Alteration (music)

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Under the alteration (Latin old ratio ) is meant in classic harmony the chromatic change of tones within a chord. Chord components are changed, thus the sound and possibly the function of the corresponding chord. This can be done downwards ("downgraded">) or upwards ("upgraded" <). Alterations are mainly used to bring more color and variety into the harmonious course. By changing the chord function and possibly ambiguities, they are also suitable for modulations , since the altered tones are often perceived as new leading tones of a different key.

Altered notes fall in the score by appropriate accidentals (possibly natural sign ) on (but these are not unique identifiers, such as this. As well as secondary dominants applies).

species

Depression

Alternating down refers to the shifting of a tone within a harmony by a semitone step down.
The changed tone is marked with a> in the symbol, e.g. B. C > 5 - fifth (5) above the C has been lowered. CEG → CE Ges .

However, the symbol does not say anything about the type of a possible accidental symbol , or that it would be a diminished fifth; only that the original ( ladder's own ) tone has been reduced . In the notation, depending on the context (key, signature), this can be indicated both by a corresponding accidental symbol ( ♭ ) and by a natural sign ( ♮ ). Thus, for example from. C a Ces from Ges a Geses - but from Cis (or C ♯ ) a C .

Age up

Elevation describes the shifting of a tone by a semitone step upwards.
The character used for this is the <, e.g. B. C 5 < - CEG → CE- G sharp .

Here, too, a sign cannot be derived directly.

Disalteration / splitting of sounds

Disalteration refers to the simultaneous raising and lowering of a tone. In principle, this is only possible if the relevant note is present twice in the chord.

Both alterations are specified separately in the name, e.g. B. C 5> 5 < - ges -ce- gis

Alteration of chord components

In addition to the tones of the ladder, chromatic changes (= alterations) can occur in chords. It is always a question of dissonances, which are guiding, i.e. H. want to dissolve in semitone steps. A through cross sign of increased tone tends upwards by a Be decreased -Versetzungszeichen tone tends downward. Kinetic energy and color are particularly strong in altered chords. Most of the altered chords are dominant. In the 19th century the alterations became more complicated and the chords ambiguous.

In principle , every part of the chord can be altered (including characteristic additional tones). Often it is a question of convention or style-dependent whether one speaks of an aging. Depending on the source (even for classical harmony), different points of view can be found. The following relates to Jürgen Ulrich's theory of harmony:

According to classical doctrine, only major chords can be altered. Minor chords are inherently richer in sound, but less harmoniously clear, so that their harmonic function would be lost through such a change.

Root and third

The alteration should color the chord harmoniously; it is changed, but remains as a chord. Because of this, the fundamental and third cannot be altered.

By altering the root note, the entire chord structure would be lost - since a chord is built up as a third layer above its root note, thus creating a chord above another note, i.e. a completely different chord. Also, the third is not suitable - here changing either the Tongeschlecht Dur↔Moll, or the sounds appear due to the listening habits as a derivative (for example, C major. CEG : ↓ C-E G = c Minor, ↑ CFG = Fourth lead in C major).

Fifth

The fifth is the most commonly altered tone. It can be raised and lowered. A chord with an older fifth always has a dominant effect . Every non-dominant chord thus becomes an intermediate dominant . Usually she appears in the upper part .

The lower-altered fifth is usually in the lower part and thus occurs in chord types in which the fifth is in the bass and has the dominant or double- dominant function. (Example: excessive Terzquartakkord )

Seventh

Alterations of the seventh occur relatively rarely and are mostly used to create chromatic connections to other tension sounds. Alterations of the seventh often result in chords which, if confused with enharmonics, are identical to known chords, but have different functional meanings and require different resolutions.

  • Lower seventh in the diminished seventh chord : a chord with the same sound as the first inversion of a dominant seventh chord is created.
  • Highly altered seventh in a diminished seventh chord: the same sound as a half diminished seventh chord.
  • Lower seventh in the major seventh chord results in a dominant seventh chord .
  • Lower seventh in the dominant seventh chord: sounding like a major triad with sixth ajoutée .
Example of a deep sept listening ? / iAudio file / audio sample

The altered chord in the note example on the right is formally created from a dominant seventh chord on B through the lower alteration of the a to a flat and is embedded here in a dominant function in a C major environment. (The otherwise frowned upon fifths parallels are here inevitable and tolerable.) The dominant function, however, is heavily veiled, and to explain it, one would have to derive this chord from the seventh chord of the seventh degree in C major, which in functional theory is called "abbreviated " Dominant none chord with a missing root is understood. In this chord, however, only the b is spared from alteration, d and f are high-, a is low-altered.

Subdominant text

The Neapolitan sixth chord is created by the low alteration of the major sixth of the sixth chord of the minor subdominant (subdominant with sixth instead of fifth).

Ways of looking at things

The use of the major dominant in the minor is not considered an alteration, although the minor third was ultimately altered up in order to obtain a leading tone. This can be explained by the fact that this raised 7th level is counted as a minor key. This is also referred to as improper alteration.

In order to form intermediate dominants, however, the major scale must also be altered up the third of the scale's own minor chords. The tone obtained in this way is foreign to the conductor and therefore an actual alteration . However, intermediate dominants are so common that it is probably for this reason that they are not considered an alteration.

In the different styles, especially of newer music, the alteration of individual chord tones or scale components is quite common - and also the designation as such (even giving the name, e.g. altered scale ). In jazz , for example, the high-aged seventh ("Major7") is represented in minor chords and in blues the lower -aged third .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Reinhard Amon: Lexicon Harmony. Reference work on major minor harmony with analysis codes for functions, levels and jazz chords. Doblinger et al., Vienna et al. 2005, ISBN 3-900695-70-9 , p. 30.
  2. ↑ Jürgen Ulrich: Harmony for practice. 2008, p. 85 ff.
  3. ↑ However, especially with the third, this view can be challenged; see also section Approaches .
  4. ↑ a b Reinhard Amon: Lexicon Harmonielehre. Reference work on major minor harmony with analysis codes for functions, levels and jazz chords. Doblinger et al., Vienna et al. 2005, ISBN 3-900695-70-9 , p. 29.

literature

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