Embedded Files
Objectives
Objectives
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
Describe common ways that mediant and subtonic harmony is used in common-practice Western art music.
Analyze examples from the repertoire that incorporate iii, bIII, and bVII chords, labeling Roman numerals, cadences, and chord function.
Compose and partwrite chord progressions that use mediant and subtonic harmony.
Harmonize a given melody using mediant or subtonic chords in major or minor.
Preparation for Class
Preparation for Class
Read:
Read:
The Mediant Harmonizing Mi (Scale Degree 3) in the Bass (John Peterson, OMT)
What's the Deal with the iii Chord? (Kaitlin Bove) - Just read the section on iii chords and watch the embedded video.
The SubTonic Chord (Nancy Rogers)
The Mediant Chord (Nancy Rogers)
Watch
Watch
III and VII in Minor
Seth Monahan (26 mins)
In-Class Activities
In-Class Activities
Discussion
Discussion
Using iii and bVII: How is the mediant chord typically used in common-practice Western art music? The subtonic chord? Discuss a few sample progressions that use these chords.
Activities
Activities
Practice Worksheets:
Worksheet 1: Composition and analysis with Mi in the bass. (Doc | PDF): (Open Music Theory)
Worksheet Set (bIII and bVII): Short Harmonization Examples, Longer Harmonization and Composition, Analysis. (San Francisco Conservatory)
Composition: Compose two 4-bar chord progressions in different meters and keys. The first progression should use the mediant chord; the second progression should use the subtonic chord as part of a lament progression. Partwrite one progression in chorale style and the other in keyboard style. Label the cadences. Identify Roman numerals and chord function (T, PD, D) below the staff. If there's time, also compose a melody for the chord progression.
Analysis: Analyze examples from the repertoire in the Anthology section below. Identify Roman numerals, chord function (T, PD, D), cadences, and non-chord tones by type.
Repertoire for Practice
Repertoire for Practice
Mediant Chords: Example for analysis using the mediant as a tonic prolongation.
Lament Progressions with bVII: See the section titled "Lament: i - bVII - bVI - V." Examples from classical and popular music using the 1-b7-6-5 bassline.
Want to learn more?
Want to learn more?
Explore some of the different ways that the ♭VII chord is used in popular music in these readings:
♭VII Chords (PopGrammar) - Just read the first few paragraphs on ♭VII
The ♭VII Chord in Popular Music (Hutchinson, Music Theory for the 21st Century Classroom)
Practice
Practice
Musition:
Chord Progressions: Level 9
Four-Part Writing: Level 15
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