Augmented 6th

 

Lesson 34

March 16th, 2022

Lesson 34

Lecture notes:
  • There are three types of augmented-sixth chords, inclusive of the Italian augmented-sixth, French augmented-sixth, and German augmented-sixth.
  • To construct the augmented-sixth chord, go to the fifth degree of the intended predominant chord to identify your tendency notes, the b6 and #4. After identifying those notes, place the b6 note in the bass and stack the root note and #4 above the b6 note. So, for example, if we use the chord C, E, G, you would go to the fifth degree of that chord, which is G, and identify the notes that are a half step above and below the G, which are Ab (above [b6]), and F# (below [#4]). Those two notes would be your tendency notes. After identifying those notes, you would put the b6 note (Ab) in the bass topped off with the (C [root]) and (F# [#4]). All three augmented-sixth chords would have these three notes (Ab [b6], C [root], and F# [#4]), with an additional note being added in both the French and German augmented-sixth chords. The chord constructed in this example would be the Italian augmented-sixth chord, with the tonic usually being doubled. (b6 = flat 6), (#4 = sharp 4)
  • The French augmented-sixth chord is constructed with the default b6, root, and #4. However, it has the addition of an augmented fourth above the bass note. Using the example of the C chord, we can simply add the augmented fourth, which will look like (Ab [b6]), (C [root]), (D [+ 4th above bass note]), and (F# [#4]). (+ = augmented)
  • The German augmented-sixth chord is also constructed with the default notes of the b6, root, and #4. However, it has the addition of a perfect fifth above the bass note. Using the example of the C chord, we can simply add the perfect fifth, which will look like (Ab [b6]), (C [root]), (Eb [perfect fifth above the bass note]), and (F# [#4]).
  • Augmented-sixth chords resolve in contrary motion by moving the tendency notes outward to the fifth degree of the root note. So the b6 would move to the 5, and the #4 would move to the 5. So using the example of the C chord (C, E, G), the notes would look like (Ab - G [b6 - 5]) and (F# - G [#4 - 5]). 
  • Augmented-sixth chords are predominant chords that intensify and expand the motion leading to the V chord through chromaticism.
  • The German augmented-sixth chord sounds enharmonically equivalent to the dominant seventh chord.
  • The French augmented-sixth chord sounds enharmonically equivalent to the whole tone chord.
  • The notation for the augmented-sixth chord on a lead sheet symbol would be +6.

The image above shows the three types of augmented-sixth chords. Photo Credit: Ben Dunnett (https://www.musictheoryacademy.com/understanding-music/harmony/augmented-6th-chords/)


The photo above shows how augmented-sixth chors resolve outward in contrary motion to chord V. Photo Credit: Ben Dunnett (https://www.musictheoryacademy.com/understanding-music/harmony/augmented-6th-chords/)


The video above explains how to construct an augmented-sixth chord in all three forms. The presenter uses the key of C major to construct his examples, and he also uses the piano to play the chords that he made. Video Credit: Music Matters (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PtZQEB-d7A)


The video above explains how to create the augmented-sixth chords in all three forms. The presenter also had an audible aid so that viewers could hear the examples given. Video Credit: Andrew Schartmann (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQ_-dmFvi0w)











The photos above consist of the score for a composition I named "Hopeless Doom." The bass line was not my original idea. It was provided to me, and I created and wrote everything else in the piece.

Song Analysis
  • As I mentioned above, the name I gave to the song is "Hopeless Doom." I chose this name because of the mood I created in the music. I designed the melody, harmonies, and supporting sound effects to evoke a feeling of fear, suspense, anxiety, and impending disaster.
  • The song has a tempo of 85 bpm, with the quarter note getting one beat. As a result, the music is at a nice relaxed walking speed. The song's time signature is 3/4 and is in G minor.
  • The song's character is dark and gloomy due to being in a minor key, with a portion being wholly centered around the diminished triad at bars (41 - 48). During that portion of the song, in that 8 bar phrase, I eliminated the harmonies and thematic bass line that ran from the beginning. I replaced the bass line with a sustained diminished triad running underneath just the melody and counter melody. I also took the melody away from the instruments that began with the melody and gave it to the oboe, and I gave the counter melody to the bassoon to create a more eerie sound. I finally ended this phrase with an expanded diminished triad and a gong to make a strong sense of instability, disorientation, and fear. Another element I used to conjure the effect I explained in bars (41 - 48) was to lower the volume of this section along with a ritardando and a pause on the first two beats of bar 48, followed by a cut.
  • In bar 19, I introduced the Italian augmented-sixth chord when the harmonies came in. I kept that feature throughout the song every time the harmonies were played along with the melody. The augmented-sixth chord occurs on beat three of every third bar in each 8-bar phrase that features the augmented-sixth. So the bars that have the augmented-sixth chord are (19 - 20), (27 - 28), (35 - 36), and (51 - 52).
  • The song is 56 bars long with a duration of about 2 mins 10 seconds.
  • The instruments that make up the orchestration of the song include the piano, flute, violin, viola, oboe, cello, trombone, bassoon, tuba, double bass, tubular bells, side drum, bass drum, crash cymbals (orchestra), gong, wind machine, siren, and thunder sheet.
  • The instruments that have the melody in the song are the piano, flute, and violin 1. The harmony instruments are the violin 2, cello, and trombone. Finally, the instrument that has the counter melody is the viola. This is not the case in bars (41 to 48), though, as I explained prior. The instruments I gave the bass line to are the tuba and double bass.
  • The song is repetitious with the same general aesthetic from beginning to end. However, after each 8-bar phrase, I just kept adding a new layer of sound or effects to build the overall character of the song into something more and more theatrical. The last 8 bars of the song are where I added sound effects to the music helping to give it a sort of realistic sensation that there is some type of storm, natural disaster, or catastrophe happening. The sound effects I used were the wind machine, thunder sheet, and siren for this section.
  • The song's phrasing is primarily smooth and legato. However, despite being smooth, the bass is still slightly edgier, and the percussion is accentuated. The music is also primarily stepwise, with a few skips and leaps scattered at different points.


The video above is the midi recording of the song "Hopeless Doom" that I wrote.

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