15a Lesson - More Secondary Dominant Functions

Class discussion

(Following to be used for example 3 on previous page - DO NOT ALTER)

More Secondary Dominant Functions

Any chord can have secondary function, not just dominants and leading-tones.

The V/IV in C is a C major chord. The only reason to label a C chord as V/IV is if the V is a V7. This makes a V7/IV, spelled CEGBb, or I7. BUT you will NEVER see a I7. It’s function is the dominant of F, or the IV, so we write it as V7/IV. This is the same idea as the V/V being a II, but you will never write it as a II because that’s not how it functions.

Secondary Dominant chords for functions other than Dominant

This can include:

• V/vi
• V/ii
• V/I (don’t write)
• etc.

The chord guide chart has secondary function replacements for each chord.

Diatonic Harmony: iii - vi - ii - V - I

Chromatic Harmony: V/vi - V/ii - V/V - V/I - V/IV

• these can all be 7th chords as well
• in that case, the V/IV only functions as a 7th chord
• the V/V is included as a pre-dominant function

When can we use a secondary dominant funtion?

• to prepare for a modulation
• when there’s a circle of fifth progression
• where there are chords
  • the only chord you can’t decorate is a diminished chord
  • every other chord can be tonicized

The root movement is the same whether you use diatonic or chromatic harmony.

Example In Ab

Where can you insert a secondary dominant?

iii - vi - ii - V - I

Cm - Fm - Bbm - Eb - Ab

• On the Fm chord iii - V/ii - ii - V - I

Cm - F - Bbm - Eb - Ab

• chromatic harmonies like to move in half-step motion.
  • flats resolve down
  • sharps resolve up

  With the V/ii - ii (F - Bbm), the chordal third of the V/ii resloves to the the root of the ii. If the secondary dominant is a seventh chord (V7/ii), the chordal seventh resolves to the third of the ii chord.

  • this is because half-step motion likes to resolve

Take the progression V7/V - V7 - I in C (D7 - G7 - C). The chordal third of the D7 (F#) resolves up to the root of the V7 (G).

• this is F# moving upward in half-step motion

The chordal seventh of the D7 (C) resolves down to the third of the V7 (B).

• more half-step motion

Example In C: Inserting Secondary Dominant Functions

Given…

Soprano: C5 - C5 - C5 - C5 - D5 - D5 - D5 - C5

Alto: E4 -

Tenor: G3 -

Bass: C3 - C3 - A2 - A2 - F2 - F2 - G2 - C3

Roman Numerals: I - x - vi - x - IV - x - V7 - I

• any place there is an x in the progression there can be a secondary dominant

Fill it in…

Lead Sheet: C - E7/B - Am - C7/G - F - D7/F# - G - C

Soprano: C5 - D5 - C5 - C5 - D5 - D5 - D5 - C5

Alto: E4 - E4 - E4 - E4 - F4 - D4 - F4 - E4

Tenor: G3 - G#3 - A3 - Bb3 - A3 - A3 - B3 - G3

Bass: C3 - B2 - A2 - G2 - F2 - F#2 - G2 - C3

Roman Numerals: I - V^4/3/vi - vi - V^4/3/IV - IV - V^6/V - V7 - I

• notice that any accicentals only move in the half-step motion of their tendancy
  • sharp accidentals resolve up
  • flat accidentals resolve down