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Table of Contents Rhythm
Section 2: Section 3: Set theory Section 4: Basic Assumptions Section 5: Basic assumptions Section 6: Bibliography
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Contents Journal Index First Aid Instructional Papers Forum
Dominant-tonic function Basic Concepts: 1. The dominant-tonic relationship is a primary defining factor in tonal or diatonic music. The tonic serves as the central pitch, or tonal center, and the dominant sets up this pitch harmonically. 2. The dominant chord consists of the dominant, a pitch a fifth away from tonic, the leading tone, a half step below tonic, and the supertonic, a whole step above the tonic. 3. Because of the stability of the perfect fifth interval and the traditional perception of the perfect fourth being dissonant and harmonically less stable, when the tonic and dominant pitch sound together, the tonic sounds like the stronger of the two pitches. -the leading tone leads to the tonic by half step. -add the seventh to the dominant chord and the dissonance requires resolution. The dissonance created includes the minor seventh interval between the root and the seventh, and the tritone between the third and the seventh. The tritone interval resolving inward by half step produces the major third of the tonic triad. For example, B-F resolves to C-E. 3. Whether by convention or by nature, this relationship creates the process called "tonicization." The dominant chord tonicizes the tonic. 4. The chords that function as the dominant in a key are V, V7, vii°, vii°7, and the half diminished seventh chord. This holds true even though the "dominant" pitch is not included in the vii° chords.
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