MUSIC THEORY

Mod 34

• Subject of the Day:  Harmonizing a Given Figured Bass
• Reading Assignment: None
• Written Assignment:  Dominant 7th/1 (handout)
• Semester Schedule

• In general the numbers, under bass notes in a figured bass, show which intervals should appear in the notes above the bass.
• 6 under a bass note implies 6 and 3,  which means that above the bass there are intervals of a sixth and a third or compounds of these intervals.  Also implicit with this symbol is the fact that the triad is in first inversion.
• Both a 6 and a 4 under the bass means that the intervals, sixth and fourth appear above the bass; result, second inversion chord.
• If a 7 is the only number under a note, this is interpreted as a root position 7th chord, implying that along with the 7th above the bass note there is a 3rd and a 5th.
• A 6 and a 5 implies that a 6th, 5th, and 3rd should be above the note.  The chord would be a first inversion 7th chord.
• 4 and 3 imply 6th, 4th, and 3rd above the bass; second inversion 7th chord.
• The third inversion of a 7th chord is usually shown with a 4 and a 2, implying a 6th, 4th, and 2nd above the bass.

• If there is a slash through a number, this indicates that interval above the bass note is raised by a half step.  Remember that a lone 6 means 6th and 3rd above the bass.  So above the bass E below there needs to be a raised 6th (C#) and a 3rd (G).
• An accidental in front of a number means that interval above the bass should have the same accidental.  The raised 4th above the G is C# and the 6th above G is E.
• An accidental by itself means the third above the bass will have that same accidental.  Along with the implied sharp 3rd (C#) above the bass is an implied 5th above the bass (E).

If you still have questions, contact Dr. Bartolotta at wbartolo@odu.edu.