Voice crossing is only bad if it involves the bass or the soprano. The tenor and the alto have always been allowed to cross, on the condition that it's only temporarily. Bach never allowed the soprano to cross under the alto. He did, however, let the tenor cross under the bass, but only when the bass was being doubled by a basso continuo that included a contrabass. In such cases, the true bass remains still lower than the tenor, even if the written score appears to suggest otherwise.
But can't you just switch the two voices? Suppose if the tenor is playing an E and alto is playing the C just below, can't you just switch it so that the alto is playing the E and the tenor is playing the C? I'm just curious.
@@fatherindia4810 Sometimes you can, but sometimes it's not desirable. One reason why you wouldn't want to just switch the notes, is if by doing so you produce parallel fifths or octaves. Apart from that, voice crossing is often necessary when you want to preserve a contrapuntal or melodic line. If the tenor is playing an ascending scale that brings it above the alto, switching the notes around would prevent the voice crossing, but it would also destroy the scale by splitting it between the tenor and the alto.
I like the discipline of first learning to write for the voices; instruments, of course can often exceed the ranges of the various human voices, but it will hone one's skills by first learning to write effectively in the context of SATB.
With fixed do you just use alterations. With movable DO you just adjust to each key center (there’s only 3 - B, G, and Eb). I’m pretty sure you’re just joking, but it’d be a fun exercise
This is my 1st look at voicing. I was wondering just how good the 3rd voicing is in the first example @8:50 since it only uses 2 notes of the G Major chord, as well as there being more than one octave between the Bass and Tenor? Oh... because it says not to exceed an octave between the '"upper 3 voices'" @5:40 (see also @6:15)
Maestro: Please do you have a reference PDF sheet - Wow this is teaching music. Thank you for sharing your genius with someone like me and us. Grazie Maestro
Brilliantly simple even for someone like me who writes music in 4 part harmony despite never having studied the Theory of music and being unable to play piano. Thank you.
Excellent points. I always say to myself that great composers, invariably however, treated rules as summary. Haydn saying I master the rules not the other way. I think of them as sonic guides.
A good reminder, especially for budding composers, but only half true. Haydn may have been the master of rules, but was also the slave of traditional codes. While great composers (and artists broadly) often resist engaging consciously with rules, the muse inspires them in highly patterned ways. The rules part of theory attempts to describe not just the composer's auditory imagination, but how they were finding the sounds that, apparently, everyone wanted to hear but didn't know it. The "harmony itself" is a fluid social contract, with symmetry and order than can be observed, represented, and articulated (sometimes). I agree, deeply, that the rule-form of theory pedagogy sends a wrong, and anachronistic message, the result of post-war standardization of text books.
For example Glenn Gould suggested something was lost with sonata form. For example is sonata form necessarily superior to Schutz’ motet or Monteverdi’s madrigal? I personally am not convinced.
Why does everyone thing, just because you take a college course, you want a degree or want to be really proficient in a subject? I am taking music classes at my local college but I am also 68 year old, retired and don't want a career in music. I just want to understand music better as I enjoy my retirement.
My question is when we are moving fifth chord to root chord that is perfect cadence but how to arrange or selection of of notes? Like fifth to one and again fifth then on fifth how to arrange notes?
BazzTriton Thanks for reply ❤️Yes I totally agree with you, but I like exam too ,I already started composing and I also take theory exam , because it’s too easy for me plus I get distinction certificates then why not ?!😂
Enjoying these videos, but I must comment that is not that bad if there is no fifth on the chord... The third is far more important as it identifies the chord for being major or minor.
If the goal is to create, I agree 1000%. But if the goal is to understand the patterns underneath the creation (and imagination), then these explanations are useful. While great musicians (and artists broadly) often resist engaging consciously with "rules", the muse inspires them in highly patterned ways. The rules part of music theory attempts to describe not just the composer's auditory imagination, but how they find the sounds that, apparently, everyone wanted to hear but didn't know it. The "harmony itself" is a fluid social contract, with symmetry and order than can be observed, represented, and articulated (sometimes). I agree, deeply, that the rule-form of theory pedagogy sends a wrong, and anachronistic message, the result of post-war standardization of text books.
thanks a lot dude, i was out of school for covid and we have a project with this so i had no idea what to do so this really helped
I can hear the voice of my professor telling me not to double the 5th lol
Nevertheless, many composers did so. It depends on the music first
James Carter - Wasn’t it “Not to double the 3rd”? 🙂
@@zaharishtonov depends on which chord, some is best to double the 3rd, and in some cases you have to double the 3rd
I often heard the rule that the bass should not play the third if the melody plays the third. I'm not sure if it's true though.
Tumbr announced they're getting rid of porn, and while I was a taking a nap, I had a nightmare that CZcams decided to take down these lessons too
bruh
@@5850527 is there yet ?
The intresting part about this is that I'm probably going to use this to wright better house music. Pretty much all theory can be applied to all music
Voice crossing is only bad if it involves the bass or the soprano. The tenor and the alto have always been allowed to cross, on the condition that it's only temporarily.
Bach never allowed the soprano to cross under the alto. He did, however, let the tenor cross under the bass, but only when the bass was being doubled by a basso continuo that included a contrabass. In such cases, the true bass remains still lower than the tenor, even if the written score appears to suggest otherwise.
But can't you just switch the two voices? Suppose if the tenor is playing an E and alto is playing the C just below, can't you just switch it so that the alto is playing the E and the tenor is playing the C? I'm just curious.
@@fatherindia4810 Sometimes you can, but sometimes it's not desirable.
One reason why you wouldn't want to just switch the notes, is if by doing so you produce parallel fifths or octaves.
Apart from that, voice crossing is often necessary when you want to preserve a contrapuntal or melodic line. If the tenor is playing an ascending scale that brings it above the alto, switching the notes around would prevent the voice crossing, but it would also destroy the scale by splitting it between the tenor and the alto.
@@Timrath Thank you!
I like the discipline of first learning to write for the voices; instruments, of course can often exceed the ranges of the various human voices, but it will hone one's skills by first learning to write effectively in the context of SATB.
Thank you for this terrific video!
This is excellent. It has helped me to understand why our choir music was written so.
way better than the ameb theory course
how can I voice giant steps in solfege
With fixed do you just use alterations. With movable DO you just adjust to each key center (there’s only 3 - B, G, and Eb). I’m pretty sure you’re just joking, but it’d be a fun exercise
Got all those practice questions correct 😎
This is my 1st look at voicing. I was wondering just how good the 3rd voicing is in the first example @8:50 since it only uses 2 notes of the G Major chord, as well as there being more than one octave between the Bass and Tenor?
Oh... because it says not to exceed an octave between the '"upper 3 voices'" @5:40 (see also @6:15)
Except at the beginning when you played the alto's range you played an A instead of the C you had written.
Maestro: Please do you have a reference PDF sheet - Wow this is teaching music. Thank you for sharing your genius with someone like me and us. Grazie Maestro
Omitting the 5th is permissible at the end of a cadence.
Brilliantly simple even for someone like me who writes music in 4 part harmony despite never having studied the Theory of music and being unable to play piano. Thank you.
What I've heard till now is not to double the third in the "primary triads" (aka I, IV, V).
Great video. Thank you for sharing. 👍
Thank you so much sir! I really needed some exercises with well explained answers. it really helped me.
Excellent points. I always say to myself that great composers, invariably however, treated rules as summary. Haydn saying I master the rules not the other way. I think of them as sonic guides.
A good reminder, especially for budding composers, but only half true. Haydn may have been the master of rules, but was also the slave of traditional codes. While great composers (and artists broadly) often resist engaging consciously with rules, the muse inspires them in highly patterned ways. The rules part of theory attempts to describe not just the composer's auditory imagination, but how they were finding the sounds that, apparently, everyone wanted to hear but didn't know it. The "harmony itself" is a fluid social contract, with symmetry and order than can be observed, represented, and articulated (sometimes). I agree, deeply, that the rule-form of theory pedagogy sends a wrong, and anachronistic message, the result of post-war standardization of text books.
@@jawg22 wonderful response. I love Haydn partly because he holds back. In some ways I prefer him to Beethoven in his methods
For example Glenn Gould suggested something was lost with sonata form. For example is sonata form necessarily superior to Schutz’ motet or Monteverdi’s madrigal? I personally am not convinced.
Excellent Lessons!!!
Why does everyone thing, just because you take a college course, you want a degree or want to be really proficient in a subject? I am taking music classes at my local college but I am also 68 year old, retired and don't want a career in music. I just want to understand music better as I enjoy my retirement.
How is it going
i have my rcm 8 theory this August and i still have trouble on SATB cadences lol
My question is when we are moving fifth chord to root chord that is perfect cadence but how to arrange or selection of of notes? Like fifth to one and again fifth then on fifth how to arrange notes?
Nice intro
Great video thank you
Fantastic channel!!!
Thank you for this, very helpful!
Great video, thanks.
so missing fifth is a part of bad voicing ?
Does it apply for all the parts of triad in a scale that is from Tonic traid till the leading note triad ?
Hi. Can you recommend a video describing how best to use Logic in Score mode to notate a SATB piece please?
choirs are still very common
The alto at 0:40, the C, I'm actually hearing A? F to A not F to C as stated. Is this an error?
Learning writing chorale style at least you can pass the advanced music theory exam should I say more ?
Orange Peel A. Exam is not important. MUSIC is important
BazzTriton Thanks for reply ❤️Yes I totally agree with you, but I like exam too ,I already started composing and I also take theory exam , because it’s too easy for me plus I get distinction certificates then why not ?!😂
@@modernmozart813 r u in rcm?
bluestar musical oh yes!
8:50 G major has no fifth
I thought I was going crazy lol, thank Goodness someone else noticed that.
that's fine
2:42 triggres in harmony theorists
👍nice vid
Enjoying these videos, but I must comment that is not that bad if there is no fifth on the chord... The third is far more important as it identifies the chord for being major or minor.
Yes, it is common for chorales to leave out the 5th in the cadence. In this case, the root is tripled.
Thanks for all your videos. Does this apply to writing for instruments?
joyce mulila-mitti No
YES , IT ABSOLUTELY DOES, THIS IS VOICE LEADING/PART WRITING, AND IT APPLIES TO ALL INSTRUMENTS.
Ummm yes TH it does hahaha
Hell yeah teddybear! String quartets, choirs, the world's your oyster!
God bless you
Funny, the pianist does not playthe note C on the alto range example but an A, whoops.
👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
At 8:50 aren't the 5th and 3rd of B crossed?
The tenor takes the 5th (F#3) while the alto takes the 3rd (D#4) so no they're not crossed.
arent you supposed to keep all the notes within a single octave?
No. The distance between the 3 upper voices must be less than an octave, but all the notes don't need to be in the same octave.
Why do all the "bad" ideas sound best to me? LOL great video though
They sound fine, but more restless, and they can be difficult for a performer to sing/play.
Have my babies
Why not just write what sounds right to you? The best way to learn is to listen and experiment.
If the goal is to create, I agree 1000%. But if the goal is to understand the patterns underneath the creation (and imagination), then these explanations are useful. While great musicians (and artists broadly) often resist engaging consciously with "rules", the muse inspires them in highly patterned ways. The rules part of music theory attempts to describe not just the composer's auditory imagination, but how they find the sounds that, apparently, everyone wanted to hear but didn't know it. The "harmony itself" is a fluid social contract, with symmetry and order than can be observed, represented, and articulated (sometimes). I agree, deeply, that the rule-form of theory pedagogy sends a wrong, and anachronistic message, the result of post-war standardization of text books.
Lol
Excellent!You have bad students,I’m a good student please accept me 💖💖