Chord progressions - inverting V

[Madrayken]

Second stupid post today. My apologies.

In learning music theory, I've found the V-I progression (even V7-I) to be incredibly unhelpful. Bear with me before rising from your seats and gathering pitchforks and torches; I'll explain!

The problemis that I really don't 'feel' the tension, or the necessity to resolve. I've tried shifting from V (above I) to I and found it... limp. I've tried the V below I... and still found it limp...

... or at least I did until I tried the V first inversion to I. At that point, it really clicked. Now, I've found that, as I try any of the suggested progressions, if I take the notes that fall out of my chosen octave and 'wrap them' as inversions, everything seems so much more cohesive.

So, my question:

Is it just me, or is this what I should have been doing all along? If so, I wish someone had pointed me at the big sign, saying: "Hey dufus - you choose an octave for a reason!"

[jcivil]

Hi
I don't think your post is particularly stupid, all things considered

-- it is 'just you', root functions, V-I being the mother, have obvious pull. "V7" containing the tritone has acoustical 'pull' ('dissonance' in conventional terms, an uneasy vibration) going for it, even.

What you noticed was the leading tone in the bass having the tug towards its immediate upper neighbor; you noticed also, rising fourths are more compelling than falling fifths. In actual practice (in the appropriate practice period historically) 1st inv V exists to vary the bass line, not to obviate function.

so, no, it's not what you should have been doing all along, it's something particular to your ear and your experience that you're working thru.

this is in the context of western music of earth. if one didn't grow up around it, all bets may be off. IE if all i heard was modal melodies over a drone, my context would be radically different than if I heard modulating harmonies ubiquitously.

V-I is what I dislike most about 'classical' music, driving home to tonic mama for completion gets to be so predictable.

[Madrayken]

Thanks again! Just needed to know.

[VicDiesel]

The problemis that I really don't 'feel' the tension, or the necessity to resolve. I've tried shifting from V (above I) to I and found it... limp. I've tried the V below I... and still found it limp...

Well, how much context are you giving it? If you just play C-G, then there won't be a whole lot of pull, but if I've played various chords in the key of C for 16 measures, and then you play a G chords, especially if it comes in the 8th or 16th measure, then I'm sure you'll feel the pull.

Even more if there is an obvious melody over it, like (Lilypond notation)

c4 g8 c b8 c16 b a8 b | c2

Victor.

[JumpingJackFlash]

Second stupid post today. My apologies.

In learning music theory, I've found the V-I progression (even V7-I) to be incredibly unhelpful. Bear with me before rising from your seats and gathering pitchforks and torches; I'll explain!

The problemis that I really don't 'feel' the tension, or the necessity to resolve. I've tried shifting from V (above I) to I and found it... limp. I've tried the V below I... and still found it limp...

... or at least I did until I tried the V first inversion to I. At that point, it really clicked. Now, I've found that, as I try any of the suggested progressions, if I take the notes that fall out of my chosen octave and 'wrap them' as inversions, everything seems so much more cohesive.

So, my question:

Is it just me, or is this what I should have been doing all along? If so, I wish someone had pointed me at the big sign, saying: "Hey dufus - you choose an octave for a reason!"

This relates to practises of good Voice Leading (as jcivil was saying). Plus, as VicDiesel said, context is important. The key really needs to be established for the tonal relationships to mean anything.

You might like to check out my introduction to cadences.

[Madrayken]

Now *that* voicing really seals it for me.

I was simply going for the GBDG to CEG. For me, oddly, I think your rising B-C top voice was the kicker.

[Toxikator]

Now *that* voicing really seals it for me.

I was simply going for the GBDG to CEG. For me, oddly, I think your rising B-C top voice was the kicker.

Yeah, b is the leading tone, it "wants" to go to the tonic.

[camsr]

What about v - i? Any suggestions? (I know that's not a classical progression but it gets used alot)

You could also try inverting the I chord, instead of V.

[Toxikator]

v - i is not going to be strong in any sense, since there's no leading tone.

Now V - i... that's a nasty little progression.