ABSTRACT
Tonal activity can be effectively modeled in four parts, or voices. The voice-leading tendencies and harmonic processes examined in this particular musical texture occur in other kinds of textures and across many musical styles. The soprano voice typically carries the primary melody. Chords may be narrowly or widely spaced in the staff. Avoid more than one octave between adjacent upper voices—between soprano and alto, and between alto and tenor. More than an octave between adjacent voices creates a gap in the musical texture that disrupts the harmonious blending of voices. Voice leading is the manner in which multiple voices move together through time. Voice-leading procedures preserve the independence of melodic layers while at the same time allowing them to fuse into chords that progress from one to another. In this sense, voice leading is the process of connecting chords to form chord progressions.
