A Lesson on Harmony

Melodic Minor
A major feel as it ascends
Totally minor feel as it descends
 Harmonic Minor
Egyptian Feel
 Added 6 th

Root, 3rd and 5th of a chord with the 6th

added.
This chord is used frequently in jazz and
popular music.
 Augmented
This chord is formed by a major triad in
which the 5th degree is raised by a
semitone.
A strident, harsh, discordant effect
 Diminished
A chord consisting of two intervals of a
minor 3rd built on top of each other.
A weak, soft, quite pleasant effect
A discord requiring a resolution
A silent movie chord – someone’s going to
get run over by a train!
 Diminished 7th

A chord consisting of three intervals of a

minor 3rd built one on top of the other, the
interval between the lower and top note
being a diminished 7th.
This can be a very useful chord for
modulation to distant keys.
A diminished 7th chord built on C.
 Dominant 7th

Chord built on the dominant (5th) note of a

key which adds the 7th note above its root.
It is sometimes written as V7 or, in the key
of C major, G7(GBDF). .
In a Concerto often played by an orchestra
to lead listener into Cadenza
 Imperfect Cadence
A cadence consists of two chords at the
end of a phrase.
In an imperfect cadence the second chord
is the dominant V creating an unfinished
effect.
In the key of C the second chord of an
imperfect cadence would be the chord of

... ?
 Perfect Cadence
A cadence consists of two chords at the
end of a phrase.
A perfect cadence is the dominant to tonic
chords (V-I).
Sounds final
 Plagal Cadence
A cadence is formed by two chords at the
end of a phrase.
The subdominant to tonic chords ( IV–I ).

In the key of C major, chords ? to ?.

Sounds final
 Interrupted Cadence
 A cadence is formed by two chords at the
end of a phrase.
An interrupted cadence is usually formed
by the chords V–VI.

In the key of C major, chords ? to ?.

This is known also as the surprise
cadence as the listener may be expecting
V–I which has a more final sound.
 Tierce de Picardie
The final chord of a piece of music in the
minor key is changed to major.
 Modulation to Dominant
1. It sounds bright
2. It sounds natural
3. Strong desire to return to tonic
immediately
 Modulation to Subdominant
Less bright and often rather solemn and
heavy
Not common as only modulation in a piece
No great desire to return to tonic
immediately
 Modulation to Relative Minor
Ends in a minor key