Knowledge base
voice leading
How Do the Leading Tone and Bass Create a Strong Authentic Cadence in Tonal Music?
The Leading Tone and the Bass: Two Foundations of Strong CadencesA cadence is more than the arrival of one chord after another. It is a carefully prepared musical event in which individual notes create… read more
What Is Voice Leading in Music, and How Does It Make Chord Progressions Sound Smooth and Connected?
Voice Leading: How Individual Notes Create Harmonic MovementHarmony describes the relationship between chords. Voice leading describes how the individual notes within those chords move from… read more
What Is Cadential Hierarchy and How Do Composers Use Different Cadence Strengths to Structure Music?
Cadential Hierarchy: How Composers Control Musical Closure and Structural TensionNot every cadence in a composition should have the same strength.
If every phrase ends with a powerful… read more
What are chord inversions, and how can changing the lowest note of a chord create smoother progressions?
Chord Inversions Explained: Root Position, First Inversion and Second InversionA chord is not defined only by the notes it contains. The order and octave in which those notes are played… read more