An important result of the elision is that the leading tone of the first dominant-seventh chord, B, resolves down by half step to become the new chordal seventh. In a sense, we mentally skip over the expected chord to get to the next dominant-seventh chord. The elided resolution essentially “elides” the chord we expect with the following chord, C 7. The example shows the expected C resolution in parentheses. An example of an elided resolution is shown in Example 4. An elided resolution would result in a C 7 chord in place of the expected chord. For example, we expect to hear either a C or Cm chord following a G 7 chord. Instead of the chord you expect to hear following a dominant-seventh chord, you get a dominant-seventh chord with the same chord root. As is the case whenever you connect seventh chords with roots a fifth apart, the voice leading requires an elided resolution. Because every chord is interpreted as a dominant-seventh of the chord that follows, it is not possible to resolve both the leading tone and the chordal seventh as normal. The voice leading in the above sequence requires some attention. A chromatic descending-fifths sequence with interlocking secondary dominant-seventh chords. We interpret this as V 7 of the chord that follows, which is, in turn, another dominant-seventh chord.Įxample 3. In Example 3, the second chord of the model is now F 7 instead of a diatonic IV chord. An easy way to do this is to make the second chord of the sequence model into a dominant-seventh chord that can be applied to the first chord of the subsequent copy of the model. A diatonic descending-fifths sequence with alternating secondary dominant-seventh chords.Ĭonversely, we can create a truly chromatic sequence if we ensure that the progression of chord roots maintains a consistent pattern of intervals throughout the sequence. Notice that the progression of chord roots on successive downbeats still matches the purely diatonic sequence shown in Example 1: G–F♯–E–D.Įxample 2. While the sequence contains chromatic chords (the secondary dominants), it is not a truly chromatic sequence because the overall trajectory of the sequence is still one that traverses the scale steps of a single key. Example 2 shows the same descending-fifths sequence, this time with alternating secondary dominant chords. Importantly, chromatic sequences are not merely sequences that contain chromatic pitches.
It would become a chromatic sequence.Ĭhromatic sequences differ from their diatonic counterparts in a few important ways: The sequence would rather quickly bring the music outside of the key of G major, and into new chromatic territory. If the interval between successive chord roots was consistently a perfect fifth/fourth, the root progression would be as follows: G–C–F–B♭–E♭–A♭–D♭… and so on. We “cheat” in the sequence in this way in order to keep the music within a single key. For example, the root progression between the IV and viio chords is an augmented fourth, whereas the root progressions between every other pair of chords is either a perfect fifth or perfect fourth.
Because the sequence uses chords entirely from the key of G major, the root progressions don’t match exactly throughout the sequence. The sequence model, a root progression by descending fifth, is transposed down by second in each subsequent copy of the model. Chord voicings should match between all corresponding components.Ĭonsider the following two-chord sequence ( Example 1), often referred to as the “descending-fifths sequence.”Įxample 1. Remember, with all sequences, the voice leading must be consistent within every voice.Diatonic sequences preserve the interval size, but not the quality, to ensure that they stay within a single key. Chromatic sequences differ from diatonic sequences in that both the size and quality of the interval of transposition is maintained throughout the sequence.These sequences avoid strict transposition of both interval size and quality. Chromaticized diatonic sequences include can include chromatic embellishments or chromatic chords, such as applied (secondary) dominants.Diatonic sequences repeat musical segments and are transposed in a regular pattern within a key.
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