Questions tagged [chromatic]
Relating to notes not belonging to the diatonic scale of the key in which the passage is written.
77 questions
7
votes
3
answers
463
views
Should I write this sonority as a dominant 7th or as an augmented 6th?
In bar 8 there is a chromatic chord which is essentially an Eb7 chord but I know from classical music harmony that an augmented german 6th has the same sonority. So How should I write this chord? It ...
- 810
2
votes
2
answers
148
views
In the diatonic scale, from B to C there is one semitone but A to B there are two semitones, a question on semantics [duplicate]
Evidently, there is really no need to over-complicate anything. Therefore I definitely don't take it as nonsense, however, it's not evident the sense in it. Can somebody indicate why that is and ...
- 49
0
votes
0
answers
94
views
If A is before D in the alphabet, why does A have a higher pitch than D? [duplicate]
This may not look like a good question, but I've been looking for the answer to this since I started studying music theory and I'm completely stuck because I refuse to continue without understanding ...
- 49
4
votes
3
answers
415
views
How to write chromatic neighbors when the neighbor is diatonic and the chromatic note is the one being embellished
This image should sum up the question. Obviously I want to write a D# and an E# since they show the neighbor motion to the chromatic notes I am embellishing but that seems silly so I have done it this ...
- 810
6
votes
2
answers
691
views
What do the 5–6 and 7–6 labels mean in this Haydn analysis if not inversions?
I’m looking at the Chromatic Voice-Leading Techniques chapter in Aldwell & Schachter, and I came across this example from a Haydn piano sonata (page 563):
Beneath the bass staff, there are ...
- 1,508
3
votes
3
answers
421
views
Chromatic note and mode degrees
I’m into generative music (and know that classical music specialists are skeptical about it).
But it’s a non-profit project, just self-development and research.
Also sorry for the inaccuracies in ...
- 127
6
votes
3
answers
842
views
Is it common in modern classical music for timpani to play chromatic passages?
As far as I know, timpani are traditionally tuned only to the tonic, perfect fourth, and perfect fifth of the main scale of the piece. I also know that over time, various devices like pedals and ...
- 2,122
0
votes
1
answer
143
views
Are there any disadvantages to using 12 letters for the musical notes, instead of 7 letters with sharps/flats? [duplicate]
I am working on a fantasy spoken language for a fantasy world ultimately (long ways away from that!). One thing I'm currently dealing with is the basic letters used to make the sounds/words, and ...
- 682
1
vote
2
answers
148
views
What chords am I using here?
I am composing a marimba solo in A minor (it uses a decent amount of chromatic notes but otherwise stays diatonic) and I wanted to analyse the chords. In this measure, I got stuck on the third chord ...
- 529
1
vote
1
answer
127
views
What is it called when a chord progression in a specific key uses root/tonic notes that are in-key, but other members of the chord are not?
What is it called when a chord progression in a specific key uses root/tonic notes that are in-key, but other members of the chord are not?
For example, say I am in the key of C major and I pay C Maj, ...
- 201
2
votes
3
answers
435
views
What's the role of a bVI chord preceding a ii V I?
I'm talking about the chord progression of The Beach Boys' "Heroes & Villains" outro ("Bridge to Indians").
The progression is the following:
I I7 IV bVI7 I bVI7 ii7 V7 I (C# C#...
- 21
2
votes
5
answers
875
views
What convention is used for sharps and flats in chromatic scale notation? [duplicate]
This exercise says to leave the dominant and subdominant notes unaltered (pick up the sharp or flat from the key signature). However, I have also seen convention that says use sharps for ascending ...
- 681
2
votes
3
answers
754
views
How can a descending chromatic scale be harmonized while staying in the key?
It's possible to harmonize a descending chromatic scale with consecutive dominant 7ths(the most common way), but that goes down the circle of fifths and takes the piece to a distant key. Is there any ...
- 1,656
9
votes
3
answers
3k
views
Roman numeral slash notation meaning and function? (V/iii)
When trying to find the function of the B major chord in C major I found that it was listed as a "V/iii" chord in this online calculator. I have never seen this before and don't know what ...
- 93
6
votes
4
answers
543
views
What is the etymology of word "chromatic" (= relating to color) in music?
Regarding "chromatic," I found on Wiktionary:
Latin chrōmaticus, from Ancient Greek χρωματικός (khrōmatikós, “relating to colour; one of the three types of tetrachord in Greek music”)
Then ...
- 161