Harmony is the branch of music theory that studies how sounds combine, at the same time and in succession, to create chords and progressions. These posts offer practical exercises in four-part harmony (soprano, alto, tenor and bass), with commented solutions and audio, starting with the most basic connections that keep a common tone. The method follows the Spanish conservatory tradition: you are given a bass line with figures and you write the upper voices.
Prior knowledge you need
Before starting the harmony exercises, make sure you are comfortable with these concepts:
- Triads: the four types (major, minor, augmented, diminished). See triads.
- Seventh chords: especially the dominant seventh (V7) and the leading-tone seventh chord.
- Scale degrees: I (tonic), IV (subdominant), V (dominant). See names of the scale degrees.
- Inversions: how the figured bass changes when the third or the fifth moves to the bass.
Available harmony exercises
Exercise 4a
Connections keeping the common tone. Name the key where possible.
Exercise 4b
More common-tone connections in four voices.
Exercise 4c
Connections in different keys and meters.
Exercise 5a
Connections without a common tone, bass by a 3rd or 4th.
Exercise 5b
More connections without a common tone.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is harmony?
Harmony is the branch of music theory that studies how sounds combine simultaneously to form chords, and how those chords follow one another to make progressions. It governs the relationships between voices and the rules that create tension and rest in tonal music.
What are the voices in four-part harmony?
Classical four-part writing uses soprano (highest), alto, tenor and bass (lowest). Each voice stays within its own range and follows voice-leading rules that avoid errors such as parallel fifths or octaves.
What is a chord connection?
A chord connection is the move from one chord to the next. In tonal harmony, connections are classified by whether the two chords share a common tone and by how the bass moves. The quality of a connection depends on the voice leading and on avoiding parallels.
What are tonal functions in harmony?
Tonal functions are the roles chords play within a key: tonic (I), which gives rest; subdominant (IV), which creates movement; and dominant (V), which creates tension and calls for resolution to the tonic. These three functions underlie tonal harmony.
How do you learn harmony step by step?
Start with intervals and chords, then practice connections that keep a common tone, connections without a common tone, cadences and modulation. Writing exercises and listening closely to them is the best way to absorb the rules and develop a harmonic ear.