augmented 6th chords

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20Augmented Sixth Chords

The progressions below show the three common approaches to the dominant in

the key of a minor.

a: iv6 v v v

In each of the these progressions, the movement to V can be strengthened

by rewriting d2 as df, so that there is a melodic movement of only a half step to

the dominant pitch. The progressions will now be

#6a: It#6 v Ger#6 v F 4 v

5 r

3Each of the chords that precedes V is known as an augmented sixth chord, be-

cause in each case there exists an interval of an augmented sixth between the bass

and soprano voice. The first is the Italian sixth, an altered iv6 chord; the second is

the German sixth, an altered chord; the third is the French sixth, an altered

ii0§chord.

247



••- -- -- --

••

3

248 AUGMENTED SIXTH CHORDS

Note:

a. The interval of the augmented sixth resolves outward to the octave in

each progression.

h. In the Italian sixth, the fifth is doubled.

c. All three of the augmented sixth chords contain a pitch that is a major

third above thebass.

d. The German sixth also contains a pitch that is a perfect fifth above the bass.

e. The French sixth also contains a pitch that is an augmented fourth

above the bass.

Study the following examples carefully. They show the augmented sixth

chords in different settings in both major and minor keys.

1 2I J.I. I _.,110 <l ' f '0

U . - l , f ' : , ; 1"11 U

".- l .- l . - l . - l 'S.. -.. -.., "I' •• u.1._ • r- u.1._ LJ' £w £w r- r-I u . r I I I

I. ; r r rj.j J j ~ j ~ j .., •. J... . J f' : ,; -.. ~ i00i-..-

I U r- ~ <l' f 'U "'Ir- 'I ~••1"11 -. -. "

- ' ••w £w" I

I I

g: F#6

r 4 v G: I 4V2 IIV

#6G e r ~ 5 v3

c:

5



AUGMENTED SIXTH CHORDS 249

I'I I .~ hi

r"" v- If••~ VtJ

b., .- •• I h_

.I h v- r ,. v

--

~ I J1 f I t ~ J lJ. J -\ • AfttI C.J lJ. C.J -...

I ~ -.. -.. -..•• ..... ... AfttI I"""'" I"""'" I"""'"- I I I

••

•I J . J ( ~ J )

d- - -1 f I t ~

- -1 f I t ~

r -... IfIt AfttI ~ U' C.J

- • . ~ -fttI

I I I

r--J

I

J-

Ger. V4 3 I G: IV6 v*

Note:

a. The interval of the augmented sixth may occur between the bass and any

upper voice.

h. The direct resolution of the German sixthto

V involvesparallel

fifths(see 3). This is an exceptional, but accepted, procedure.

c. In example 6, the German sixth is respelled with an A# instead of a BI.

(see *) so that the tenor's resolution to b is more natural.

d. Augmented sixth chords are used in both major and minor keys.

THE FUNCTION OF AUGMENTED SIXTH CHORDS

The diatonic scale degrees from which the augmented sixth chords are derived

give relatively little information about the chords' function. A comparison ofthese chords, however, with secondary dominants and diminished sevenths helps

to reveal their true role in the chromatic vocabulary.

/ '\.If oM-

I I

\ (; Of ~ of'I'

...- . - I ...-*u r *u

< ~ ~, n·.. ~ -......- ' .J,r.,;

\

{' } ~ J {' }

..... ....-...",. r.,; ",.- -

e: vii06N v e: It#6 v

'\ ~ I ~ IJ , .... ....

", . ",.. r.,; u.r.,;t ~ " -t ~ "'"

r[

"'"1t

u1t

u

<

r[, U'" r.,; ",. .... r.,; " , ...... ....r.,;.r.,; " , . " , .- ', 1'1 -

I Iv·o6

N: Vl l 5 v e:



L


v

Jt I ~ I, '" I ItII~ U J ....... ~ i -'l"\. no " "r: "y f1", U f l - U

t.J r H'-J r H'-J

I I,. tII " j - ItII " j -_•• ItII --[" ItII -- '" '

"...,.,'[

'" ' L '" 'I I

e: V jN v e: Fr3

:J -

Note:

a. The Italian sixth may be viewed as viio6/V with a lowered third.

h. The German sixth may be viewed as v i i o ~ / V w i t h a lowered third.

c. The French sixth may be viewed as V§/V with a lowered fifth.

d. In each case, the augmented sixth chord contains those pitches that give

the secondary dominants and secondary diminished sevenths their dom-

inant function, that is, root, leading tone, and seventh. The augmented

sixth chords, therefore, are functionally very similar to secondary domi

nants and secondary diminished sevenths.

Other uses of augmented sixth chords are covered on pages 259-260.

SUGGESTIONS AND STRATEGIES

Since augmented sixth chords virtually always precede the dominant, strategies

for construction and resolving them are quite easily created.

When Roman numerals with figures are given:

Work backwards!

1. Identify the key, and its dominant.

2. Write the dominant's root in the bass, and double the root at least an oc

tave higher in another voice.

3. Create the augmented sixth interval by writing a note that is a minor sec-

ond above the dominant note in the bass, and a note that is a minor second

below the other dominant note.

4. Check that the resulting interval is an augmented sixth.

5. a. For an Italian sixth, add notes that are both a major third above the bass.b. For a German sixth, add notes that are a major third and a perfect fifth

above the bass.

c. For a French sixth, add notes that are a major third an d an augmented

fourth above the bass.

An example is given.



251UGMENFED SIXTH CHORDS

Half step~'I IIItIJ. ~ "'[ J J'v" 1"

tJ r ~ i - -F'" ,. ilt

- •• lilt U.

I [J,,1'1 r

Two Half stepdominant AddM3v

notes andA4andAUgJ)lented resolve

sixth

lW1en the figured bass is given:

1. Look for bass notes on the lowered sixth scale degree. These notes are dia-tonic in minor keys, and are preceded by naturals or flats in major keys.

2. If the figure under the bass is:

#8 the chord is an Italian augmented sixth;

#2 the chord is a German augmented sixth;

#1 the chord is a French augmented sixth.8




EXERCISES

A. Write, and resolve to V, the following augmented sixth chords.

1'\ I I ,w. ott, fJ II I.. off M'

I.. I.. I.. v off

V v I IVt (tel

LI

<

LL

off U.

/ I l J _h. II I orr tH'I.. 'IlL ....h h ~ ~V v I IV

#6 #6#6

g: Ger 5 v d: It #6 v A ~ : Fr 4 v E: Fr 4

3 3

v

21 I I ,w. ~ ~

I

" " v

I'J<

/ .. I I\ v

11

'\, 'J

--if I..

/ h

'I I..I.. vv II

[J kh I vv JJ

off M'

off

LL

off U.

tt'I' t..L 1 1 tH'

lJ. tt'l't..L

off

offtt'I'

#6 #6 #6Bb: It #6 v f: Ger 5 v B: Fr 4 v G: G e r ~ 5 v

3

3I IiJ I..

k V I

v [I kV

I I'I I..

k v I Iv [I k

v

" ' [J, off I.. v 'I I.. v I I ~#6

Ger 5

, ~ _ _ ~ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ~ ~ _ _ _ _ _ _ - u ~ V ~ ~ I I ~ 9 - ~ _ _ _ _ ~ _ _ _ _ _ _ ~ ~ ~ V ~ I I ~ ~ ~ _ _ _ _ ~ _ _ _ _ _ _ ~ ~ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ~ _ _ _ _ _ _

#6c#: Fr 4 v eb: It#6 V Gb: It #6 V a: v

3

4'\ I I ~ 1t LL I I,

I k orr off II kk v U. orr k v

, , , 11~ v lJ h v [J kV

lJ.11 Vt ~

IiM'

I I.. 'I I..ff M' [J,

I

, "): k v U. off I.. v

v [I k U. v II r...v 11 V

#6 #6

c: V bb: Ger5 V F#: It #6 V Db: Fr4 V3



--


B. Add parts for alto and tenor.

1,j,j. I I l I J ~ J ~ J

•I I J

...,. ,. ..-I , .... f7oll" '"'- - ~ "1""

,.

-- •

.. - •..

, '"

J~

,

,.Il L...... • ,

- .....,... ...,. ~ .- L" .1 L10..._ ' - "

,. r- r-- ".. r-- r....vr- ~

I I I I I7 6 5 7 8

4 3 2 3

2I I l l I l

I rl 0 .... L 1 L,.10... d a

- -101..-1

-'. "V J ,. .,,

'"~

tJ

,,,. 0- .. rl d . - 10...,. a 101. - r-

v rl ~ .,r-

LL

--

L

--

1

u._-I

-"""'"

L

.- l

- -I

f7.1

L

,-L

-I

L

L

.t: L •L

I

.1..-I

-I

I

1 1

1oI.-l.

"l-

f7 •1

I I I I I 7 6 6 ,6 ;; 8 7

4 4 q q3

C. Add parts for soprano, alto, and tenor.

1,j,j., ...,. ,.I

,.~\ ' ~ ~

<

101.r....·.. '- • r-.,r- ria.. ...,. ~ r-

.- .

,.

r- r-

~ -I I I I

6 6 6 4 6 #6 #6 7I

4 2 ~ 5 43

2fI

, I U

t . I I dI I ' ~ ,.

,

, ~ ~

IL

.J.r-

-r.:1_"'''. 0 r

•• d ..... . - ~- ,. ...,.r, - a·

I I I

I6 6 #6 7

5 #




BURKHART, TUREK, AND WENNERSTROM EXERCISES

FOR HARMONIC ANALYSIS

Burkhart

p. 182, mm. 1-4.

pp. 241-42, mm.140-52.

p. 395, mm. 1-13.

p. 263, mm. 1-17.

Turek

p. 316, mm. 40-46.

p. 215, mm. 31-40.

p. 319, mm. 28-34.

p. 259, mm. 1-12.

Wennerstrom

p. 286, mm. 1-4.

p. 330, mm. 1-8.

p. 402, mm. 26-33.

p. 327, mm. 1-8.

OTHER USES OF AUGMENTED SIXTH CHORDS

Although augmented sixth chords usually occur as pre-ciominant sonorities, they

may also be used to precede major triads on other degrees of the scale. (They very

rarely resolve to minor triads.) Under these circumstances, the augmented sixth

chords are obviously no longer altered forms of iv and ii; instead, their analysis

depends upon the scale degree of the chord of resolution.

If an augmented sixth chord does not resolve to V, it is most commonly used

in resolution to I as an altered chord with a dominant function, or possibly as a

pre-secondary dominant sonority.

The following examples show some of these uses:

J I J I

•.- j JI 0 "'" d

.- j • "V ' I , . .- j "- rl.

r-j

r,'S,.

j j'S,.) ~ .., r·r

, ~J I I

r:;J .....t u .1'1 "'"'So"" v ~•• II d ~ - r:;J •/ ~ L I ~ ~ fl. -. J I

\ v II . . . . ! r -I

I I I II

Eb: I v vi v It6 I

"J I J I




•

•• 1 ;

•

••

6#6 F #6F: 16 r 4 VN Y iN V6 r 4 VIii V7N Fr4 I

3 3 3

Note:

a. The Italian sixth in the first example is built on the seventh scale degree .

h. In the second example, the three French sixth chords are built on the

sixth, third, and fifth scale degrees, respectively.

c. Regardless of the scale degree, the resolution of augmented sixth chords

does not change.



--

261UGMENTED SIXTHCHORDS

EXERCISES

A. Add parts for soprano, alto, and tenor.

, ~I I I

I I I I6 6 6 6 6

. - •I

•

4 q 3

2

J ~I-" l I . d r "V ~ "

tJ

1/~

h. b."'-'. 1..-1 .0_",. 0 J-": VI I• ~ - . -- .. I ....1- .,1- r; J rJ •

f I . ~ I0Il.

.,1-~ ,I

6 4 6 #6 6 6 6 #62 4 4 5 5

3

I I II I I r6#4 6 4 6 6 7

II

~ k(1 \1 '

'- ' 1/~

~ .- ~ . J ~ LLV

I I7

. / I . I- l : . . ~ -........ •

f l . . - j " . -,, .I-.J

v.r"

Jr:J

J --

3 2 4 53

augmented 6th chords

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