How do you read a figured bass?

How to Read and Write Figured Bass

  1. If the bass note is the root of a Seventh chord, then there is a “7” written below it.
  2. If the bass note is the 3rd of a Seventh chord, then there is a “6 5” written below it.
  3. If the bass note is the 5th of a Seventh chord, then there is a “4 3” written below it.

What does figured bass mean in music?

FIGURED BASS is a music notation style that provides symbolic information below a bass note to inform harmony, including: chord root, chord type, and chord quality. Figured bass is also referred to as BASSO CONTINUO or THOROUGH BASS (they are all the same thing).

What does the line mean in figured bass?

The numbers in figured bass tell you what chord to build up from the bass note, and in which inversion. The single most important thing to remember about figured bass is that the bass line shows you the lowest note, and that you must build a chord upwards from that note.

How do you realize a figured bass?

Figured Bass Rules for Realization….The Melody Line

  1. Move by step or by third as much as possible.
  2. Don’t restrict the soprano part to a very narrow range of notes.
  3. Avoid repeated notes.
  4. Aim to make the soprano move in contrary motion (i.e. in the opposite direction to) the bass if you can.

What does a 4 mean in figured bass?

In figured bass, both the suspension and resolution need to be figured. • In the above example, the “alien” note in the C major chord is a 4th above the bass, so we figure it with a 4. • The 4th above the bass (F) moves (“resolves”) to the third above the bass (E), so we figure that with a 3.

What is a 3 3 in figured bass?

For example, the figured bass “3” can mean a 3rd, or a 10th or a 17th, etc. — the choice is up to the player. The same is true in reverse: if you wish to write a figured bass for a given chord, a 3rd, 10th, or 17th within that chord are all written as “3”.

What is counterpoint music theory?

In the language of music theory, counterpoint is a compositional technique in which two or more melodic lines (or “voices”) complement one another but act independently. The term comes from the Latin punctus contra punctum, which means “point against point.” Composers use counterpoint to create polyphonic music.

What is a v65 chord?

V6/5 is a first inversion, with the 3rd of the chord in the bass. The interval of a 6th would be the root of the chord, and the interval of the 5th would be the 7th. If this were a G7 chord, it would be spelled B-D-F-G. V4/3. This is a 2nd inversion chord, with the 5th in the bass.