What are Harmonic Functions?

    The Tonic

    The Dominant and Subdominant

    An example using I, IV and V

    Identifying the I, IV and V degrees

    The II and VII Degrees

    The III and VI Degrees

    Harmonic Functions in Minor Keys

    Harmonic Analysis

Nonharmonic Tones

    Passing Tone

    Neighbor Note

    Suspension

    Anticipation

    Appoggiatura

    An Example

Secondary Dominants

    Secondary Dominants Examples

    Using Secondary Dominants

Modulation

    The Dominant Chord

    The Pivot Chord

    Two Examples

    An Example from Bach

    Modulation to Distantly Related Keys

Augmented Sixths

    Types

    Major Keys

    Harmonic Function

    Tritone Substitution

    Musical Examples

Neapolitan Sixth

    Construction and Identification

    Major Keys

    Musical Examples

Other Tutorials:

Reading Music

Intervals

Scales

Chords

Musical Forms

Related Exercises:

Harmonic Progresssions Dictation

Construction:

  Triads

  Seventh Chords

  Secondary Dominants

  Secondary Diminished Sevenths

  Augmented Sixths

  Neapolitan Sixth

Identification:

  Triads

  Seventh Chords

  Secondary Dominants

  Secondary Diminished Sevenths

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What are Harmonic Functions?

Harmonic functions explain the relationship between chords of a given scale.

We have three basic harmonic functions: tonic, dominant and subdominant:

These functions are related to the I (tonic), IV (subdominant) and V (dominant) degrees (see Names of Degrees) in both major and minor scales.