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Chromatic Harmonies
Macro analysis provides the same advantage in identifying chromatic harmonies
as it does for secondary dominants. By analyzing the letter names of the chords
first, it is easier to pinpoint harmonies that are not diatonic. Like a secondary
dominant, a chromatic harmony also departs from the diatonic chords of the key
for an instant. If you spot a letter name that is not a part of the original
key, you may be looking at a chromatic harmony. However, remember that you may
also be looking at the beginnings of a modulation, or a secondary dominant. This
is all a part of what makes the study of music so interesting. Hopefully, you
will find that using macro analysis makes your search through all of the different
harmonic possibilities a little easier. Macro analysis is also a very flexible
system. You may wish to add your own symbols for other types of harmonic progressions,
such as third relationships, or any of the other chromatic harmonies presented
below.
All of the various chromatic harmonies can be incorporated into macro analysis.
Strategies for including these harmonies in this system are as follows:
Borrowed Chords
| Notation | Meaning |
|---|
| Letter name |
Letter name represents quality of chord. |
| Slur |
If the borrowed chord is substituted for a harmony that is in a position
to receive a slur, the borrowed chord letter name is slurred also. |
| Roman numeral |
Roman numerals should also correspond with the specific type of borrowed
chord. |
Ninth, Eleventh, and Thirteenth Chords
| Notation | Meaning |
|---|
| Letter name |
Letter name represents quality of chord, and is followed by a 9, 11, or
13 as needed. |
| Slur |
Ninth, eleventh and thirteenth chords are slurred like any other harmony
that is in a position to receive a slur. |
| Roman numeral |
Roman numerals include a 9, 11, or 13. |
Neapolitan 6th Chord
| Notation | Meaning |
|---|
| Letter name |
Letter name represents quality of chord. |
| Slur |
The Neapolitan 6th chord is slurred like any other harmony if it is in a
position to receive a slur. |
| Roman numeral |
The symbol N6 should be used on the Roman numeral line. |
Augmented 6th Chords
| Notation | Meaning |
|---|
| Letter name |
These chords are NOT represented by a letter name, but rather by the Augmented
6th chord symbols, It6, Gr6, and Fr6. |
| Slur |
These chords are not slurred. |
| Roman numeral |
The symbols It6, Gr6 and Fr6 should be used on the Roman numeral line. |
Altered Dominants
| Notation | Meaning |
|---|
| Letter name |
Letter name represents quality of chord. Other symbols that represent the
type of alteration should be included with the letter name. |
| Slur |
An altered dominant is slurred like any other harmony if it is in a position
to receive a slur. |
| Roman numeral |
Roman numeral includes other symbols that represent the type of alteration. |
Chromatic Mediants
| Notation | Meaning |
|---|
| Letter name |
Letter name represents quality of chord. |
| Slur |
Due to the way a chromatic mediant moves, it will usually NOT be slurred.
However, If the chromatic mediant does occur in a position that would require
a slur, it can be slurred. |
| Roman numeral |
Roman numerals follow the traditional format for chromatic mediants. |
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