For those of you that don't read my comments from previous blogs or are just tuning in for the first time, Marc asked about figured bass symbols. When analyzing classical music, mostly Bach chorales and soprano, alto, tenor, and bass (SATB) style arrangements, one uses figured bass symbols to denote inverted chords.
A few examples for y'all:
I, I 6/4, IV 6, V7, and so on.
At first, these numbers may seem a bit arbitrary. However, they do have a specific meaning, and those numbers are there for a reason.
Let's say you're analyzing a piece in C major. You have the triad of a tonic (I) chord (C, E, and G), but there's a problem, the E is the note that the bass sounds. You say you'll just put a I for the analyzation and move on to something more important in your life; the rent isn't going to pay itself, and you don't want to end up like those people in that musical.
You can't just leave that I there and think you're doing it right. You have to make note of that inversion! Yes, you've just stumbled upon an inversion. Inversions are fancy things composers use in music to make pieces sound more interesting. This particular chord is in first inversion. The way we describe a first inversion chord in figured bass is I 6.
We use the I because it still is a I chord no matter the inversion (then again, in jazz theory, people will sometimes add alterations to chords that are secretly inverted. For example, a chord that's spelled E-G-C could also be called an Em(#5). However, the Em(#5) would be spelled E-G-B#. My point is, if you saw it only on a keyboard, you could call it either way. You would just have to justify your answer like so. It's really more of a choice that composers encounter from time to time.) Holy digression, Batman! I don't even remember what I was saying. Oh, that's right! Inversions! Anyway, you're probably wondering from where the "6" came in the above example. The "6" comes from the fact that, in first inversion, there is a note sounding that is, the interval, a 6th above the bass. A quick note: remember people, bass does not equal root.
It makes sense if you think about it. The chord E-G-C has the interval of a minor sixth. The space between E and C is a sixth, thus we put a cute little arabic numeral (that's a fancy term for "everyday numbers") 6.
Wait wait wait, you're saying! There is also the interval of a third in that chord! To that I will say one simple thing; it's implied. You don't need to write it because it's expected.
That's not too hard. The point at which people run into trouble is when you have the inversions of a V7 chord, or really any 7 chord.
Lets say you're analyzing another piece in C major, and you run across a chord spelled G-B-D-F. That's a V chord, and you know it, but hold on there's an F with a G major triad? What the h-e-double hockey sticks? How do I let everybody know that F is there?
You use another figured bass convention. Well, really it's the same. Since there is an unusual note there you have to describe it somehow. What's that interval between G and F an octave above? If you said minor 7th, you're right. If you said anything else, stop reading. No please don't! I'm sorry, baby. Please com back! I'll never do it again.
Anyways, you would signify that 7th by putting a V7 for your analyzation. These inversions get a little hairy because they're a little harder to visualize. Because of that, I have found a chart that says everything I just did in much fewer words.
P.S. I noticed I had a sort of secret admirer that commented on my last post as well, and I would just like to take a moment to thank him. I mean it really is the fans that make this thing possible. Without all of your love and support, I don't know how I would get this all done. And, if this Travis guy wants to get together sometime, I'm more than open to it. I mean we can talk music theory, or I don't know. I mean I felt like we really had something. You know what I'm talking about! Please come back!
Well, good night and good luck everybody. I hope I helped all two of you that read my blog!
