[Orlando Enrique Fiol]

In article , writes:
To gain understanding of a chord, in my experience, it helps to hear it
approached, played, and followed.

That definitely works with most tonal music, even if you can only pick out the
lowest and highest voices. Learning the tendencies of stepwise voice leading
definitely helps; octaves expand to tenths and contract to sixths and fourths.
Thirds expand to fifths and contract to unisons. There are also interesting
triadic tendencies: chords moving by ascending or descending step share no
pitches, chords moving by ascending/descending thirds share at least two
pitches, while chords moving by ascending/descending fourths share only one
common tone. After that, the root motions merely invert. In my experience,
these guidelines are only useful for recognizable tonal triads and extended
chords. When I was first learning to navigate Olivier Messiaen's harmonic
language, I did lots of looping to discern the individual pitches of exotic
chords.

I find it easier to hear the problem
voicing in context, as the voices change.

I agree wholeheartedly.

--
Orlando Enrique Fiol
Ph.D. Candidate in Music Theory
University of Pennsylvania
Professional Pianist/Keyboardist, Percussionist and Teacher
Home: (215) 727-8729
Cell: (267) 971-7090
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