Episode 42 will lead you through what classifies a predominant seventh chord.
Episode 42 will lead you through what classifies a predominant seventh chord (1:14), how voice leading rules apply (1:46), and all about the cadential 64 (3:49). Finish off with some major mode examples of progressions (4:40) and some in the minor mode as well (5:26).
Question of the day: Which inversion of a supertonic seventh chord is the least common predominant chord? (6:25)
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Hi and welcome to the APsolute Recap: Music Theory Edition. Today’s episode will recap Predominant Seventh Chords
Lets Zoom out:
We’re in Unit 5 Harmony and Voice Leading II
Topic 5.3
Our Big idea is Pitch
The major theme of season two of the Apsolute Recap Music Theory Edition has been seventh chords. The word “predominant” might seem familiar since it plays off the label of the fifth scale degree “dominant.” It simply is referring to tones that can come before a dominant tone or chord. So you can bet that following a predominant chord will be a *drum roll please* dominant chord. This episode will focus specifically on predominant seventh chords. Meaning, chords that include the seventh interval from the root, which also comes before a dominant chord.
Lets Zoom in:
Common examples of just plain old predominant chord progressions are ii V I and IV V I.
Predominant seventh chords have the same purpose as predominant triads such as the ones you just heard me mention, ii or IV. It just so happens that supertonic seventh chords and their inversions are the most common types of predominant seventh chords. Other possibilities are mediant sevenths, subdominant sevenths, and submediant sevenths.
One handy tip when writing these progressions is to start with the tonic chord in first inversion, rather than root position. This aids in avoiding parallel fifths and octaves. You may also need to make a seventh chord incomplete to help follow voice leading rules, as discussed in episodes 41 and 21. Don’t be alarmed, there are times where composers break the rules and leave out the third instead of the fifth.
Most of the time, the seventh tone will need to resolve down. The exception to this rule is when a seventh stays in the same voice before resolving down, as it does in a supertonic seventh to cadential 6-4 chord. Listen to the voice that stays the same before resolving down. Hear how the 7th stays. Now hear it in the progression. I6, ii7, Cadential 6-4, I. Before moving forward, you should double check that you know how to make a cadential 6-4.
A cadential 6-4 chord is characterized by the delayed resolution of the chord on the weaker beat. The dominant chord is arranged on the strong beat with the root doubled, and the third and fifth of the chord moves to the weak beat. In the place of the dominant chord’s third and fifth are in the notes a step above those two tones on the strong beat. Here at the Apsolute recap our aim is to maximize understanding and minimize memorization, so all you need to do is remember that the 6/4 is referring to the intervals from the bass. The full name of this progression is the cadential 6/4 5/3, which literally shows the intervals of the resolution. Cadential 64 can be labeled as: Cad 64, or V 64-53, or I64 - V with a bracket showing the two make up a cadential 64.
Here are some other examples of predominant seventh chords in progressions in G major.
This progression is I6, ii7, V7, I.
This progression is I6, ii6/5, V7, I.
This progression uses a subdominant seventh as a predominant. I6 IV7 V7 I.
Here are some other examples of predominant seventh chords in progressions of G minor.
This progression is i, ii half dim 7, V 8/6/4, V 7/5/3, i.
This progression is i, ii half dim 4/2, V6, i.
To recap……
A predominant seventh chord is one that comes before the dominant in a progression, and it includes the seventh interval. Most of the time that seventh tone will resolve down, except for a cadential 64-53. The most common predominant seventh chord is supertonic seventh, then subdominant seventh, mediant seventh or submediant seventh.
Coming up next on the Apsolute RecAP Music Theory Edition: Sequences
Today’s Question of the day is about predominant seventh chord inversions.
Question: Which inversion of a supertonic seventh chord is the least common predominant chord?