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Part Writing Rule #1

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Stay within the appropriate ranges for each voice part.

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Part Writing Rule #2

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Avoid cross voicing. Keep the voices in order from top to bottom: soprano, alto, tenor, bass. In other words don't let the sopranos sing lower than the altos or vice versa and so on.

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Part Writing Rule #3

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Spacing between the voices is important. Never write an interval larger than an octave between soprano and alto. Never write an interval larger than an octave between alto and tenor. Never write more than two octaves between bass and tenor.

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Part Writing Rule #4

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Do not write the interval of an A2 or an A4 in the voice leading of any voice.

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Part Writing Rule #5

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Avoid parallel perfect fifths, perfect octaves or perfect unisons.

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Part Writing Rule #6

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Never double the leading tone of the scale.

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Part Writing Rule #7

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Avoid overlapping. Overlapping occurs when one voice moves above or below the previous pitch of an adjacent voice. For example, the tenor singing lower than where the bass was in the previous chord.

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Part Writing Rule #8

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Do not move in the same direction to perfect intervals in the two outer voices (soprano and bass).

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Part Writing Rule #9

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Unequal 5ths, P5ths to d5ths or vice versa should be used sparingly.

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Part Writing Rule #10

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The melodic descending d5th appears sometimes in bass voices, but rarely in the soprano. The d4th may be written in isolated situations.

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Part Writing Rule #11

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The leading tone should progress upward toward the tonic when it is in an outer voice (soprano or bass).

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Root Position Major and Minor Triad Doubling

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Root

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First Inversion Major and Minor Triad Doubling

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Soprano or bass note. (Never double the bass note of a V6 chord).

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First Inversion Diminished Triad Doubling

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Bass Note

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Second Inversion Major and Minor Triad Doubling

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Bass Note

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Root Position Chords 4th or 5th Apart

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When the roots of the chords are a fourth or a fifth apart, find the common tone between the two chords and retain it in the same voice. If retaining the common tone leads to some big leaps in the inner voices, then move all three upper voices in the same direction (similar motion) to the nearest chord tones.

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Root Position Chords a 3rd Apart

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When the roots of two chords are a third apart find the two common tones and retain them in the same voices. Move the remaining upper voice in stepwise motion.

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Root Position Chords a 2nd Apart

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When the roots of two chords are a second apart move the upper voices in the opposite direction (contrary motion) to the bass. So if the bass is moving up, move the upper voices down. Make sure that each voice moves to the nearest chord tone of the next chord. One exception to this rule is when you move from V-vi or V-VI. In this case don't double the root of the VI chord, instead double the third of the chord. Only two of the upper voices will move in the opposite direction to the bass.

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Repeated Chords

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When chords are repeated in a chorale, it is not considered a chord progression. The second chord is considered a continuation of the first chord. Many times the notes of the triad will change voices, making the repeated chord more interesting. However, you should remember that you should always maintain proper doubling and stay within the voice ranges, keeping the voices in the usual order of soprano, alto, tenor, bass. Often you will see repeated chords change positions. I.E. I to I6

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First Inversion Triad Purpose #1

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Smooth bass lines. Triads in root position are very stable and are anchors in a chorale, but if all the chords in the chorale were in root position, the bass part would be full of leaps. Using inversions can help bass lines to be a nice mix of stepwise motion and leaps.

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First Inversion Triad Purpose #2

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Inversions can provide melodic motion in a bass melody.

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First Inversion Triad Rule #1

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Double any note in the triad; root, third, or fifth. It is most common to double the soprano note, and second most common to double the bass note. Never double the leading tone. Never double the bass of a V6 chord.

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First Inversion Triad Rule #2

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When two first inversion triads appear in succession, alternate the doubling. For example double the soprano on the first chord and the bass on the second chord or vice versa.

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First Inversion Triad Rule #3 vii°6

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This chord always appears in first inversion because it contains the leading tone and we never want to double a leading tone, you should always double the bass note. Move all the voices stepwise and avoid melodic skips of a tritone.

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First Inversion Triad Rule #4 ii°6

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Double the third (bass note) or the root, but not the fifth. Make voice leading stepwise wherever possible and avoid melodic tritones.

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Second Inversion Triad Rule #1

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When writing 2nd inversion triads always double the bass note (fifth of the triad). Second inversion triads are very unstable and are therefore used only in very specific instances. They are not very common. The I, V, and IV chord are the chords that usually appear in second inversion.

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Second Inversion Triad Type #1

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Cadential - The tonic six-four chord may be used before the V chord at a cadence. When this happens, the tonic six-four is functioning as part of the dominant. Remember that the fifth of the tonic chord is the dominant and when it is second inversion that dominant note is in the bass. the tonic chord is functioning like a decoration of the V chord.

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Second Inversion Triad Type #2

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Passing Bass - The bass note of a six-four chord acts as a passing tone. The passing bass may be found as a tonic six-four between the IV and IV6 chords or as a dominant six-four passing between the I and I6 chords.

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Second Inversion Triad Type #3

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Arpeggiated Bass - The bass notes move in an arpeggio, giving us root position, first inversion, and second inversion of the same chord. Usually we see this done with the tonic chord, but it does occur occasionally with other triads.

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Second Inversion Triad Type #4

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Pedal Bass - Also called a stationary bass because the bass note stays on the same tone and the six-four chord is placed between two root positions of the same triad.

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Chord Spacing Type #1

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Open Spacing - Chords in open spacing have more than an octave between soprano and tenor.

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Chord Spacing Type #2

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Closed Spacing - Chords in close spacing have an octave or less between soprano and tenor.

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Spacing Rule and Directions

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When working solely with root position chords it is best to keep the spacing the same throughout the piece. In pieces with both root position and 1st inversion chords it is possible to change the spacing in the middle of the piece. This will most often happen on an inverted chord or where there are large leaps in the soprano line.

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Type of Motion #1

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Parallel - Same direction and same interval

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Type of Motion #2

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Contrary - Opposite direction

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Type of Motion #3

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Oblique - One voice on the same note and the other moves

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Type of Motion #4

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Similar - Same direction but not same interval

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Bass Range

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E2 - D4

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Alto Range

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G3 - D5

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Tenor Range

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C3 - G4

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Soprano Range

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C4 - G5

Voice Leading and Part Writing (Extensive Rules) – Flashcards

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