***In this post I corrected the chart. I meant Bb minor where I had written Bb major.***
The Neapolitan-6 chord can precede the tonic chord. In these cases, instead of the Neapolitan-6 chord I usually prefer to play a minor chord whose root is the minor seventh above the tonic tone, e.g., in the key of C major, I’ll play the Bb minor chord then the C major chord. This preserves most of the feel that I want from the Neapolitan chord but because it has one tone moving contrary to the others it’s richer than the Neapolitan chord.
However, I prefer the Neapolitan-6 chord when going to the dominant chord, because this has contrary motion unlike the vii chord, on the “flat seventh” scale degree, to the V chord.
Here’s a chart.
Richer:
A Neapolitan-6 chord to the V chord *has* contrary motion, e.g., Db major
to G major.
A vii chord, on the “flat seventh” scale degree, to a I chord *has* contrary motion, e.g., Bb minor to C major.
Blander:
A Neapolitan-6 chord to the I chord *does not have* contrary motion , e.g., Db major to C major.
A vii chord, on the “flat seventh” scale degree, to the V chord *does not have* contrary motion, e.g., Bb minor to G major.
Matt Faunce <mattfaunce@gmail.com> wrote:
Matt Faunce <mattfaunce@gmail.com> wrote:
***In this post I corrected the chart. I meant Bb minor where I had written >>> Bb major.***
The Neapolitan-6 chord can precede the tonic chord. In these cases, instead >>> of the Neapolitan-6 chord I usually prefer to play a minor chord whose root >>> is the minor seventh above the tonic tone, e.g., in the key of C major,
I’ll play the Bb minor chord then the C major chord. This preserves most of
the feel that I want from the Neapolitan chord but because it has one tone >>> moving contrary to the others it’s richer than the Neapolitan chord.
However, I prefer the Neapolitan-6 chord when going to the dominant chord, >>> because this has contrary motion unlike the vii chord, on the “flat
seventh” scale degree, to the V chord.
Here’s a chart.
Richer:
A Neapolitan-6 chord to the V chord *has* contrary motion, e.g., Db major >>> to G major.
A vii chord, on the “flat seventh” scale degree, to a I chord *has*
contrary motion, e.g., Bb minor to C major.
Blander:
A Neapolitan-6 chord to the I chord *does not have* contrary motion , e.g., >>> Db major to C major.
A vii chord, on the “flat seventh” scale degree, to the V chord *does not
have* contrary motion, e.g., Bb minor to G major.
By the chord change having or not having contrary motion, I’m referring to >> when the chords are in the close form and the voices move the most
economically. I think the effect in this situation carries over to the
effect of the chord change even when the chords are open and you purposely >> cause a melody to move from a tone in one chord to a tone in the next chord >> which is less economical.
Here are examples of the most economical, close form voice-leading of the Borrowed iv, Neapolitan-6, “Flat vii”, and Tritone Substitution, each leading to the tonic in the key of C major.
Borrowed iv to I
F minor to C major:
c → c
a♭ ➘ g
f ➘ e
Neapolitan-6 to I
Db major to C major:
d♭ ➘ c
a♭ ➘ g
f ➘ e
Neapolitan in root position to I
Db major to C major:
a♭ ➘ g
f ➘ e
d♭ ➘ c
Minor Flat vii to I
Bb minor to C major:
f ➘ e
d♭ ➘ c
b♭ ➚ c
Tritone Substitution to I (maj7)
Db major to C major(7):
c♭ ➚ c (c♭ → b)
a♭ ➘ g
f ➘ e
d♭ ➘ c
Here are examples of the most economical, close form voice-leading of the Borrowed iv, Neapolitan-6, “Flat vii”, and Tritone Substitution, each leading to the dominant in the key of C major.
Borrowed iv to V
F minor to G major:
c ➘ b
a♭ ➘ g
f ➚ g
Neapolitan-6 to V
Db major to G major:
d♭ ➚ d
a♭ ➘ g
f ➚ g
Neapolitan in root position to V
Db major to G major:
a♭ ➘ g
f ➚ g
d♭ ➚ d
Minor Flat vii to V
Bb minor to G major:
f ➚ g
d♭ ➚ d
b♭ ➚ b
Tritone Substitution to V (or V7)
Db major to G major (or G7):
c♭ → b
a♭ ➘ g
f ➚ g (f → f)
d♭ ➚ d
Matt Faunce <mattfaunce@gmail.com> wrote:
***In this post I corrected the chart. I meant Bb minor where I had written >> Bb major.***
The Neapolitan-6 chord can precede the tonic chord. In these cases, instead >> of the Neapolitan-6 chord I usually prefer to play a minor chord whose root >> is the minor seventh above the tonic tone, e.g., in the key of C major,
I’ll play the Bb minor chord then the C major chord. This preserves most of
the feel that I want from the Neapolitan chord but because it has one tone >> moving contrary to the others it’s richer than the Neapolitan chord.
However, I prefer the Neapolitan-6 chord when going to the dominant chord, >> because this has contrary motion unlike the vii chord, on the “flat
seventh” scale degree, to the V chord.
Here’s a chart.
Richer:
A Neapolitan-6 chord to the V chord *has* contrary motion, e.g., Db major
to G major.
A vii chord, on the “flat seventh” scale degree, to a I chord *has*
contrary motion, e.g., Bb minor to C major.
Blander:
A Neapolitan-6 chord to the I chord *does not have* contrary motion , e.g., >> Db major to C major.
A vii chord, on the “flat seventh” scale degree, to the V chord *does not
have* contrary motion, e.g., Bb minor to G major.
By the chord change having or not having contrary motion, I’m referring to when the chords are in the close form and the voices move the most economically. I think the effect in this situation carries over to the
effect of the chord change even when the chords are open and you purposely cause a melody to move from a tone in one chord to a tone in the next chord which is less economical.
Matt Faunce <mattfaunce@gmail.com> wrote:
***In this post I corrected the chart. I meant Bb minor where I had written
Bb major.***
The Neapolitan-6 chord can precede the tonic chord. In these cases, instead
of the Neapolitan-6 chord I usually prefer to play a minor chord whose root
is the minor seventh above the tonic tone, e.g., in the key of C major, >>>> I’ll play the Bb minor chord then the C major chord. This preserves most of
the feel that I want from the Neapolitan chord but because it has one tone >>>> moving contrary to the others it’s richer than the Neapolitan chord. >>>>
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