Chord Function

• Function - The placement of the chord within the key.

• The most active tones have the most musical energy to move to resolve.

  • The two most active scale degrees (4 and 7) resolve to the most stable scale degrees (1 and 3).

• Tendency tones - Tones that have the tendency to resolve by half step.

  • Ex. → The most active tones have half relationships to the most stable ones.

• Resolution tones - The notes to which the active tones move.

• The amount of tension within the chord is determined by the stability or activity of the chord members.

• Families according to functions:

  • Tonic - I i and vi VI

  • Subdominant (Predominant) - IV iv and ii ii°

  • Dominant - V and vii°

• The tonic family chords are the most stable.

• Dominant family chords are the most active and move music forward with energy to resolve.

• The subdominant family is considered as transition chords. Their job is to connect stable and active chords.

• Function is altered when a seventh is added because it creates more tension and need to resolve.

Cadences

• Cadence - The harmonic, melodic, and rhythmic conclusion to a phrase. It helps to establish the tonal center.

  • They end with only three chords: I (i), vi (VI), or V (v).

• Authentic cadence - The most common phrase-ending chord progression that uses the dominant chord to set up the tension and the tonic for the release.

• Ex. → The V-I chord progression, where the dominant chord (V) resolves to the tonic chord (I). In the key of C major, this would be the G7 chord resolving to the C chord.

  • Perfect Authentic (PAC) - Concluding cadence that requires both dominant and tonic chords to be in root position.

    • Authentic refers to the harmonic process of V-I.

    • The tonic chord must double the root of the chord in the soprano.

    • Ex. → In the key of C major, it would be the chord progression G7-C. The G7 chord is the dominant chord in the key of C major, and the C chord is the tonic chord.

  • Imperfect Authentic (IAC) - Weaker authentic cadence that has either chord inverted, or has a chord member other than the root in the soprano of the tonic chord.

  • Ex. → V6-I, where the V chord is in first inversion.

• Plagal Cadence (PC) - Weaker progression using the subdominant to tonic to provide the resting point.

  • Often called “Amen cadence”.

  • Ex. → The IV-I progression, where the subdominant chord (IV) resolves to the tonic chord (I).

• Deceptive cadence (DC) - Ending progression where the dominant chord is unexpectedly resolved to the submediant instead of the tonic.

  • Ex. → The "V-vi" progression in a major key, where the dominant chord (V) resolves to the relative minor (vi) instead of the expected tonic (I) chord.

• Half Cadence (HC) - Unresolved tension used especially in the middle of a melody.

  • Ends on the dominant.

  • Ex. → A phrase ending on a V chord, such as a G chord in the key of C major.

• Phrygian Half Cadence (PHC) - Occurs in a harmonic minor. The dominant chord is preceded by the minor subdominant in first inversion and the descending bass line is approached from above by a half step.

  • Ex. → Found in the song "Greensleeves" where the phrase "Alas, my love, you do me wrong" ends with the chords Em-G-Am.