ABSTRACT
Popular music makes use of swift, sometimes seemingly unprepared modulations, scalar shifts, or alterations to the macroharmony. In this chapter, the author concentrates on chromatic linear progressions (CLP) that occur in some popular-music compositions. The CLP is one device that enables swift modulations, shifts in scale collections, and changes in macroharmony. The voice leading in the harmonic instruments in popular music is secondary to that of the vocals and bass. One level is the voice-leading between chords in progressions, and the other is between scales and macroharmonies, where "modulation, or motion between macroharmonies, can be represented by voice-leading". This idea has similarities with Schenkerian theory, but Tymoczko stipulates that he views "macroharmonies and scales as the primary vehicle". Aside from providing an elementary example of a CLP voice-leading between macroharmonies, "Rocket Man" also provides an example of why the concept of tonality in popular music cannot be viewed in the same monotonal fashion as most common-practice music.
