Music Theory 1 - Video 17: Voice Leading Conventions.

This material corresponds with Chapter 5 in your textbook. Please review there for extra supporting material!
Single-Line Writing Conventions:
1:44 Rhythm
3:18 Harmony
5:02 Contour
7:12 Leaps
9:42 Tendency Tones
11:00 Summary
Multiple-Line Conventions
12:24 Perfect Intervals
13:17 Parallel P1 / P5 / P8
15:09 P5 / P8 by Contrary Motion
16:24 Direct 5ths / 8ves
18:18 Unequal 5ths
19:37 Voice Crossing
20:46 Summary

[@grungepunkrocker]

Thank you so much for this video!

[@balbino108]

Very Good!
Thank you.

[@margaretbui5194]

AHHHHH! Thank you SO much!

[@sleepyd1231]

I'm going to say it's a good vernal rule of thumb to follow these rules, but man it's cool when people use parallel octaves (and other taboo methods) as special effects in songs. Example. The parallel octaves in TIgran Hamasyan's "To Negate"

[@74hz15]

Yeah, it shows that you shouldn't blindly just follow these rules :D Good sounding music goes over the rules imo

[@phamnguyenductin]

It depends on which standard you opt to follow. Parallel octaves and fifths are forbidden in Bach chorales where every note is a chord, but not in other compositions (parallel octaves are everywhere in classical music; Bach himself even wrote music in which two voices move in P8). For other composition - it does not matter that much.

[@angeluzhca9899]

Mr. Kelley also sent me here

[@superamnon]

Hi David you do great job with this theory course. I have a question about this video, are the rules of voice leading that you teach here the same as the rules for counterpoint writing?

[@DavidEFarrell]

+superamnon Generally, yes, though there are always exceptions.

[@neilwalsh3977]

On the other hand, the 'rule broken' may be far more interesting. I feel we need more composition less example. Bach broke a multitude of rules.

[@neilwalsh3977]

@@todddavidson1332 What I love about Bach, and Beethoven is that they would quite willingly flout any scholarly rule in the interests of the sense of the music. Theory is not composition in my mind. But yes, he wrote with great skill and 'knowingly' broke conventions.

[@jonathanchowthi]

@19:24 I understand based off the sound why that's an unequal 5th but based off of the C-Major why is that interval an unequal 5th since there are no sharps or flats? Sorry if this has been covered previously.

[@DavidEFarrell]

Hi! Sharps and flats are less important than the actual qualities of the intervals. C-G is a perfect 5th, B-F is a diminished 5th - that is unequal 5ths.

[@jonathanchowthi]

@@DavidEFarrell Got it thank you!

[@m001900]

First of all, David, I cannot thank you enough for these videos and sharing your wisdom.
I have a question regarding perfect fifths and perfect octaves, however. Basic triads played next to each other, in whatever inversion, will mean that they are breaking the perfect fifth rule? So why do they sound nice and full? Is it because the "unharmonic" sound is hidden? As a composer of pop/folk music, should i be focusing more on the outer voices?

[@DavidEFarrell]

Thanks for your kind words.
First: these voice leading conventions are particular to music in what we might describe as a "classical" style. Other styles - including pop and folk music - often don't use these conventions in the same way. Most modern ears don't have too much trouble with parallel fifths in these styles; your mileage may vary.
Second: consecutive triads don't always have fifths (the interval may appear as a fourth in inverted triads), and even if they do, they might be in different voices (in one chord the fifth is between bass and tenor, in the next, between tenor and soprano), which avoids some issues of parallelism.
Hope this is helpful. For more detail, check out some of the videos about different triads, which usually discuss voice leading in more detail (like this one about root position chords czcams.com/video/g_A6LNvA2OE/video.html).

[@m001900]

Thanks, David. My mistake. I always seem to confuse "hidden fifths" with the fourth made up by the inversions you just mentioned. Arghhh so much to learn.
And, yes, you can definitely hear the tonal/harmonic (probably wrong word) difference between consecutive root inversions and alternate inversions to keep some commonality.

[@preciouschi8528]

Yerrrrrrr sent by my music teach

[@anthonypita8858]

Mr.Kelley showed me da way

[@finn2565]

happy valentines day, I'm lonely

[@julianvega9442]

Mr. Kelley sent me here

[@finn2565]

Kelley sent me here

[@finn2565]

snaps for kel kel

[@vivianharry6391]

*snapping*

[@James-bb9zo]

Is there a MVA reunion here

[@finn2565]

wow I didn't know you were in this class

[@James-bb9zo]

Kai Wu Angel told me to comment here

[@angeluzhca9899]

wow

[@angeluzhca9899]

dont bring me into this

[@composingwithjames]

And if you are aspiring to be like Schoenberg break all these rules haha

[@finn2565]

can I get a shoutout? thanks

[@jayliealexander3394]

Poop