Figured Bass

Kaii had combined several piano/keyboard method books and her life long music learning books to create this sequential music theory study for this website. This page is about the understanding of 1.) using Musical Scales to create a series of harmonic movements, 2.) then translate that into a "short hand" of writing the Chord Progressions, and 3.) by using Roman Numerals to show the Chord Progressions. By clicking on the other colored links at the bottom of this page, the other music theory topics can be found easily.

For more information, please contact Kaii directly: info@kafm.net

Figured Bass | Characteristics of Figured Bass | Basso Continuo

Here is a simple keyboard to help musicians understand musical concepts easily.

During the Baroque Period, composers were busy writing new music for musicians to perform all the time. To save time to write out each and every note, some "music short-cuts" were created to give composers more time to write new music and for performers to figure out what the music progressions would be during a performance. This music short-cut is what we called "Figured Bass" today. It consists a bass line notation with notes on a bass staff line, and Roman Numerals with Arabic numbers, and even accidentals. All the markings indicate what intervals and inversions should be played above the written bass line. See the following sample of a C Major Figured Bass, including a Seventh Chord in the third chord.

The main characteristics of Figured Bass can be described as the following:

The Characteristics of Figured Bass
1	Roman Numerals were used to identify chords within any Key Signature structure.
2	Roman Numerals indicate the Scale Degree with the chord Roots and possible Inversions that are notated with Arabic Numbers.
3	Major and Augmented Chords are represented by Uppercase Roman Numerals, with a (+) sign add to the Augmented Chords.
4	Minor and Diminished Chords are represented by Lowercase Roman Numerals, with a (º) sign add to the Diminished Chords.
5	The Seventh Chords have added Arabic Numbers, depending on the quality of the Seventh Chords. (See Seventh Chords here.)

In the SATB Choral Music style of chordal construction, composers have to keep a few things in mind: the stem direction, range, spacing, voice crossing, and doubling. Here is an example of Johann Sebastien Bach's "Jesu meiner Seelen Wonne" in the style of Chorale.

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Basso Continuo parts, during the Baroque time period, (1600–1750), provided the harmonic structure of the music by supplying a bass line and including a chord progression. The phrase is often shortened to Continuo, and the instrumentalists playing the Basso Continuo part are called the Continuo Group, much similar to the rhythm section of a Rock Band. The composition of the continuo group is often left to the desire of the performers (or, the conductor for a large group), and practice varied enormously within the Baroque period. At least one instrument capable of playing chords must be included, such as a lute, guitar, theorbo, harp, organ, or harpsichord. Also, instruments that play with a bass clef may be included as well, such as cello, bass viol, string bass, or bassoon.

A Basso Continuo part may look like the sample below.

But the intended result could look and sound like this:

Here is an example of JS Bach's trio-sonata for two flutes and a keyboard instrument that has the score with Basso Continuo notation.

Basso continuo, though an essential structural and identifying element of the Baroque period, continued to be used in many works, mostly (but not limited to) sacred choral works, of the Classical time period (up to around 1800). Corelli's Concerto Grosso in D Major has an example of the use of Basso Continuo.

Examples of its use in the late 18th century or 19th century are rarer, but they do exist: in the Masses by Beethoven, Anton Bruckner, and Franz Schubert have a basso continuo part that was for an organist.

For more information, please contact Kaii directly: info@kafm.net

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The next topic in this Music Theory site is all about the "Modulation." You may want to review the previous pages. Thank you for reading!

Music Theory that every musician could use and should know

The Basics

Math in Music

More Math and Signs

Music Forms

Time Signatures Intervals Modulations Homophonic Style

Polyphonic Style

Diatonic & Chromatic Steps Transposition Contrapuntal Techniques

Key Signatures Triads & Inversions Binary Form

Primary Triads Augmented Sixth Chords Ternary Form

Secondary Triads Traditional Compositional Tools Dance Suites

Scales Seventh Chords Contemporary Compositional Tools Prelude & Fugue

Secondary Dominant Musical Signs Sonata Form

Cadences Rondo Form

Modes Chord Progressions Musical Terms Theme & Variations

Figured Bass & Basso Continuo Serialism

For more information, please contact Kaii directly: kaii@kafm.net

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The Characteristics of Figured Bass

The Basics

Math in Music

More Math and Signs

Music Forms