etude #1

30 Dec 2022

question

Write an 8-bar melody where the last four bars are a variation of the first four bars and harmonize it using triadic material

I decided to build the basic melody out of a chord progression. I went with a vi-ii-V-I chord progression (“circle progression”) in the key of D.

X:1
T:circle progression
K:D
L:1
[DFB] | [EGB] | [A,CE] | [AFD] |]

Each measure just uses the notes from the chord.

X:1
T:first four bars
K:D
M: 4/4
L:1/8
DFB DF B3 | EGB GE B3 | A,CE A,C E3 | A2 F2 D4 |

Then, I repeat the first 4 bars, with some simple melodic variation.

X:1
T:next four bars
K:D
M: 4/4
L:1/8
DFB DF (B1/2C'1/2 B2) | EGB GE (B1/2C'1/2 B2) | A,CE A,C (E1/2F1/2 E2) | A1/2B1/2 G1/2A1/2 (F1/4G1/4F1/2) (G1/4A1/4F1/2) D4 |]

Now, I harmonize using triadic material. So… add harmony, using the other notes of the chords. Got it.

X:1
T:harmony
K:D bass
M: 4/4
L:1/8
D,8 &\ F,2B,2F,2B,2 | E,8 &\ G,2B,2G,2B,2 | A,,8 &\ C,2E,2C,2E,2 | D,8 &\ F,2A,2F,2A,2 |

Pretty basic, but it works pretty nicely with the melody.

And the completed piece:

X:1
T:etude 1.1
K:D
M: 4/4
L:1/8
V:T clef=treble
V:B clef=bass
[V:T] DFB DF B3 | EGB GE B3 | A,CE A,C E3 | A2 F2 D4 | 
[V:B] D,8 &\ F,2B,2F,2B,2 | E,8 &\ G,2B,2G,2B,2 | A,,8 &\ C,2E,2C,2E,2 | D,8 &\ F,2A,2F,2A,2 |
[V:T] DFB DF (B1/2C'1/2 B2) | EGB GE (B1/2C'1/2 B2) | A,CE A,C (E1/2F1/2 E2) | A1/2B1/2 G1/2A1/2 (F1/4G1/4F1/2) (G1/4A1/4F1/2) D4 |]
[V:B] D,8 &\ F,2B,2F,2B,2 | E,8 &\ G,2B,2G,2B,2 | A,,8 &\ C,2E,2C,2E,2 | D,8 &\ F,2A,2F,2A,2 |]
 music

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