AP Music Theory Flashcards: Voice Leading with Seventh Chords
Written by AP Content Team, Verified for 2026 AP Exams, Last updated: May 2026
Review key ideas with interactive flashcards. This set includes 10 cards to help you master important concepts.
In a writing exercise, you have a V₆/₅ chord. Can you omit the original root of the chord to make the voice leading smoother?
No, because all inverted seventh chords must be spelled completely with all four chord members present.
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In a writing exercise, you have a V₆/₅ chord. Can you omit the original root of the chord to make the voice leading smoother?
No, because all inverted seventh chords must be spelled completely with all four chord members present.
What is the fundamental rule for spelling any inverted seventh chord?
All inverted seventh chords must be spelled completely, meaning the root, third, fifth, and seventh must all be present in the chord.
How does the rule for including all chord members differ between root-position and inverted seventh chords?
While the fifth may be omitted from a root-position seventh chord, all inverted seventh chords must be spelled completely with all members present.
What is meant by an "unresolved seventh"?
An unresolved seventh is a voice-leading error where the seventh of a chord does not move to its required note of resolution, which is typically a step down.
Under what specific circumstance may a chordal seventh resolve by moving up a step?
The chordal seventh in a V₄/₃ chord may move up by a step when it appears in a I-V₄/₃-I⁶ progression.
What is the primary voice-leading convention that must be followed when composing with chordal sevenths in a four-voice texture?
The primary convention is that all chordal sevenths must resolve properly, which almost always means moving down by step.
When writing a V7 chord in four-part harmony, you are having trouble with parallel fifths. What is a possible solution?
You may omit the fifth of the root-position V7 chord and double the root, as this often helps resolve voice-leading issues.
In a root-position dominant seventh chord, which note can be omitted and what is the consequence?
The fifth may be omitted to improve voice leading, and in this case, the root of the chord should be doubled.
What is the standard resolution for a chordal seventh in 18th-century voice leading?
All chordal sevenths should resolve by a descending step to avoid an unresolved seventh.
What are the four procedural methods for studying 18th-century voice leading mentioned in the text?
The four methods are score analysis, error detection, writing exercises, and contextual listening.