Which Method?

Now that we know that there are four standard ways to move between chords whose roots lie a fifth
apart (five if you count the doubled fifth), we need to think about which one we should use under any
given circumstances. There is no universal answer. In general, they have been presented to you in the
order in which they are most likely to occur in the work of the composers and voice-leading masters of
the eighteenth century (especially J.S. Bach). This, therefore, is generally the order in which you should
normally consider each possibility. However, each has its own characteristics that you will want to
consider. The most important of these is the motion of the soprano; after that, we may need to
consider specific types of internal motion that we are trying to promote (i.e., imitation), the effect that
each method has on doubling (tripled roots or doubled fifths), and the effect that each method has on
spacing (close, neutral, and open position).

Forward motion (down by fifth / up by fourth)

Method Common Tone Similar Motion Triple-Root Tertian Leap Doubled Fifth
(CT) (SM) (TR) (TL) (DF)
Upper Voice 53 51 51 51 53
Motion 31 3 5 31 3 5 3 5
15 1 3 15 15 15
Types of Steps Two skips Steps One leap One skip
Motion
Doubling Complete Complete Tripled Root Complete Doubled Fifth
Triad in Top Triad in Top Triad in Top
Spacing No effect No effect Potentially Usually Potentially
moves to switches moves to
neutral between open neutral
position and close position
position
Can switch Can switch
between open between open
and close and close
position in two position in two
moves, can moves, can
create a voice create a voice
exchange exchange
Drawbacks Does not Does not Should be left Does not Does not
2 1
resolve 7 1
resolve ; in same 7 1
resolve ; 2 1
resolve or
cannot be manner as cannot be 7 1
; cannot
used when is7 approached. used when is7 be used when
in soprano. in soprano. 7 is in soprano;
Best used at should be left
cadences. Potential in same
voice-crossing manner as
issues. approached.
Accounting for Seventh Chords
When we have seventh chords, we need to add a few details to our chart. First, the seventh must
almost always resolve down, generally to the third of the following chord. Hence, any of the methods
will work when this 7-3 is in the soprano (except the Tertian Leap, which is usually avoided because it
creates a doubled third).

Method Common Tone Similar Motion Triple-Root Doubled Fifth Tertian Leap
Complete/ Usually Usually Complete Complete
Incomplete incomplete complete
Seventh 5 8 8 8
replaces
Correct Yes No Yes No
resolution of
tritone

There is one extra concern when using a seventh chord. If the seventh chord begins as a triad, and the
seventh is added partway through, any of the above methods will work; but if the seventh is to be part
of the chord right from the beginning, the seventh itself should be approached by step or obliquely (we
tend to be a bit flexible about this for the dominant seventh, but not for other types of sevenths).
Hence, incomplete seventh chords should be approached by a motion in which the fifth is approached
from above (i.e., similar motion), and complete seventh chords should be approached by motion in
which the root is approached from below (i.e., common tone).

The Leading Tone and Tritones

Up to now, it has been convenient to say that the leading tone always needs to resolve upwards. There
are exceptions, and we can now be more specific:

1. The leading tone is always unstable when it is part of a dissonant chord, and should always
resolve upwards in those cases (specifically, all types of diminished chords).
V V&
2. The leading tone is usually unstable when it is the root or third of a chord (i.e., , , and ,viio^
etc.), and should usually resolve upwards (however, see below about tritones).
III
3. The leading tone is not unstable when it is the fifth of a consonant triad (i.e., ), and does not
have to resolve upwards in this case.
4. The leading tone in either the melody or the bass can be used as a passing tone between and 1
6
. This usually happens in a weak position, and may be harmonized by a weak dominant chord,
which is understood as a passing chord; in this case, the passing motion overrules the resolution
of the leading tone.

Tritones: diminished fifths should always resolve inward by step; augmented fourths should usually
resolve outwards by step.

5. The leading tone is usually the bottom of a diminished fifth or the top of the augmented fourth.
In either case, the preferred resolution is still up by step.
6. In some cases, if the note occurs as the top of the augmented fourth, it may resolve downwards
instead of upwards, but this is not usually permitted when it occurs as the bottom of a
diminished fifth.
a. Hence, the similar motion method of resolving the dominant seventh chord is not
necessarily the best choice when the seventh is high in the voicing.
7. The dominant seventh chord is a special case of a partially dissonant chord, in which the leading
tone may resolve down if it is in an inner voice. However, as suggested in #6 above, it is still
preferable for it to resolve upwards if it is part of a diminished fifth (rather than an augmented
fourth).
a. Notwithstanding this, the leading tone in other types of dissonant chords must still
resolve upwards, regardless of the voice in which it is found.