] |]
- Not necessary to indicate bass position.
Sample to Analyse
Q:1/1=40
%%piano2+2D
K:Bb
[V:D] x | x | x | x | x |]
[V:S] c | _d | =d | c | B |]
[V:A] G | _G | F | F | D |]
[V:T] B, | B, | B, | A, | F, |]
[V:B] E, | =E, | F, | F, | B,, |]
Q:1/1=40
%%piano2+2D
K:Bb
[V:D] "ii65"x | "Ger+6"x | "I64"x | "V"x | "I"x |]
[V:S] c | _d | =d | c | B |]
[V:A] G | _G | F | F | D |]
[V:T] B, | B, | B, | A, | F, |]
[V:B] E, | =E, | F, | F, | B,, |]
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