Exploring Advanced Harmonic Functions

Chords have different roles, called functions, within a key. Understanding these helps you see how music moves forward and creates tension or release.

Tonic, Dominant, and Subdominant

• Tonic (I): The "home" chord; music feels resolved here.
• Dominant (V): Creates tension that wants to resolve to tonic.
• Subdominant (IV): Leads away from tonic, often heading toward dominant.

Secondary Dominants and Modulation

• Secondary dominants (like V/V) temporarily make another chord sound like a tonic.
• Modulation is when the music changes key, often using pivot chords.

Chromaticism

Advanced harmony often includes notes outside the key for expressive color.

Real-World Connections

These techniques appear everywhere from classical symphonies to movie soundtracks, shaping how music feels and flows.