What is Figured Bass?
- The numbers in figured bass tell you what chord to build up from the bass note, and in which inversion.
- You must build up the chord from the written bass note.
- There are three figures which you need to know in G6 Theory; we call them “5-3”, “6-3” and “6-4”.
- It’s also known as “Thoroughbass”.
- Figured bass is a shorthand method of composing.
- Invented during the Baroque period (1600-1750).
- Baroque composers only wrote out a melody and a bass line (and not any of the middle parts).
- The composer added small numbers underneath the bass line, which told the player which chords to play.
- However, figured bass didn’t tell the player exactly how to play the chords, e.g. they could choose to play them as solid chords, broken chords or could weave them into heavily decorated individual voice lines.
- Figured bass is hardly ever used today except in music theory exams, or in early music groups. Now it remains an excellent way to test your knowledge of harmony.
What are the three most common figured bass chords, and the one not so common chord?
The three most common chords are:
- 5-3, root chord, e.g. C E G (C chord with C in the bass).
- 6-3, 1st inversion chord, e.g. E G C (C chord, with the 3rd (E) in the bass).
- 6-4, 2nd inversion chord, e.g. G C E (C chord, with the 5th (G) in the bass).
- The other chord you may see is a 6-5 chord which is a dominant 7th chord. In C major this will be a G7 (G C D F), but only using the root, 5th and 7th (G D F).
Complete this 5-3 chord, what does it mean?
- A 5-3 chord is the same as a root position chord.
- It’s built using the written bass note as the root of the chord, then the 3rd and the 4th above it.
- Because root position chords are so common, the “5-3” figuring is usually left out.
S: D
A: F#
T: B
B: B
The chord is a root position Bm chord (B - D - F#).
What does a figured bass chord mean without any numbers beneath it?
- Because root position chords are so common, the “5-3” figuring is usually left out.
- If you see a bass note without any numbers at all, it means it’s a 5-3 or root position chord. (It does not mean that you can write any chord you want!).
- If a figured bass has numbers, you cannot omit those notes from the chord, e.g. a 5-3 chord will have to include the 5th and the 3rd.
Complete this 6-3 chord, what does it mean?
- A 6-3 chord means a chord in 1st inversion (Ib/ib).
- The notes we need to write are a third and a sixth above the bass note.
- This give us the chord notes of C-A-E, with C in the bass.
- It is an A minor chord in first inversion.
- Because 6-3 chords are also very common, they are usually just written as a lone 6 instead of 6-3. The figure 6 means first inversion.
What does a figured bass chord mean with a 6 beneath it?
- This indicates a 6-3 chord, i.e. 1st inversion (Ib/ib).
- Because 6-3 chords are quite common, they are usually just written as a lone 6 instead of 6-3. The figure 6 means first inversion.
Complete this 6-4 chord, what does it mean?
- This is a 2nd inversion chord.
- The notes we need to write are a fourth and a sixth higher than the bass note.
- The figured bass tells us to add F (a fourth above C) and A (a sixth above C). The chord notes are C-F-A, which is F major in second inversion.
- 6-4 chords are always figured in full - they are not missed out or abbreviated like the 5-3 and 6-3 figures.
What does a # (sharp) indicate if it is on its own, or next to a number in figured bass?
- A sharp sign (#) on its own will always refer to a raised 3rd, i.e. 5-3#.
- It is used because often in minor keys the leading note is raised, as the harmonic minor scale is often used.
- i.e. A Minor: A B C D E F G# A
- If a piece is in A minor the dominant chord will usually always be a major chord (V). This means it will include the raised 7th degree (E F# G).
- It will then be indicated by the # sign on its own, or with a sharp next to the 3 in a 5-3 figured bass text.
- If the sharp sign is next to a 6 (as in 6#) then this will mean that the 6th is raised, e.g. F# 6#-3 would be F#-D#-A., or an D#dim chord.
- NOTE: Accidentals in the key signature don’t appear in the figure.
What does a horizontal line mean (_) in figured bass?
- Horizontal lines in figured bass mean that the same harmony applies to two or more notes. It means “don’t change the chord!”.
What does a “7” indicate written below the bass note in figured bass?
In figured bass, the dominant 7th is represented as a “7” written below the bass note. This is if it’s in root position.
It would include the Root, 3rd, 5th, and 7th (though the 5th is often omitted).
If you’re in a minor key, there will usually also be a # sharp sign used in a 7-5 cadence in 3rd inversion, for a dominant 7th chord - the # relates to the 3rd, and a 3rd above the bassnote of a 3rd inversion is the raised 7th.
What happens in figured bass when you change the inversion of a seventh chord?
- A 1st inversion seventh chord (e.g V7b) e.g. G7b: B D F G
- It is written as “6-5”, below the bass note of B (5 up from B is the 7th - the F).
- A 2nd inversion seventh chord (e.g. V7c) e.g. G7c: D F G B
- It is written as “4-3”, below the bassnote of D (3 up from D is the 7th - the F).
- A 3rd inversion seventh chord (e.g. V7d) e.g. G7d: F G B D
- It is written as “4-2”, below the bassnote of F (2 up from F is G).
What do you need to get right in the voice leading of a V7 to I chord?
When using a dominant 7th chord in V7 - I, the 7th needs to resolve down to the medient (3rd) of the tonic chord, in the same voice.
e.g. in C major, if the alto part has the F of a V7 (G7) chord, it needs to fall the E note of the I chord (the medient).
The other thing to note is that the tonic chord will have to have 3 tonic notes and a 3rd in it for all the parts to flow nicely (the V chord contains the leading note (B) and so needs to rise to the tonic (C).
Do not use a V7-I cadence at the end of a piece, Bach never did it, and you’re expected to write in the style of Bach. You could however use the 7th as a passing note between a V to I.
What is the figured bass of added 7th chords, and their inversions?
- A 7th chord can be represented with just a lone “7”.
- 1st Inversion: 6-5
- 2nd Inversion: 4-3
- 3rd Inversion: 4-2.
Think of it like counting down:
7, 6-5, 4-3, 4-2
REMEMBER: 7ths in chords, must fall to the 3rd of the next chord (the tonic chord in a V7-I).
Also remember, do not use V7-I at a perfect cadence at the end of a piece.
How do you write down a suspension in figured bass?
- Figures need to show three things:
- The note when has been suspended
- The resolution note
- Connect the two together by a short horizontal line to show that the two intervals occur in the same part
- e.g. “9-8” or “4-3”
Which are the two most commonly found added 7th chords?
Dominant seventh and Supertonic seventh
When writing a V7-I progression, you need to obey what rule of voice leading?
The 7th in V7 should fall to the mediant in chord I.
Which of these correctly describes when a suspension may be used?
- A dissonance of a 2nd (9th), 4th or 7th is made with the bass note and the suspended note falls by a step to the resolution note.
- A dissonance of a 2nd (9th), 6th or 7th is made with the tenor or bass note and the suspended note falls by a third to the resolution note.
- A dissonance of a 2nd (9th), 4th or 5th is made with the bass note and the suspended note rises by a step to the resolution note.
- A dissonance of a 4th, 5th or 7th is made with the any other chord note and the suspended note falls by a step to the resolution note.
- A dissonance of a 2nd (9th), 4th or 7th is made with the bass note and the suspended note falls by a step to the resolution note.
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Key Signatures30
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Compound Time Signatures2
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Music Theory Knowledge7
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Composition31
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Harmony50
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Terms Grade 129
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Terms Grade 238
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Terms Grade 345
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Terms Grade 4 (French)26
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Terms Grade 4 (Italian)28
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Terms Grade 5 (Italian and German)52
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Modes7
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Instruments2
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Scales4
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Cadences8
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"The Rudiments of Music"0
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Chord Progressions33
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Chords26
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Figured Bass17
