Mayfield Secondary School - Music Department

Grade 11 RAP - Theory/Harmony/Creation

Unit 5 - Lesson 1 – SATB Format

SATB Format Review:

In vocal harmony, the voices are divided into four parts:
Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass (S. A. T. B.). While these
voices are written together on the GRAND STAFF as
chords, each voice can also be seen as an independent
melodic line. The stems directions are linked to a specific
voice and will NEVER change direction. In four part
writing, the following is ALWAYS TRUE! The Soprano
stem points UP, the Alto stem points DOWN, the Tenor stem points UP and the Bass stem points DOWN.

Voice Ranges:

In addition to being written in a set order, with set stem directions, each voice has a melodic range in
which its part must be written. This range is designed to be comfortable for the assigned voice type and
helps ensure that parts are not written too high, or too low. The following example demonstrates the
correct voice range for each part.

Doubling Review:
Given that the very nature of four part writing requires at least one of the three notes of the primary
triad to be doubled, the following rules have been created for repeating notes. In four part writing:

1. The ROOT and the THIRD must be present in EVERY CHORD

2. The FIFTH may be omitted should the voicing require it
3. The ROOT may be tripled.
4. Doubling the THIRD should be avoided
Mayfield Secondary School - Music Department
Grade 11 RAP - Theory/Harmony/Creation
Unit 5 - Lesson 1 – SATB Format – Worksheet

Error Identification:
4. Identify the errors in each of the following examples.

a. b. c. d. e. f. h. i.

a. ______________ d. __________________ g. __________________

b. ______________ e. __________________ h. __________________

c. ______________ f. __________________ i. __________________

5. Analyse the following example using roman numerals, and identify any errors.
Mayfield Secondary School - Music Department
Grade 11 RAP - Theory/Harmony/Creation
Unit 5 - Lesson 2 – SATB Chord Writing – Worksheet

Chord Writing Review:

1. On the staff below realize the triad that corresponds with the given roman numeral.

2. On the staff below realize the chord that corresponds with the given roman numeral in SATB
format. Ensure that you follow all rules (doubling, spacing and range) in their creation.
Mayfield Secondary School - Music Department
Grade 11 RAP - Theory/Harmony/Creation
Unit 5 - Lesson 2 – SATB Chord Writing – Worksheet

3. Create three different realizations for each of the given chords. Ensure that you follow all chord
writing rules.
Mayfield Secondary School - Music Department
Grade 11 RAP - Theory/Harmony/Creation
Unit 5 - Lesson 3 – Introduction to Voice Leading

Voice Leading:

The term voice leading refers to the melodic movement of a single voice, or, two or more voices in
combination.

Because SATB harmony is vocal music, much of our writing moves by step ore in scale-like fashion.
Smooth voice leading is important to make the lines singable. Try to avoid large leaps and awkward
intervals. Voice lines that move by step are said to be conjunct, while voice lines that move in leaps are
said to be disjunct. A leap is a melodic interval of a 3rd or more. As a general rule, avoid leaps of more
than a 4th in the alto and tenor voices.

Types of motion:

Voices can move in various ways:

Motion by two voices in the same direction is

called similar motion.

Motion by two voices in the opposite direction is

called contrary motion.

Motion by two voices in the same direction and

by the same amount is called parallel motion.

Motion by one voice when the other voice

remains stationary is called oblique motion.

Lesson review:

 Smooth voice leading is essential to making each

individual part singable.
 Avoid leaps of more than a 4th in the alto and tenor
voice.
 There are 4 types of motion: Similar, contrary, parallel
and oblique.
Mayfield Secondary School - Music Department
Grade 11 RAP - Theory/Harmony/Creation
Unit 5 - Lesson 3 – Introduction to Voice Leading

Types of Motion:
1. On the staff below identify each type of motion.

2. On the staff below, add notes to create the type of motion that is indicated.
 Gr 11 - Unit 5 - Theory - Lesson 3b - SATB Motion Worksheet2

Types of Motion
name:_________________________________

key:______
Soprano/Alto = oblique

  
   Soprano/Tenor = parallel (3rd)

Soprano/Bass = contrary

    
  Alto/Tenor = oblique

Alto/Bass = oblique

V I Tenor/Bass = contrary

key:______
Soprano/Alto = ____________________

2


    Soprano/Tenor = ____________________

  Soprano/Bass = ____________________

  
 Alto/Tenor = ____________________

Alto/Bass = ____________________

Tenor/Bass = ____________________
V i

key:______
3
 Soprano/Alto = ____________________

   Soprano/Tenor = ____________________

  Soprano/Bass = ____________________
    Alto/Tenor = ____________________

Alto/Bass = ____________________

V I Tenor/Bass = ____________________
Mayfield Secondary School - Music Department
Grade 11 RAP - Theory/Harmony/Creation

Voice Leading in Harmony - Lesson

Voice Leading Rules Applicable Progressions

When a common tone is present I-V, V-I

 Move the bass to the note indicated in the figured bass I-IV, IV-I
 Maintain the common tone (between the two chords)
 Move the two remaining voices by a motion of a 2nd ii-V

When no common tone is present

 Move the bass to the note indicated in the figured bass IV-V
 Move the three upper voices (SAT) down, by a motion of 2nd or 3rd. I-ii

If the melody is already written and following the above rules is impossible:

 Move the bass to the note indicated in the figured bass

 move all remaining voices as smoothly as possible (= by a motion of 2nd or 3rd)
Mayfield SS Music ‐ Grade 11 RAP                                                                                                                                                                Name:  ___________________________________
06/11/2014

  V ‐ I (i) Progressions
When moving from V to I (or i), the smoothest voice leading is 
achieved by keeping the common tone in the same voice and moving 
the other two voices by step.
1.  Write the note names (including sharps, flats, and altered thirds for minor keys) for each of the 
      following:

a)  What are the notes of the I (or i) chord in:

        i)  C major:  ____________                v)  D b major:  ____________

       ii)  A b major:  ____________              vi)  E major:  ____________

       iii)  f minor:  ____________               vii)  A major:   ____________

       iv)  g # minor:  ____________              viii)  C# major:  ____________

b)  What are the notes of the V chord in:

        i)  C major:  ____________                v)  D b major:  ____________

       ii)  A b major:  ____________              vi)  E major:  ____________

       iii)  f minor:  ____________               vii)  A major:   ____________

2.  Write the following V ‐ I (or i) progressions.

### ####
& bb #
? bb ### ˙ ####
˙ ˙ ˙ #˙ ˙
Mayfield SS Music ‐ Grade 11 RAP                                                                                                                                                                Name:  ___________________________________
06/11/2014

  V ‐ I (i) Progressions
Complete the following V-I progressions. Note: some progressions may be in a minor key.

#### # ˙ 
& ##˙ b #˙ b b b ˙˙
˙
˙
? #### # ˙ ˙
˙
˙ bbb ˙ ˙
##˙ b ˙

## ˙ #˙ b b b b b ˙˙
& ˙ ˙
˙
? ## ˙ ˙ # ˙˙ bbbbb ˙ ˙
˙ ˙

bbb b ˙ #### ˙ 
b
& b n˙ ˙ b b b b n ˙˙

? bb b b ˙ ˙ #### ˙ bb b b ˙˙
bb ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙
Mayfield SS Music ‐ Grade 11 RAP                                                                                                                                                                Name:  ___________________________________
06/11/2014

  V ‐ I (i) Progressions
Complete the following V-I progressions. Note: some progressions may be in a minor key.

#### bbb b
&
? #### ˙ ˙ bbb ˙ b˙
˙
˙

#### ## bbbbbb #### #

& # #
? #### ## ˙ bbbbbb ˙ #### # ˙ ˙
# ˙ ˙ #

### ####
& bbbb #
? bb b ˙ ˙ ### ˙ #### ˙
b ˙ # ˙
Mayfield Secondary School - Music Department
Grade 11 RAP - Theory/Harmony/Creation
Unit 5 - Lesson 6 – Harmonizing a Melody

Melodic analysis using scale degrees:

One method for analysing a melody is through the use of scale degrees. This method identifies the notes
of the melody as "degrees" within the key signatures' scale. The tonic is equal to 1̂ the dominant is 5̂
etc. Note that we use a special symbol (^) above the number to identify that number as a scale degree.

Using this formula, label each the scale degrees in the melodies given below.

Harmonizing a Given Melody Using I and V:

One of the tasks we may be asked to do as "composers" is to provide a set of chords which can be used
to harmonize a melody (either composed by us, or pre-existing). To do this we analyse the melody using
scale degrees, and find chords which share that scale degree.

Example
If a note in the melody is: We know that the following chords may be used to harmonize it:
Mayfield Secondary School - Music Department
Grade 11 RAP - Theory/Harmony/Creation
Unit 5 - Lesson 6 – Harmonizing a Melody

Harmonizing a Given Melody Using I and V (cont.)

Since we have only learned how to provide voice leading for the chords I & V, there are a limited
number of scale degrees we can harmonize right now. The following chart is a guide to which scale
degrees are typically matched with which chords, and will be expanded as we learn additional chords:

Scale Degrees: Use Chord

1̂ 3̂ I
2̂ 7̂ V

For the following examples:

1. identify the scale degrees of the soprano lines
2. harmonize the melodies using either I or V chords (please include the roman numerals).
Mayfield Secondary School - Music Department
Grade 11 RAP - Theory/Harmony/Creation
Unit 5 - Lesson 6 – Harmonizing a Melody

Harmonizing a Given Melody Using I and V (cont.)

Occasionally a soprano line will be written which does not allow for the typical common tone and
stepwise motion resolution. In these cases we resolve the progression by moving to the nearest
available chord tone, making sure to avoid faulty parallels.

Example:
Voice Leading Rules
V-I
 maintain common tone, move all
other voices by step (except the
bass)
 When the soprano line doesn't
allow for this resolution ( 1̂ 2̂ 1̂ ):
Move as smoothly as possible,
avoiding faulty parallels.

For the following examples:

1. identify the scale degrees of the soprano lines
2. harmonize the melodies using either I or V chords (please include the roman numerals).