Topmusicanswers
- Are augmented 6th chords predominant?
- What does an augmented 6th sound like?
- What is an augmented sixth interval?
- What is the purpose of augmented sixth chords?
Are augmented 6th chords predominant?
In most occasions, the augmented-sixth chords precede either the dominant, or the tonic in second inversion. The augmented sixths can be treated as chromatically altered passing chords.
What does an augmented 6th sound like?
A French Aug 6th chord includes the tones low 6, 1, 2, and raised 4, making a sound like a V7 chord with a flatted fifth. That means that since the D-flat is the bottom note of the augmented interval, it is the note that will sound like the “root “ of the (V7-flat 5) sound.
What is an augmented sixth interval?
Play (help·info)) is an interval produced by widening a major sixth by a chromatic semitone. For instance, the interval from C to A is a major sixth, nine semitones wide, and both the intervals from C♭ to A, and from C to A♯ are augmented sixths, spanning ten semitones.
What is the purpose of augmented sixth chords?
Augmented sixth chords also help as an intermediate step between ♭VI and V in both minor and borrowed major keys. Moving from ♭VI - Ger⁺⁶ - V avoids parallel octaves from ♭6 - 5 in the doubled roots. They can serve as both tonicization and pivot chords in modulation.
