51 Ear Training – More Complicated Harmonies

Chord Progressions

We began our study of harmonic dictation with short excerpts composed of two or three chords. We will begin to study longer harmonic progressions composed of six chords. These chords will follow the logic of chord progressions that we previously studied, whose rules are determined by the principles of voice-leading.

Review: Chord Progressions in Major Keys

Review: Chord Progressions in Minor Keys

Anatomy of a 6-Chord Harmonic Dictation

• All the exercises we study will start on the tonic triad. The chords in the first measure will proceed logically according to the chord progression rules shown above.

• The second measure will contain a cadence (perfect authentic, imperfect authentic, deceptive, half, or plagal), which will be preceded by a pre-cadential chord. This pre-cadential chord will also conform to the logic of the chord progression rules above.

Things to Notice

• Measure 1: same logical three-chord progression as in our previous exercises. Do-re-mi in the bass voice implies tonic-dominant-tonic.

• Measure 2: the cadence is an IAC (i.e. the progression is dominant-tonic, but the soprano ends on sol and not do so we can’t call this a PAC). The cadence is preceded by chord IV: in other words, a very logical, “textbook” way to precede V or V⁷.

• Things to watch out for: learn how to differentiate between V and V⁷. Remember, V is a consonance (a major triad), whereas V⁷ is (doubly) dissonant because it contains the intervals of a tritone and a minor 7th. Listen out for that dissonance; it’s important.