harmony
Let an agent explain harmony as an element of music, describe chords, progressions, voicings and harmonic systems, support analysis, composition and arranging, and support learning across traditions.
Research draft, second pass
A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.
written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify
Researched by: Claude
Purpose and description
Let an agent explain harmony as an element of music, describe chords, progressions, voicings and harmonic systems, support analysis, composition and arranging, and support learning across traditions.
The element of music concerned with the simultaneous sounding of pitches as chords and the progression of chords, including functional harmony of the common practice period, close and open voicings, vocal harmony in ensembles, quartal and quintal harmony, modal and jazz harmony and harmonic practices of many traditions; harmony is studied in music theory, taught through voice leading and analysis, and shapes the emotional and structural character of music.
What it is for: Simultaneous pitches and chord progressions.
It can be explain harmony; describe chords and systems; support analysis and composition; support learning.
Distinguishing features
Chords
Progressions and function
Voicing
Traditions
What it looks like
Not physical; sound and notation.
How it is recognised
Simultaneous pitches and their progression
Functional, modal, jazz, quartal, vocal harmony
Melody is successive pitches; rhythm is time; counterpoint is combined melodic lines
Related models
is a kind of - category
is related to - the complementary element
is related to - a genre with characteristic vocal harmony
is related to - vocal harmony
In practice
Families and kinds
functional tonal harmony
modal and non-functional harmony
jazz and popular harmony
quartal and quintal harmony
vocal harmony and close harmony
Standards and regulation
Music theory conventions and notation
Curricula of conservatories and examination boards
No regulation of the concept
Failure modes and hazards
Treating one tradition as universal
Confusing harmony and counterpoint
Overly rigid rules
Also called
Where this came from
wikidata · CC0 1.0
Also registered as vr.tr.harmony-attribute
Drafted structure
Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.
Understand What harmony is.
Music theory.
Concept
Concept and chords.
Concept
Concept.
- What is harmony, and how do intervals, chords, inversions and voicings form its building blocks? definition
- Which tradition or style is meant? boundary
Function
Function and progression.
Function
Function.
- How do functional harmony, cadences and progressions work in tonal music? definition
- Which entry fits a specific progression? action
Practice Analysis and composition.
Practice.
Analyse
Harmonic analysis.
Analyse
Analysis.
- How can the harmony of this piece be analysed with Roman numerals or chord symbols? action
- Which entry fits music analysis? action
Compose
Composing and arranging.
Compose
Composition.
- How can chords be chosen and voiced for this melody, including vocal harmony arrangement? action
- Which entry fits arranging? action
Styles Harmonic systems.
Traditions.
Jazz
Jazz and popular harmony.
Jazz
Jazz.
- How do jazz and popular harmony use extensions, substitutions and modal approaches? provenance
- Which entry fits jazz? action
Other
Other systems.
Other
Other.
- How do quartal harmony, modal harmony and harmonic practices of other musical traditions differ from common practice harmony? provenance
- Which entry fits a specific tradition? action
Learn History and teaching.
Education.
History
History.
History
History.
- How did harmony develop from early polyphony through the common practice period to modern practice? provenance
- Which references are standard? provenance
Teach
Teaching.
Teach
Teaching.
- How can harmony be taught by ear and through analysis? action
- Which misconceptions arise? provenance
What the second pass must settle
- Should chord progressions be a separate entry?
- How should music theory resources be linked?
- How should non-Western harmonic practices be represented?