Brainlag Plus Music
Brainlag Plus MusicA bass under a melody
The other way to answer question 2: choosing chords and their positions so the bass line moves well against the melody.
The bass is a melody too
Question 2 lets you either name the chords or write a bass with figures under the melody. Either way you are choosing a chord and its position for every note, and the position decides the bass note.
- Root position at the cadence: V to I, both with the root in the bass.
- Inversions in between, so the bass moves by step instead of leaping: Ib between I and IV, Vb before I, IIb before V.
- Contrary motion against the melody wherever you can, and never consecutive 5ths or octaves with it.
The figures then follow from the positions: 6 for a first inversion, six-four for the cadential Ic, nothing for root position.
The rest of this lesson and its 7 practice questions are in Plus Music.
Screen 1 of 3, free to read.
- 7 exam-style questions, marked as you go, each with a worked solution
- Anything you get wrong is saved to your flashcards