Exercises
Exercise 15-1
Find and correct the voice-leading errors in the following piece of harmony.
Par t 5:Embellishing
Realize, however, that this is one rule that’s definitely meant to be broken. There
are so many instances of close harmony out there that it’s hard to argue against
the practice. The problem is that this type of close harmony is difficult to pull
off; especially for beginners. Wait until you’re more comfortable with your har-
mony and counterpoint before you try writing voices this close together.The Least You Need to Know
◆Harmony is a vertical combination of notes within the underlying chord
structure; counterpoint is an integrated series of horizontal melodies relat-
ing to the underlying chords.
◆Harmony is facilitated when you vary chord voicings throughout a pro-
gression.
◆Each harmony part must be singable on its own and follow established
voice leading conventions.
◆Each melody within a counterpoint should be able to function as a stand-
alone melody, and at the same time complement the other melodies.
◆Whether you’re creating harmony or counterpoint, you should generally
avoid extended movement in parallel fourths, fifths, or octaves—especially
in classical music. (Popular music typically has fewer—and looser—
conventions.)200