10.3 Chromatic Mediants and Altered Chords
4 min read•july 29, 2024
and spice up your music by adding unexpected twists to harmonic progressions. These chords use notes outside the key, creating tension and color that can evoke strong emotions in listeners.
Understanding these chords opens up a world of expressive possibilities in your compositions. By strategically using chromatic mediants and altered chords, you can create drama, surprise, and emotional depth in your music, taking it beyond basic diatonic harmony.
Chromatic mediants and altered chords
Defining chromatic mediants and altered chords
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- Chromatic mediants are chords whose roots are a third away from the tonic, but one of the notes is chromatically altered, creating a striking effect that departs from the diatonic scale
- Altered chords include one or more notes that are not found in the key signature, often through the use of accidentals
- Chromatic mediants and altered chords expand the harmonic vocabulary beyond the diatonic chords, allowing for more expressive and emotionally charged progressions
- Common chromatic mediants include the bVI (Ab major in C major), bIII (Eb major in C major), and #iv° chords
- Frequently used altered chords include the (bII6), (It6, Fr6, Ger6), and
The role of chromatic mediants and altered chords in chromatic harmony
- Chromatic mediants and altered chords are used to add color, variety, and drama to harmonic progressions
- These chords create tension, instability, and a sense of movement away from the tonic
- They are essential elements of chromatic harmony, which is characterized by the use of non-diatonic tones and chords
- Chromatic mediants and altered chords can evoke various emotions, such as longing, nostalgia, yearning, or despair
- The strategic use of these chords supports the desired mood or narrative of a musical piece
Identifying chromatic harmony
Recognizing chromatic mediants
- Chromatic mediants can be identified by their root being a third away from the tonic and the presence of a chromatically altered note
- Examples of chromatic mediants include the bVI (Ab major in C major) or the bIII (Eb major in C major)
- Pay attention to the chord qualities and scale degrees to accurately identify chromatic mediants
Spotting altered chords
- Altered chords can be spotted by the presence of accidentals that are not found in the key signature
- Examples include the raised 4th scale degree in a secondary dominant (D7 in C major) or the lowered 2nd scale degree in a Neapolitan sixth chord (Db major in C minor)
- Augmented sixth chords (It6, Fr6, Ger6) feature a raised 4th scale degree and a lowered 6th scale degree, creating an augmented sixth interval
- When analyzing musical examples, look for unusual chord qualities and accidentals to identify altered chords
Composing with chromatic harmony
Using chromatic mediants for expressive purposes
- Chromatic mediants can create moments of surprise, drama, or emotional intensity in a progression
- Moving from I to bVI can evoke a sense of longing or nostalgia
- Consider the emotional and expressive goals of the piece when incorporating chromatic mediants
Incorporating altered chords for tension and resolution
- Altered chords add tension and resolution to a progression
- A Neapolitan sixth chord (bII6) can create a sense of yearning or despair before resolving to the dominant chord
- Secondary dominants can tonicize a chord momentarily, creating a brief departure from the main key and adding interest
- Augmented sixth chords create a strong pull towards the dominant, heightening tension and anticipation before the resolution
- Use altered chords strategically to support the desired mood or narrative of the composition
Analyzing chromatic harmony
Examining chromatic voice leading
- Chromatic mediants often involve chromatic voice leading, with one or more voices moving by semitone to create a smooth connection between chords
- Analyze how the individual voices move to understand the chromatic relationships between the chords
- Pay attention to the voice leading when examining the use of chromatic mediants in musical contexts
Understanding the resolution of altered chords
- Altered chords typically resolve to a more stable chord, often the dominant or the tonic
- Examine how the altered notes are resolved in the subsequent chord, focusing on the voice leading
- Neapolitan sixth chords (bII6) usually resolve to the dominant chord, with the lowered 2nd scale degree moving down by semitone to the leading tone
- Augmented sixth chords (It6, Fr6, Ger6) resolve to the dominant chord, with the raised 4th scale degree moving up to the 5th and the lowered 6th scale degree moving down to the 5th
- Secondary dominants resolve to the chord a fifth below, temporarily tonicizing that chord
- Consider the harmonic context, key relationships, and emotional impact when analyzing the resolution of altered chords
Key Terms to Review (21)
Altered chords: Altered chords are chords that contain one or more notes that have been changed from their natural state, typically by raising or lowering specific scale degrees. These chords add tension and complexity to music, often used in jazz and modern compositions to create unique harmonic textures. Altered chords can include alterations such as flat ninths, sharp ninths, flat fifths, and sharp fifths, enhancing the color and expressiveness of chord progressions.
Altered dominant chord: An altered dominant chord is a dominant seventh chord that includes one or more altered scale degrees, typically the fifth or ninth. These alterations often introduce chromaticism into the harmony, creating tension and resolution that can enhance musical expression. Altered dominant chords play a crucial role in jazz and classical music, often leading to unexpected resolutions and enriching the harmonic landscape.
Augmented sixth chords: Augmented sixth chords are a type of altered chord that typically resolves to the dominant chord in a key, characterized by the interval of an augmented sixth between two specific tones. These chords are used to create tension and lead the listener's ear toward resolution, often enhancing the harmonic progression in a piece. They can be classified into three main types: Italian, French, and German, each with its own distinct structure and function in music.
Chromatic mediant relationship: A chromatic mediant relationship occurs between two chords whose roots are a third apart and share one common tone or have no tones in common, often involving altered chords. This relationship allows composers to explore harmonic colors and create unexpected contrasts, enriching the musical palette. It is particularly significant in the context of modulation and thematic development, where it enhances emotional expression and harmonic variety.
Chromatic mediants: Chromatic mediants are chords that are a third apart, and they often involve at least one common tone while differing in their root notes by a major or minor third. This unique relationship allows for a shift in color and mood within a musical piece, providing composers with creative possibilities for modulation and harmonic exploration. Chromatic mediants can enhance the emotional depth of music by introducing unexpected yet harmonious transitions.
Claire de lune: 'Claire de Lune' is a piece for piano composed by Claude Debussy, part of his Suite Bergamasque, which reflects the Impressionist style through its evocative imagery and fluid harmonies. The title translates to 'Light of the Moon,' emphasizing a gentle and serene mood, characteristic of Debussy's exploration of atmosphere rather than strict structure. Its harmonic language includes the use of chromatic mediants and altered chords, contributing to its unique emotional depth and tonal color.
Claude Debussy: Claude Debussy was a French composer known for his innovative approach to music that helped usher in the Impressionist movement in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His works often feature rich harmonies, nontraditional scales, and a unique orchestration style that emphasizes color and texture, setting the stage for new developments in music theory.
Common tone modulation: Common tone modulation is a technique in music that involves transitioning from one key to another by maintaining a shared pitch or tone between the two keys. This method creates a smooth and cohesive shift, making the modulation less jarring and more lyrical, often enhancing emotional expression. By focusing on a common tone, composers can connect contrasting sections or ideas, leading to richer harmonic textures and more engaging compositions.
Diminished seventh chord: A diminished seventh chord is a four-note chord that consists of a root, minor third, diminished fifth, and diminished seventh. This chord is unique because it is symmetrical, built from a series of minor thirds stacked on top of each other, which gives it a distinctive sound often associated with tension and instability. Its versatile nature allows it to function as a chromatic mediant or as a leading tone chord, creating various harmonic possibilities in music.
Dominant function: The dominant function refers to the role of the dominant chord in harmony, which is to create tension that typically resolves to the tonic chord. This tension and resolution are fundamental in establishing a sense of stability and direction in music. The dominant function is essential for understanding harmonic progressions, including secondary dominants and altered chords, as it emphasizes the relationship between chords and their roles in tonal centers.
Enharmonic modulation: Enharmonic modulation is the process of changing keys in a piece of music by using notes that sound the same but are written differently, allowing for a smooth transition between distant tonal areas. This technique often involves chromatic mediants and altered chords, as it enables composers to explore new harmonic landscapes while maintaining coherence in their musical narratives.
Major chromatic mediant: A major chromatic mediant is a type of chromatic mediant relationship found between two major chords that are a third apart, with one of the chords being altered by introducing one or more accidentals. This creates a striking and colorful harmonic transition, often used to evoke emotion and enhance musical storytelling. The use of major chromatic mediants allows composers to explore unexpected harmonic pathways that can enrich the tonal palette of a piece.
Minor chromatic mediant: A minor chromatic mediant is a relationship between two chords that are a third apart, where one chord is in a minor key and the other is altered by chromatic alteration. This concept plays an important role in creating harmonic diversity and emotional depth in music by allowing composers to explore unexpected key relationships that maintain certain similarities, such as shared tones or structural characteristics.
Modal interchange: Modal interchange refers to the practice of borrowing chords from parallel modes, allowing composers and songwriters to introduce colors and harmonies that are not found within the original key. This technique enriches harmonic progressions, creating contrasts and emotional depth by utilizing chords from both major and minor scales, as well as other modes like Dorian, Mixolydian, or Aeolian. By incorporating modal interchange, musicians can create unique soundscapes and explore new musical possibilities.
Neapolitan Sixth: The Neapolitan sixth is a type of altered chord built on the lowered second scale degree, typically in first inversion. It is commonly used in harmonic progressions to create a sense of tension and resolution, particularly in conjunction with the dominant chord. This chord is notable for its unique sound and its ability to connect different keys, often serving as a chromatic mediant in various contexts.
Nimrod: Nimrod is a movement from Edward Elgar's 'Enigma Variations' that serves as a musical tribute to the composer’s friend, August Jaeger. This variation is characterized by its rich harmonic language, emotional depth, and lush orchestration, reflecting a profound sense of nostalgia and admiration. Within the context of chromatic mediants and altered chords, Nimrod exemplifies how Elgar employs chromaticism to create expressive shifts in harmony and mood, using altered chords to evoke complex emotional responses.
Pivot chord modulation: Pivot chord modulation is a technique used to smoothly transition from one key to another by using a chord that is common to both the original key and the new key. This method allows composers to create a seamless shift, enhancing the harmonic progression and maintaining a sense of continuity in the music. The pivot chord acts as a bridge, helping to modulate between keys without abrupt changes that might disrupt the flow.
Richard Wagner: Richard Wagner was a German composer, conductor, and theater director known for his influential operas and music dramas that revolutionized Western classical music. He is particularly recognized for his use of chromatic mediants and altered chords, which expanded harmonic language and paved the way for modern music theory. Wagner's innovative approach to harmony helped to create a new emotional depth in music, impacting countless composers who followed him.
Secondary Dominants: Secondary dominants are chords that function as the dominant (V) of a chord other than the tonic in a given key, creating tension and leading to a resolution to that chord. They are a common way to add harmonic interest and variety to chord progressions, making them an essential element in tonal music. By introducing these non-diatonic chords, composers can create temporary modulations and enhance the expressive quality of their music.
Tonic function: Tonic function refers to the role of the tonic chord as the central point of resolution and stability in a tonal system. It serves as the home base, creating a sense of rest and fulfillment, while other chords create tension that resolves back to it. In the context of altered chords and chromatic mediants, tonic function can be expanded or altered, providing composers with more expressive harmonic possibilities.
Voice Leading Principles: Voice leading principles refer to the guidelines and techniques that composers and musicians use to create smooth and logical progressions between musical notes or chords in a piece. These principles emphasize the importance of maintaining the independence of individual melodic lines while ensuring that harmonic movement is clear and coherent. Effective voice leading helps to create a sense of flow and resolution in music, particularly when dealing with chromatic mediants and altered chords, as it facilitates seamless transitions between diverse tonalities.