Exercise

Bass 195 — Fauxbourdon stream

First inversion (6)F major

Corpus id bass-195 · cite this id — it is permanent

What it teaches

The stream of sixth chords: a stepwise bass where every tone carries a 6, and the whole texture moves in parallel on purpose.

The given bass

4/4	bar 1	bar 2	bar 3	bar 4	bar 5	bar 6	bar 7	bar 8
Bass	F3	A3	G3	F3	E3	D3	C3	F3
Figures		6	6	6	6	6

The given bass and its figures (F major, 4/4; ⌒ = tied from the previous note)

The model realization

4/4	bar 1	bar 2	bar 3	bar 4	bar 5	bar 6	bar 7	bar 8
Soprano	C5	F5	E5	D5	C5	B♭4	C5	C5
Alto	A4	C5	B♭4	A4	G4	F4	G4	A4
Tenor	F4	F4	G4	D4	G4	D4	E4	F4
Bass	F3	A3	G3	F3	E3	D3	C3	F3
Figures		6	6	6	6	6

The model realization (F major, 4/4; ⌒ = tied from the previous note)

Because the 6/3 holds no fifth against the bass, the voices may move in parallel thirds and sixths all the way down — the one standard texture where parallel motion is the point. The voices give up independence deliberately, and the stream reads as a single harmonized line.

At the keyboard

The three upper voices of the model realization fit under one hand. Once the stream starts, the right hand keeps one shape and slides. That is the whole technique — and the whole point. Carry it into C major, G major, Bb major.

Voice-leading patterns this exercise drills

Cite this exercise

Gradus Figured-Bass Corpus, bass-195 — Fauxbourdon stream. v1.0. https://gradusmusic.com/figured-bass-corpus/exercise/bass-195

Corpus v1.0 · licensed CC-BY-4.0 · machine-readable at /api/v1/figured-bass/exercises/bass-195

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