Unit Objectives

By the end of this unit, students will be able to: 

• Explain the concept of voice leading in popular music and demonstrate practical applications, including the identification and use of guide tones in triads and 7th chords.

• Describe common conventions for doubling, voicing, spacing, and omissions in 3- and 4-voice textures, and differentiate between conjunct and disjunct movement.

• Apply smooth (or "lazy") voice leading principles to compose 3- and 4-part piano accompaniments for melodic lines using lead sheet notation.

• Demonstrate further proficiency in voicing chords using 3- or 4-part chordal accompaniment, alter chord progressions by adding sus chords, extensions, inversions, or added notes, and add rhythmic accompaniments to chord progressions using provided models.