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Created page with "This lesson is intended to give a basic understanding of harmonic function related to a major key. == Harmonic Functions == At the most basic level of abstraction, each diato..."
This lesson is intended to give a basic understanding of harmonic function related to a major key.
== Harmonic Functions ==
At the most basic level of abstraction, each diatonic chord has one of three functions: ''tonic'', ''pre-dominant'', or ''dominant''. The function of tonic chords is to establish tonality or resolve tension. Thus it is often the first and/or last chord in a song. Dominant functions to create tension that can be relieved by tonic chords. Pre-dominant chords serves to lead into dominant chords.
This gives us our first and most basic chord progression: I - IV - V - I:
fig 1
C F/C G/B C
I IV V I
e--0-----1------3-----0----
b--1-----1------0-----1----
g--0-----2------0-----0----
d--2-----3------0-----2----
a--3-----3------2-----3----
e--------------------------
Ok, yeah, so we already saw this in a prior lesson. Well let's switch some chords to parallels with the same harmonic function:
fig 2
Am Dm/A G/B C
vi ii V I
e--0-----1------3-----0----
b--1-----3------0-----1----
g--2-----2------0-----0----
d--2-----0------0-----2----
a--0-----0------2-----3----
e--------------------------
fig 3
Am F/A Em/B C
vi IV iii I
e--0-----1------0-----0----
b--1-----1------0-----1----
g--2-----2------0-----0----
d--2-----3------2-----2----
a--0-----0------2-----3----
e--------------------------
Those are a bit different, but they all seem to "push" in the same direction, right?
== Harmonic Functions ==
At the most basic level of abstraction, each diatonic chord has one of three functions: ''tonic'', ''pre-dominant'', or ''dominant''. The function of tonic chords is to establish tonality or resolve tension. Thus it is often the first and/or last chord in a song. Dominant functions to create tension that can be relieved by tonic chords. Pre-dominant chords serves to lead into dominant chords.
This gives us our first and most basic chord progression: I - IV - V - I:
fig 1
C F/C G/B C
I IV V I
e--0-----1------3-----0----
b--1-----1------0-----1----
g--0-----2------0-----0----
d--2-----3------0-----2----
a--3-----3------2-----3----
e--------------------------
Ok, yeah, so we already saw this in a prior lesson. Well let's switch some chords to parallels with the same harmonic function:
fig 2
Am Dm/A G/B C
vi ii V I
e--0-----1------3-----0----
b--1-----3------0-----1----
g--2-----2------0-----0----
d--2-----0------0-----2----
a--0-----0------2-----3----
e--------------------------
fig 3
Am F/A Em/B C
vi IV iii I
e--0-----1------0-----0----
b--1-----1------0-----1----
g--2-----2------0-----0----
d--2-----3------2-----2----
a--0-----0------2-----3----
e--------------------------
Those are a bit different, but they all seem to "push" in the same direction, right?