AP Music Theory: Suspensions - Your Ultimate Guide 🚀

Hey there, future music maestro! Let's dive into suspensions, a crucial topic for your AP Music Theory exam. This guide is designed to be your go-to resource, especially the night before the big day. We'll make sure everything clicks, so you can walk into that exam feeling confident and ready to rock! 🎸

What are Suspensions?

Suspensions are a type of non-chord tone that create a unique sense of tension and release. Unlike passing tones or neighbor tones, which usually occur on unaccented beats, suspensions live on the beat. Here's the breakdown:

• Definition: A suspension occurs when a chord tone from a previous chord is held over (suspended) into the next chord, creating a dissonance. This dissonance then resolves by step to a chord tone on an unaccented beat. 💡
• Resolution: Usually, the suspended note resolves downwards by step. If it resolves upwards, it's called a retardation (but we'll focus on suspensions for now).
• Placement: Suspensions are by definition on accented beats (typically the downbeat) and resolve on unaccented beats.

Example

Let's take a look at an example to make this crystal clear:

• Caption: In this C Major example, the F in the soprano voice is suspended from the IV chord into the I chord, resolving down to E. This creates a 4-3 suspension.

Denoting Suspensions in Figured Bass

Figured bass notation helps us quickly identify suspensions by the interval between the suspended note and the bass note:

• 9-8 Suspension: The suspended note is a 9th above the bass and resolves down to an 8th (octave).
• 4-3 Suspension: The suspended note is a 4th above the bass and resolves down to a 3rd. This is common in V7-I cadences. We'll explore this more later.
• 7-6 Suspension: The suspended note is a 7th above the bass and resolves down to a 6th. This can be found in iii-vi progressions in Major or V-i6 in minor.
• 6-5 Suspension: The suspended note is a 6th above the bass and resolves down to a 5th. This is less common but can occur in IV-I progressions.

Suspensions in the Bass Line

Suspensions aren't limited to upper voices! Check out this example:

• Caption: Here, the suspension is in the bass line, moving upwards. Notice the 2-3 suspension. When the suspension is in the bass, the first number is always one less than the second number. This is just a convention to memorize.

4-3 Suspensions: The Cadence Kings

4-3 suspensions are super important, especially in cadences:

• V7-I Cadences: In a V7-I cadence, the chordal seventh of the V7 (which is the 4th scale degree) is often suspended and resolves to the 3rd of the I chord. This creates a classic and satisfying resolution.
• 4-3# Suspensions: Sometimes, the 3rd of the I chord is raised by a half step (4-3#). This is common when modulating from a minor key to a Major key with the same tonic. For example, a modulation from d minor to D Major.

Chains of Suspensions

Ready for something a bit more complex? Let's talk about chains of suspensions:

• Definition: A chain of suspensions is a series of suspensions that occur in succession. Each note of a chord is suspended and then resolved, one at a time. This creates a sense of harmonic tension and release.
• Example: In a C major chord, the D (2nd) is suspended and then resolved, followed by the suspension and resolution of the G (5th), and then the suspension and resolution of the C (root).

• Caption: This example shows a chain of suspensions. Note that it can involve different types of suspensions (2-3, 4-3, 7-6, etc.).

Rearticulated Suspensions

One last twist: rearticulated suspensions!

• Definition: In a rearticulated suspension, the suspended note is not tied to the previous note. The note is still held over, but it's played again on the beat.
• Why Tie? Even though we could just write a longer note, ties help maintain clarity of the harmonic beat. For example, if the harmonic beat occurs every quarter note, we should not "overwrite" the beat by adding one note that lasts longer than the harmonic beat and then interrupting the harmonic beat with another eighth note. This makes it easier to analyze the music.

Final Exam Focus

Alright, let's bring it all together for your final push. Here’s what to focus on:

• High-Priority Topics:
  • 4-3 suspensions in V7-I cadences
  • Identifying different types of suspensions (9-8, 7-6, 6-5, 2-3)
  • Understanding the difference between regular and rearticulated suspensions
  • Recognizing chains of suspensions
• Common Question Types:
  • Multiple choice questions that ask you to identify suspensions in a given musical excerpt.
  • Free response questions that require you to write a four-part harmony with suspensions.
  • Questions that combine suspensions with other non-chord tones or voice leading principles.
• Last-Minute Tips:
  • Time Management: Don't get bogged down on one question. Move on and come back if you have time.
  • Common Pitfalls: Watch out for incorrect voice leading and misidentifying the type of suspension.
  • Strategies: Practice analyzing musical excerpts with suspensions. The more you practice, the faster and more accurate you'll become.

Suspensions are a high-value topic on the AP Music Theory exam. Make sure you have a solid understanding of how they function and how to identify them.

Practice Questions

Okay, let's test your knowledge with some practice questions:

You've got this! Go ace that exam! 🎉