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Chord Leaps Break Up Parallel 5Th's/octaves?


ansthenia

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Hello everyone

 

I know that passing tones don't conceal parallel movement, but do leaps to other chord tones?

 

Example; on the 1st beat I have a 5th, C-G. On the 3rd beat they move in parallel to E-B.

 

I know that inserting "A" as a passing tone one the 2nd beat between G and B doesn't hide that parallel. But if instead it jumps up to C then moves down to B does that break up the parallel 5th?

 

Thanks for your time.

Edited by ansthenia
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To break up or conceal parallels by leaps, you would need a change of position of either chord, or a pause between chords or something else. In your example, the parallels are still there no matter where the G goes before sitting in B. Only marginally better than going to B through A by steps, because at least you introduce contrary motion. If the E-B fifth happen in a weak beat after the jump to C (a third beat in 3/4 or the fourth one in 4/4) it would be less conspicuous than if it happens in strong beat, more so if you move quickly to some other harmony right afterwards. You could also take further steps to hide the parallels, such as holding the top C where the G has jumped, while bottom C goes to E, and then resolve it down to B (parallels are still there, but a little less obvious). Also, you could hold the G on top, move bottom C up to E and then do the G to C to B. Or move G to C and at the same time C to E, hold E and move C to B (that would be like changing position of the first chord before hitting the next).

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Forgot to add an explanation for your proposed jump solution not getting rid of the parallels: When a voice leaps, it creates a "virtual" second voice by psychoacoustic phenomena. It is like an Alberti pattern, say CGEG, which behaves as three voices, not one. Thus, when you have CG in your example, and the G leaps to the C above, you are implying a third voice. When you resolve your CGC to EB, you see why the parallels are still there (Top C steps down to B, and middle G jumps up that same B, in parallel with bottom C going to E. It also suggests a possible solution, which would be leaping from G to C (over bottom C), then do G to B (over bottom B); this way the "middle voice" (G) stays in place.

 

I hope this makes things somewhat clearer for you, and that this reasoning can help you with other similar situations that might arise.

 

Cheers!

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