Harmonic Dictation AP Music Theory Mr Silvagni Harmonic

Harmonic Dictation AP Music Theory Mr. Silvagni

Harmonic Dictation • Harmonic dictation is listening to a series of chords and writing down the chord quality (roman numeral), soprano, and bass lines • The key of the example and a grand staff are provided • This can be quite overwhelming, but if you know how to listen, you can pick things out

Skills for Harmonic Dictation • Understand the relationship of chords to the tonal center • Discriminate between chord qualities and recognize inversions • Recognize familiar melodic patterns in the melody and bass and their placement within the example • Recognize and notate cadences • Understand the “norms” of the common-practice style

Process • There are two harmonic dictation questions on the AP exam – One will be in major and one will be in minor – They will each contain 9 chords with the first one given – The meter is always simple, either triple or quadruple – Rhythm is not graded – Each question will be played four times

Relevant Information • Three harmonic areas or functions are tonic (I, i, vi or VI), subdominant or predominant (IV, iv, ii or iio), and dominant (V or viio) • Root position chords are considered strong • Supertonic and leading tone chords are commonly found in first inversion • Supertonic in first inversion is a strong subdominant harmony • Second inversion harmonies are often used to prolong stronger harmonies – Passing, Neighbor, and Arpeggiating 64 chords

Relevant Information • Harmonic progressions move from Tonic to Subdominant to Dominant to Tonic • Dominant harmonies do not move to subdominant (retrogression) • Chromatic chords (secondaries) prolong harmony they lead to • Significant harmonic function changes usually occur on strong beats • When the bass line is conjunct, harmonies are generally being prolonged • When the bass line is disjunct, harmonies are generally changing

Connect hearing and notating • Understand what commonly ends a phrase – – – Understand that only I, V, or vi can be the last chord Understand cadential patterns – bass and soprano Listen for basic patterns in the bass line Be able to identify cadences aurally Understand what harmonies are implied from knowing the bass line • Understand what commonly begins a phrase – Return to tonic – Listen for basic patterns in the bass line – Understand what harmonies are implied from knowing the bass line • Understand what commonly occurs in the middle of a phrase – – – Common subdominant function Possible use of a chromatic harmony Possible use of inverted chords for prolonging harmony Listen for basic patterns in the bass line Understand what harmonies are implied from knowing the bass line

Implied Harmonies • • Do implies I or possibly IV 64 Ti implies V 6 or V 65 or possibly viiø 7 or viio 7 La implies vi or possibly IV 6 Sol implies V or possibly I 64 Fa implies IV or possibly ii 6 or ii 65 Mi implies I 6 Re implies ii or possibly V 64, V 43, or viio 6

Begin a Phrase Common Bass Lines Implied Harmonies Do Ti Do I-V(6 or 65)-I or i-V(6 or 65)-i Do Re Mi (or Me) I-V 64 -I 6 or i-V 64 -i 6 Do Re Mi (or Me) I-viio 6 -I or i-viio 6 -i Do Do Do I-IV 64 -I or i-iv 64 -i Do Fa Mi (or Me) I-V 42 -I 6 or i-V 42 -i 6 Do Fa Mi (or Me) I-IV-I 6 or i-iv-i 6 Do Mi (or Me) Sol I-I 64 or i-i 64

Middle Phrases Common Bass Lines Implied Harmonies Sol Fa Mi (or Me) V-V 42 -I 6 or V-V 42 -i 6 Mi (or Me) Fa Sol I 6 -ii 65 -V or i 6 -iiø 65 -V Do La (or Le) Fa I-vi-IV, i-VI-iv, I-vi-ii 6, or i-VI-iio 6 La (or Le) Fa Mi (or Me) vi-IV-I 6, VI-iv-i 6, IV 6 -IV-I 6, or iv 6 -iv-i 6 Fa Mi (or Me) IV-I 6, iv-i 6, V 42 -I 6, or V 42 -i 6 Fa Re IV-ii (major only) Fa Fa IV-ii 6 or iv-iio 6 Fa Fi Sol IV-V 65/V-V, iv-V 65/V-V, ii 6 -V 65/V-V, or iio 6 -V 65/V-V Fa Sol Si La (or Le) IV-V-V 65/vi-vi or iv-V-V 65/VI-VI Me Mi Fa i 6 -V 65/iv-iv (minor only)

Recognizing and Notating Cadences Common Bass Lines Implied Harmonies Type of Cadence Sol Do I 64 -V(7)-I or i 64 -V(7)-i Authentic Sol Do V-V(7)-I or V-V(7)-i Authentic Fa Sol Do IV-V(7)-I or iv-V(7)-I Authentic Fa Sol Do ii(6 or 65)-V(7)-I Authentic Fa Sol Do ii(o 6 or ø 65)-V(7)-I Authentic Fa Sol La (or Le) IV-V-vi or iv-V-VI Deceptive Sol La (or Le) I 64 -V-vi or I 64 -V-VI Deceptive Fa Do IV-I or iv-I Plagal Fa Sol IV-V or ii 6 -V Half Fa Sol iv-V or iio 6 -V Half Le Sol iv 6 -V Phrygian Half

Specific tips • Write a chord menu (major and minor) – Write out chords I, ii(7), IV, V(7)/V, V(7), vi, and vii(ø 7) – Write out chords i, ii(ø 7), iv, V(7)/V, V(7), VI, and vii(o 7)

Tips • Hear vertically (Four Listens) 1. Listen for “chunks” of the phrase for familiar patterns top to bottom - Identify and notate cadences 2. Listen to the bass line to confirm chord quality and inversion 3. Listen to the soprano – expect contrary motion to the bass line 4. Listen specifically for what you have left blank

Tips • Hear linearly (Four Listens) 1. Listen to the bass line – identify and notate the cadence 2. Listen to the soprano line – notice shape and contour and contrary motion from bass line 3. Listen vertically for the chord quality 4. Listen specifically for what you have left blank

Tips • Do NOT leave any blanks • Does your progression move in Tonic, subdominant, tonic motion? • Did you write any parallel 5 ths or octaves? • Is the last note the correct value? • Did you use stems and fill in note heads? • PAC is used most often and is most often I 64 -V(7)-I or i 64 -V(7)-i • In the PAC, V 7 is used more often than V