Topic 16: A Dive into Functional Harmony
Functional harmony stands as a key architect, shaping the emotional landscape of compositions: it is a musical theory that studies the relationships between chords and their function within a musical composition. It is based on the concept of tension and resolution, where dissonant chords create tension that is resolved by consonant chords. it is essential for the creation of new pieces, as it allows composers to create chord progressions that are harmonically coherent and have a sense of progression. For example, knowledge of functional harmony allows one to write a cadence, which is a chord progression that concludes a phrase or musical section. Defining Functional Harmony At its core, functional harmony is a dynamic system that governs the relationships and progressions between chords. Unlike static harmony, which relies on individual chords in isolation , functional harmony thrives on the interplay and purposeful movement of chords to create tension, releas...