Leading voices between chords

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Voicing and performance

Voice leading follows each part as chords change. Chord names alone do not show those lines. Holding common tones or moving toward nearby targets can create continuity, though minimal motion is not a universal requirement for every style.

Listen to the top line, bass and inner parts separately. Moving every voice by a large leap differs from keeping some notes while others change. Historical four-part writing has additional conventions; apply them in their stylistic context rather than imposing them on every arrangement.

Example

From C–E–G to C–F–A, hold C while E moves to F and G to A.

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Which two tones do C major and A minor share?

Related topics

References

Music Theory for the 21st-Century Classroom

Subject-expert review pending.