Irregular resolution

Irregular resolution Type I

Play . Two common tones, two note moves by half step motion.

Irregular resolution through augmented sixth equivalence

Play .^[1] One common tone, three notes move by half step motion.

In music, an irregular resolution is resolution by a dominant seventh chord or diminished seventh chord to a chord other than the tonic. Regarding the dominant seventh, there are many irregular resolutions including to a chord with which it has tones in common or if the parts move only a whole or half step.^[2] Consecutive fifths and octaves, augmented intervals, and false relations should still be avoided.^[2] Voice leading may cause the seventh to ascend, to be prolonged into the next chord, or to be unresolved.^[3]

The following resolutions to a chord with tones in common have been identified:

Type I, in which the root motion descends by minor third. C, E, G, B♭ would resolve to C♯, E, G, A; two tones are common, two voices move by half-step in contrary motion.
Type II, in which the root motion rises by minor third. C, E, G, B♭ would resolve to D♭, E♭, G, B♭; again, two tones are common, two voices move by half-step in contrary motion.
Type III, in which the root moves a tritone (two minor thirds) away. C, E, G, B♭ would resolve to C♯, E, F♯, B♭ = A♯; again, two tones are common (with enharmonic change), two voices move by half-step in contrary motion.

Regular resolution

Play . One common tone, two notes moves by half step motion, and one note moves by whole step motion.

Type I is common from the 18th century; Type II may be found from the second quarter of the 19th century; Type III may be found from the mid-19th century. The composer Richard Edward Wilson is responsible for the categorization.

The most important irregular resolution is the deceptive cadence,^[3] most commonly V7-vi in major or V7-VI in minor.^[1]^[3] Irregular resolutions also include V7 becoming A6 [specifically a German sixth] through enharmonic equivalence^[1] or in other words (and the image to the right) resolving to the I chord in the key the augmented sixth chord (FACD♯) would be in (A) rather than the key the dominant seventh (FACE♭) would be in (B♭).

Sources

↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Owen, Harold (2000). Music Theory Resource Book, p.132. ISBN 0-19-511539-2.
↑ 2.0 2.1 Chadwick, George Whitefield (2008). Harmony, a Course of Study, p.160. ISBN 0-559-22020-0.
↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Foote, Arthur (2007). Modern Harmony in its Theory and Practice, p.93ff. ISBN 1-4067-3814-X.

Chord progressions

Terminology

By number
of chords

Three	I–IV–V–I ii–V–I turnaround V–IV–I turnaround ♭VII–V7 cadence Backdoor progression Eight-bar blues Twelve-bar blues ("Bird" changes) Sixteen-bar blues Passamezzo moderno

Four	50s progression Andalusian cadence Folia I−vi−ii−V Montgomery-Ward bridge Passamezzo antico I–V–vi–IV ("pop-punk") Romanesca Tadd Dameron turnaround

By name

List of chord progressions

Irregular resolution

See also

Sources