common-practice-norms · declercq2011-rock-harmony

The conventional wisdom of tonal music theory offers us a set of basic principles about common-practice harmony – not, of course, inviolable and exceptionless laws, but general norms that apply most of the time. ... Harmonies are grouped into three categories of tonic (I), pre-dominant (IV and II) and dominant (V and VII) (the status of VI and III in this scheme is dependent on context); generally speaking, pre-dominants move to dominants, dominants move to tonics, and tonics can move to any category. Another widely accepted principle is that certain root motions are particularly favoured, especially ascending motion by fourths. ... recent research has shown that, indeed, these rules are largely followed in common-practice composition (Huron 2006; Temperley 2009).