CHeptrn 4.

FI RST TNVERSI ONS OF TRI ADS.

l. A chord is said to be invened when some other note than the root is
in the bass. The terms "
root
"
and "
bass
"
must not be confused. The bass is
the note in the lowest voice
;
the root is that note of the scale on which the chord
is built by adding a 3rd and a 5th. In the preceding chapters the root has always
been in the bass, so that bass and root have been synonymous. we shail now see
that thi s i s not al ways so.
2. when the 3rd from the root is in the bass, a chord is said to be in its
first inversion. This is shown by the letter " b
"
after thc numeral of the root-
indication.r The following are the first inversions of the triads used in chapters
9 and 3.
Ex. 36
C mi nor
I b l t b l vb vb vl b vl b vb M t b
.
T9 these_may be added the first inversions (but
not thc rcot
fositionsl
of the
di mi ni shed tri ads
-
vIIb i n the maj or key, and IIb and vIIb i n the mi nor key.
The full resource now available is thus :
Ex. 37.
3- It will be noticed that the intervals of a first inversion are a 6th and a
3rd above the bass, and the chord is therefore sometimes known as a
"
six-three."
'
Tbc defrrite indication for a triad in rcot posiliott is " a "
after tte numcral
;
c.g. le mcru
tbc rrrot position of the tonic chord. But tbc " e " is usndly omittcd, bciut iEplid.
C mi uor
20
4. Doubling in first inversions needs consideration. In a maior first inversion
double either thi 3rd or the 6th above the bass, but avoid d6ub[ng the bass
itself
f ;
in a minor frrst inversion any on-e of the three notes rnay be doubled,
but there is no need to double the bass without sufhcient reason. In a diminished
first inversion (VtIb maior or minor key, IIb minor key) ihe bass may be doubled
freely, though this is apt to be ineffective in the alto. Note that in VIIb the 6th
above the bass, being the leading-note, may not be doubled.
5. It is worth noting that whereas in the root positions of maior and minor
triads the root is by far the best note to double, in their.first inversions it is equally
ellective to double either root or 5th, t.c. either 6th or 3rd above the bass of the
inversion.
6. The following shows some possible arrangements of first invbrsions in C
major and C minor. Note that inverted chords musl & ccmplete
;
the 5th from
the rcot may not be omitted.
Ex. 38.
Ih lrb
vb_ vlb
f
Some modi6catioo of this is possible later
;
but it is saler for tbe be3inner to adherc to
the giveo nrte.
vIh
2L
This list is not exhaustive, but it shows most of the efiective arrangements.
The apparently unorthodox spacings marked (c) are quite legitimate.
Ercrcisc: Write first inversions above the following bass-notes, showing several
arrangements of the upper parts in each case.
7. In a succession of first inversions moving by step, the soprano should
move.i n paral l el -6ths wi th the bass, the al to i n pari l l ei 3rds, and the tenor shoul d
doubl e al ternatel y the 6th and the i l rd.
Ex. 39.
Vb VIb VIIb ub
Such a progression is uscful in harmonising a descending or ascending rale-
pi rssage i rr' ei ther mel ody or bass (avoi di ng,
foi the nromeni , l IIb;.
8. Perfect 5th followed by diminished Sth, or vice uetsa, is permissible
between uppcr parts, but not with the bass.
Ex. 40.
A maJor
I
I
+
sl o,
BGr
t
J l J
Il b l b vIIb vtb vb
l b vl tb I
22
0. The following points should be noted:
(a)
(D)
(c)
(dl
(cl
Avoi d VIIb-V, VIl b-tVa, VIIb-tvb; the effect i s ungai nl y.
VIIb is generally best followed by I or Ib (or VIa in the maior key)
;
but IIb, Vb, and VIb are also possible.
Vb generally sounds best if followed by Ia or Ylb; i.c. with leading-note
to tonic in the bass.
In IIb-Va it is alwavs effective to double the bass of the former.
VIIb-Ia is a possible substitute for the perfect cadence; but it need not
be used unless V-t is not possible on account of another note in a given
bass.
Ex. 41.
(/) If VIIb is followed by I or Ib it is more effective to make all parts move
by step, if possible.
(g) There is no need noW to insist rigidly on the same note being kept in the
saTq pTl when possible
;
but parts should still be kept moving only
within fairlv narrow limits.
(l) Note that the special rules for the progressions IV-V, V-IV, V-VI, and
VI-V do not appl y i f ei tl rer or both of the chords be i nverted.
10. Four new forms of imperlect cadence are now available, in either major
or mi nor key, ai z.:-
Ib-V, IIb-V, M-V, VIb-V. The l east effecti ve i s VIb-V, whi ch shoul d
generally be avoided. The otlrers may be used freely, according ro.context.
Ex. 42.
vt l b I vl l b I
23
l l . Hl nnoNr set r oN oF Bnsses.
Examination ol Ex. 37 will show that some notes of the scale. in the bass,
can only be harmonised $ith a single chord. The mediant can only be a
!
(Ib),
the domi nant a
I
(V), and the l eadi ng-note a
3
(Vb)
;
i n the mi nor key the
supertoni c can onl y be a
$
(VIl b). Note al l these parti cul arl y.
Al l other
notes of the scale c rn be harmonised as either
!
or
!
12. If the bass has the fi rst three notes of the scal e ascenrl i ng, use I, VIIb,
I b. I f descenci i ng. use I b, VI I b, I . t hus:
Ex. +3.
Note that one part takes the bass i n reverse di recti on (at (a)
the tenor, at
(D) the soprano)
;
wtri l e another part takes toni c, l eadi ng-note, toni c (at (a) the
soprano, at (b) the tenor). Thi s arrangement of the partr i s effecti ve, and shoul d
be adhered to. In the case of the descending bass it is also effective to make the
soprano move i n paral l el 3rds wi th the bass, provi ded they are two octaves and a
3rd apart : see Ex. 40.
13. If a bass-note can be harmoni sed
as ei ther
i
or
$
prefer
$
unl ess
context forbi ds. Consi der the fol l owi ng :
The opening bar (c, D, E) will be treated as indicated in
para.
12. The F can
be ei ther IV or IIb, so prefer the l atter. The fol l owi ng D cbrrl d be ei ther II or
vIIb, but the latter is not possible, since the G which fouows must 6e V, for the
first chord of the cadence-;
_we
know (para.
9 (a)) that vllb-v ii a bad
progression, so the D must be II. Hence tlie solutiori ii :
Ex. 44.
r v[ bl b I I bn v
E.r. 45.
24
Examples will make this clear. (a), (D), and (c) in Ex. 48 correspond
respectively to the points
iust
mentioned. AU are " possiblc" melodies above the
given bass.
Ex. 48.
At (c) onl y three notes
--
B, C, and D
-
are used for the whol e "
mel ody."
16. There i s no obi ecti on to the use oI repeated notes i n a mel ody,
many are undesi rabl e, as they tcnd to hol d up nrovement, and prevent
"
fl ow."
17. The compl eted worki ng of Ex. 47 :
Ex. 4!f.
but too
a good
18. The mel ody used i n Ex. 47 i s not , as has al r eady been shown, t he onl y
one possi bl e. Any gi ven bass i s capabl e of prodrrci ng at l east two or three di ffercnt
mel odi es, al l equal l y effecti ve. Another worki ng i s gi verr bel ow. usi ng the samc
chord-basi s. It shoul d be anal ysed i n the l i ght of the precedi ng paragraphs.
Ex. 5(1.
19. Henuot . t t set r oN oF MEr - ont es.
The fi rst and pri nci pal requi si te i s
progressi on. Note the fol l owi ng poi nts :
(a) The three l natters menti oned i n
a good bass i mpl yi ng a strong chord-
para. 15, whi ch appl y equal l y to a bass.
26
(bJ bass.....iII b<- mt'!odlolls. t hough 01
good : il dt' ( K' nc'l on t h(' c: hord-progrl."ssion implied
(r) Puint s (al. (h) . and (1: 1 in para 11
(d) An oj".'nin, f(' quiring It) tnnic h;\rmony should bt either V lb
of Vh- 1. which('vt" r 1l1li,_ T<l.lhf'r t han Va-I a. as ftlrmcrl\' . This makrs for
grUI('r f!ut' ncy
1<"1 rhangf' from Toot t o " rst invt" rsion (or vers4) IIf lilt"
chord is ::00<.1 strOIU:: 1' 1 WE- ilk. but to si ron,;
1/1 th, ' ( {' to b<- an ('v('n bel w('('n a root r hard
and .J. I\ r..t prl'lt:r t ht' lall er
slock" upl..inffl in p.ua. I:! can be app1ird when
a Considt'r
E ..

( a) I. )
' e}Sl 2t 2t
., S,
'I lib Ib Ib VUb I Ib Vllb I
The figures t he refer to
21. If t ilt: mdOfly falls ol third. it hto5t t o make Ihe a SIE'p
l; ivlIIS a 6th closing in to '" 3rd. t hus


:
Thi s can be fO it hfOT t rung t o weak or wfOak tu strong. that the
chord In each case is in Not E' .tflis pTocedure will
t he dcgret"s of t he scale Indic<l tf' d in Ex. 52. In oli .fO r caSt's II is
most efiectivfO 10 make the bass t ake rever se order
provitlttl that the is not u,t4Jk td 5tro1lK, the soprano
fiSC's a 3rd
27
For the remaining notes we have to try out the various possibilities-in
eaclr
casc, continually beanng rn mind the matters already dealt with in connection
with harmonisation For example, the note A (r) can have as possible bass notes
A, F. D, or C. High C is uncomfortably near the soprano, and low C gives an
ungainly
tgap
oI a 6th, so these notes are drscarded. D produces an exposed 5th.
.{ is possible, though there is no need to repeat a bass note rf it can bi avoided.
So F is chosen, being taken as the bass of IV. This gives roots falling a 3rd (A to F)
which we already know to be good. The other notes in the melody must be treated
on similar lines.' A completed working, wrth inner parts added, could be:
rtb v vI ry vltb lb vllb I tlb v vl
Noto :
(a)
'Ihe
use of minims to avoid unnecessary repeated notes.
(6) 3rd of IIa doubled
;
this is permissrble, and is necessary in order to
avoid consecutives.
(c) The bass is melodious and has a
Bd
curve.
26. The example
lust
dealt with was spc'cially framed to show the
application
of as many pornts as possible withrn a hmrted space. It need not be
anticipated that all the exercises which follow will work out quite so simply
;
but the method of working demonstrated should be followed as far as possible in
al l cases.
Eretciscs: (l) r\dd S. A. T. to the lollowing basses, completing S. first. The
slurs show plrrase-lengths, each phrase ending with a cadence.
(N.B.-Avoi d IIa i n mi nor keys
)
l . r , al . l - ,
- . f t -
Ex. 59