What does figure bass mean?
What Do the Numbers Mean in Figured Bass?
How many notes are in the F Maj Triad?
How many different notes are there in figured bass notation?
What does it mean when a note is next to a bass number?
What happens if the bass note is the root of the chord?
What does a D in a D min key mean?
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What does a figured bass do?
For music analysts today, figured bass is useful in two ways: for indicating chord inversions and. for representing intervals and melodic motion above a bass line.
How do you figure figured bass?
Figured Bass Rules for Realization....The Melody LineMove by step or by third as much as possible.Don't restrict the soprano part to a very narrow range of notes.Avoid repeated notes. ... Aim to make the soprano move in contrary motion (i.e. in the opposite direction to) the bass if you can.More items...
What does a 7 in figured bass mean?
A seventh chord in root position would be 7/5/3 if completely figured. In practice this is abbreviated to just "7." A seventh chord in first inversion would be 6/5/3, and is abbreviated to 6/5. A seventh chord in second inversion would be 6/4/3, and is abbreviated to 4/3.
What does a 4 in figured bass mean?
In figured bass, both the suspension and resolution need to be figured. • In the above example, the "alien" note in the C major chord is a 4th above the bass, so we figure it with a 4. • The 4th above the bass (F) moves ("resolves") to the third above the bass (E), so we figure that with a 3.
What does a 6'4 mean in figured bass?
A 6-4 chord is a second inversion chord. The notes we need to write are a fourth and a sixth higher than the bass note. Here the bass note is C. The figured bass tells us to add F (a fourth above C) and A (a sixth above C). The chord notes are C-F-A, which is F major in second inversion.
What does a 6 mean in figured bass?
Along the same lines, the first inversion chord was figured as “6” — instead of “6/3”. Therefore, a bass note with a “6” beneath it automatically means that that bass note represents the third of a chord, and that there will be two notes — one at an interval of a 3rd, and one at an interval of a 6th — above it.
What does 6'5 mean in a chord?
The V6/5, V4/3, and V4/2 symbols all refer to the inversion of the 7th chord. V6/5. V6/5 is a first inversion, with the 3rd of the chord in the bass. The interval of a 6th would be the root of the chord, and the interval of the 5th would be the 7th. If this were a G7 chord, it would be spelled B-D-F-G.
What is a 4 3 chord?
If vertical, in figured bass, it means the intervals from the bass note comprise a third and a fourth. That is enough to let you know it is a 7th chord in the second inversion. For example, if D was in the bass, a third above is F and a fourth above is G, so the chord is a G7 with D in the bass, a second inversion.
What does 8 mean in figured bass?
The 8 is just an octave above the bass note. If you see “8”, that means you play the triad with the root doubled somewhere. In this case, G-B-D-G (or G-G-B-D, or G-D-G-B, etc.). The 7 makes the chord into a seventh chord.
What is a 5 in figured bass?
What Do the Numbers Mean in Figured Bass? The numbers under the bass note indicate the intervals of the notes that will be placed above it. So, if you have a C in the bass and a 5 below it, that means that there should be a note a 5th above it, which would be a G (C ⇨ G is an interval of a 5th).
What does 2 mean in figured bass?
Sometimes, other numbers are omitted: a 2 on its own or 4. 2 indicates. , for example. From the figured bass-writer's perspective, this bass note is obviously a third inversion seventh chord, so the sixth interval is viewed as an interval that the player should automatically infer.
What does a crossed out number mean in figured bass?
The alteration symbol is written before or after the number that corresponds to the affected note. If the alteration symbol appears by itself, it applies to the 3rd above the bass. The slash across a number may be used to raise a note by half step.
What does 8 mean in figured bass?
The 8 is just an octave above the bass note. If you see “8”, that means you play the triad with the root doubled somewhere. In this case, G-B-D-G (or G-G-B-D, or G-D-G-B, etc.). The 7 makes the chord into a seventh chord.
What is a 6'3 figured bass?
A chord in "first inversion," with its 3rd in the bass position, would have a 6/3: for example, if the bass is C, a 6th above that is A, and a third above is E, producing an A minor chord in first inversion. "6/3" was usually abbreviated to "6," so "6" still refers to a first inversion chord.
What is a 6'4 inversion?
The Cadential 6/4 Chord Progression (or when is a Dominant Triad in 2nd inversion is not a Dominant Triad in 2nd inversion!) A Cadential 6/4 (pronounced Six Four) Chord Progression is a series of triads (chords) that are played to serve a purpose in the music. These chords sound nice together.
How do you write accidentals in figured bass?
2:084:00Figured Bass Accidentals - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThere are a couple other of quirky things that you'll see involving accidentals a figured bass.MoreThere are a couple other of quirky things that you'll see involving accidentals a figured bass. Sometimes you might see an accidental that's just hanging in midair. If you do that accidental always
What song has figured bass?
Melody from the opening of Henry Purcell 's "Thy Hand, Belinda", Dido and Aeneas (1689) with figured bass below ( Play (help·info), Play (help·info) with figured bass realization).
What is figured bass notation?
The figured bass notation, described below, is a guide, but performers are also expected to use their musical judgment and the other instruments or voices (notably the lead melody and any accidentals that might be present in it) as a guide.
What is the basso continuo part?
Basso continuo parts, almost universal in the Baroque era (1600–1750), provided the harmonic structure of the music by supplying a bassline and a chord progression. The phrase is often shortened to continuo, and the instrumentalists playing the continuo part are called the continuo group .
What instrument do harpsichordists play?
A harpsichordist and a bassist play continuo for a small group of singers. The makeup of the continuo group is often left to the discretion of the performers (or, for a large performance, the conductor ), and practice varied enormously within the Baroque period. At least one instrument capable of playing chords must be included, such as a piano, ...
Why was Tasto solo specified?
The reason tasto solo had to be specified was because it was an accepted convention that if no figures were present in a section of otherwise figured bass line, the chord-playing performer would either assume that it was a root-position triad, or deduce from the harmonic motion that another figure was implied.
What does "tasto solo" mean?
The phrase tasto solo indicates that only the bass line (without any upper chords) is to be played for a short period, usually until the next figure is encountered. This instructs the chord-playing instrumentalist not to play any improvised chords for a period.
What does the number mean in bass?
The numbers indicate the number of scale steps above the given bass-line that a note should be played. For example:
What is figured bass?
Figured bass originated as a compositional shorthand. It consists of a bass line accompanied by a series of Arabic numerals. These numerals— figured-bass signatures —indicate intervals to be played above the bass. The intervals are assumed to be diatonic (in accordance with the prevailing key signature) unless the figured-bass signatures are modified by accidentals or slashes. Melodic motion in the upper voices is indicated by figured-bass signatures printed horizontally. These figures can be combined with Roman numerals to show the root progression and inversion simultaneously, but one must take care to distinguish between functional harmonies and sonorities that arise coincidentally as the result of melodic motion in one or more upper voices.
Why is figured bass important?
For music analysts today, figured bass is useful in two ways: for representing intervals and melodic motion above a bass line.
What is the purpose of chapter 13 of the bass?
Chapter 13 introduced the concept of figured bass numerals as a technique for indicating chord inversion. In this chapter you will learn about various other uses of figured bass.
How to indicate a raised pitch?
Another common convention is to indicate a raised pitch by drawing a slash or a small vertical line through the appropriate figure. The A-major triad of Example 21–15 could also be indicated by the following figured bass:
What does 21–12 mean in a chord?
In Example 21–12, the figures indicate chord inversion. In Example 21–19, the figures indicate part movement above a stationary bass. Many sonorities—like the F-major chord in Examples 21–17 through 21–19—arise from melodic motion in one or more of the upper voices.
What is the difference between bass C and soprano?
The bass C is doubled at the octave in the tenor while the alto and soprano have E and A respectively. Although this sonority contains all the pitches of a iii6 chord, it would be incorrect to label it as such. The soprano and tenor voices contain accented passing tones: A and C, respectively.
What does figure 87 mean in music?
The figures 87 indicate that one of the upper voices —in this case, the alto—first forms an octave above the bass, and then steps down to form a seventh with the bass before the next beat.
What is figured bass?
a practice used for certain accompanying, chordal instruments (mainly key-. boards and various precursors to the guitar) during the Baroque period (ca. 1600 - 1750). (In fact, some figured bass was also occasionally used by Mozart and his contemporaries.)
How to write figured bass?
Here are the steps I would suggest you take, in order to begin to assimilate figured bass: 1 Memorize both the full and simplified figures used for root position, first inversion and second inversion chords. If you would like to make up some exercises — eg, write a chord progression in full, then re-write it as figured bass — please go ahead, and then email me the results, so that I can check it. 2 Study and memorize the full and simplified figures used for seventh chords — go to Aldwell (same chapter), paragraph 14: “Inversions of seventh chords”. If you have any questions about any of it, please ask me! 3 When you think you've assimilated the basics, try the following exercises: 4 Exercises “A” and “B”, by Gauldin (above).#N#Try to ‘realize’ the following figured bass, by Handel.#N#Notes:#N#the circled notes in the figured bass are not meant to be ‘realized’ — they are non-harmonic tones — passing notes, appoggiaturas, etc.#N#I’ve entered a few ‘figures’ — in parentheses — that would not have been necessary during Handel’s day, but that may make your task a little easier. (I’ll explain the thinking behind the original practice, in the future.)
What do figures mean in a second inversion chord?
The figures for a second inversion chord are always written in full: Figures can also refer to notes that do not belong to a triad or 7th chord — they can also indicate suspensions, anticipations, passing notes, etc. For example: let's say you want to write a Dsus, followed by an ordinary D major chord.
What does it mean when a bass note has no figure?
For example, in figured bass, this: . . . means: So, a bass note with no figure beneath it means that that bass note is the root of a chord. Along the same lines, the first inversion chord was figured as “6” — instead of “6/3”.
What period was figured bass used?
Since figured bass was used all the time, during the Baroque period , composers and musicians developed a further simplification for it: since everyone knew that the intervals in a root position triad are always a 3rd and a 5th, the simplification was to write no figure at all under a root position bass note.
What is the interval in figured bass?
In figured bass (as well as in harmonic analysis), the interval indicated by a given figure can be either a simple interval — ie, any interval up to an octave in size — or its compound equivalent. For example, the figured bass “3” can mean a 3rd, or a 10th or a 17th, etc. — the choice is up to the player. The same is true in reverse: ...
Which organ plays the figured bass?
The cello and organ play the figured bass — it’s on the lowest staff, with figures highlighted in yellow — but all the other instruments (and voices) realize it on their own, too. You can try to realize the figured bass, and then see if you're correct, by examining what everyone else is playing.
What is figured bass?
Figured bass, also called thorough bass, was introduced in the baroque period from approximately 1600-1750 as a musical technique to assist the keyboardist playing the basso continuo, or continued bass. The basso continuo was the primary form of musical composition in the baroque era, in which the bass line and accompanying harmony are played throughout the entire musical piece. Keyboard players and guitarists use the figured bass to create impromptu harmonies, and these improvised harmonies connect jazz music to the baroque. Figured bass is also used for vocal music.
How to realize figured bass?
Figured Bass Realization. To realize a figured bass, you translate the chords that the musicians play in the figured bass into the treble clef. Although a musician can improvise the harmonies in the figured bass, singers need the harmonies written out.
What is accidental in bass notation?
Accidentals are used in figured bass notation. An altered 3rd above the bass needs an accidental, and a lowered 5th needs the number 5 and the accidental, written with the flat symbol in front of the number 5.
What is the harmony line on a bass note?
Under the bass line, the harmony line is designated by a series of figures (numbers) indicating the intervals to be played above the bass line. The intervals correspond to a normal triad or 7th chord. If no numbers are written under the bass note, then it is the root of the chord.
What are the four parts of a bass?
The soprano, alto, and tenor lines are added to the bass to create this four-part vocal harmony. Then, the rules of harmony need to be followed to develop the four-parts, and a musical melody line needs to be written for the soprano voice, as the soprano sings the melody line. Voice Leading and Musical Guidelines.
What is the root position of a chord?
In root position triads, the bass note is the root of the chord, and the numbers written below are a 3rd and 5th (5/3) measured from the bass note. The numbers can indicate a simple interval or compound equivalent, such as a 3 can be a 3rd, 10th, or 17th. The musician decides which interval to play.
When realizing a figured bass for voice parts, the construction of the parts, called "voice leading"?
When realizing a figured bass for voice parts, the construction of the parts, called voice leading, must work with the bass line in a musical way rather than a vertical construction for the figured bass. Otherwise, it could end up a musical mess.
What does figure bass mean?
Figured Bass is a specific kind of notation in which the composer writes numbers below bass notes in the lower staff, and those numbers represent the chords made above the bass notes.
What Do the Numbers Mean in Figured Bass?
The numbers under the bass note indicate the intervals of the notes that will be placed above it.
How many notes are in the F Maj Triad?
Here is an F Maj triad (F – A – C) with the root, 3rd, and 5th in the bass: Because Seventh chords have 4 notes, there are 4 notes that can be in the bass – the root, 3rd, 5th, and 7th. If the bass note is the root of a Seventh chord, then there is a “7” written below it. If the bass note is the 3rd of a Seventh chord, ...
How many different notes are there in figured bass notation?
There are two different sets of numbers that can be found below a bass note in figured bass notation, depending on if the chords above it are triads or seventh chords. With triads – chords with three notes – there are three different notes the chord could start on, and therefore three different notes that could be the bass note.
What does it mean when a note is next to a bass number?
The smaller note heads are the notes mentioned by the figured bass numbers: If the accidental is next to a number, it means that you add an accidental to the note that the number represents . For example, a “b6 4” below a note will mean that the note a 6th above it is flattened.
What happens if the bass note is the root of the chord?
If the bass note is the root of the chord, then there is no number below it.
What does a D in a D min key mean?
For example, in a D min key, if you have a D in the bass note and just a “#” below it, it means the F (because D ⇨ F is a 3rd) is sharpened to F#.
Overview
Figured bass is musical notation in which numerals and symbols appear above or below (or next to) a bass note. The numerals and symbols (often accidentals) indicate intervals, chords, and non-chord tones that a musician playing piano, harpsichord, organ, or lute (or other instruments capable of playing chords) should play in relation to the bass note. Figured bass is closely associated wit…
Basso continuo
Basso continuo parts, most common in the Baroque era (1600–1750), provided the harmonic structure of the music by supplying a bassline and a chord progression. The phrase is often shortened to continuo, and the instrumentalists playing the continuo part are called the continuo group.
The makeup of the continuo group is often left to the discretion of the perform…
Figured bass notation
A part notated with figured bass consists of a bass line notated with notes on a musical staff plus added numbers and accidentals (or in some cases (back)slashes added to a number) beneath the staff to indicate what intervals above the bass notes should be played, and therefore which inversions of which chords are to be played.
Contemporary uses
In the 20th and 21st century, figured bass is also sometimes used by classical musicians as a shorthand way of indicating chords when a composer is sketching out ideas for a new piece or when a music student is analyzing the harmony of a notated piece of music (e.g., a Bach chorale or a Chopin piano prelude). Figured bass is not generally used in modern musical compositions, except for neo-Baroque pieces. A form of figured bass is used in notation of accordion music; an…
See also
• Realization (figured bass)
• Unfigured bass
Further reading
• Schick, Kyle (1 January 2012). "Improvisation: Performer as Co-composer". Musical Offerings. 3 (1): 27–35. doi:10.15385/jmo.2012.3.1.3.
External links
• Figured Bass Symbology by Robert Kelley
• Chords that the (major) scale degrees (in the bass) can imply by Robert Kelley
• Theory and Practice of the Basso Continuo by Barry Mitchell
• Historical sources on the subject of basso continuo - Viadana, Agazzari etc