Dominant to TonicResolving the V7 and its Inversions

Let’s stack some 3rds!

Let’s create a V7 chord by stacking 3rds on scale degree 5.

SATB style, anyone? What is the quality of the intervals

between the chord tones?

Resolving the dissonant intervals

1. *A chordal seventh (almost) always resolves DOWN by step*

2. In a dominant to tonic cadence, scale degree 7 leads to scale

degree one

3. When a root position V7 moves to a root position I, one chord must

be incomplete.

Mozart Piano Sonata in C Major

The breakdown

Incomplete, you say?

Yes, to avoid those dreaded parallel 5ths!

An incomplete chord is one that is lacking 5th, which is considered the least essential interval.

An incomplete I/i chord: Written with 3 roots and one third.

An incomplete V7 chord: The root is usually doubled and the 5th is left

out.

One more example

V7 to I in G major

Notice how the last chord is missing the 5th

Inversions of V7 to I

Root position 1st inversion (3rd in bass)

Bass must resolve up to tonic 2nd inversion (5th in bass)

Bass usually resolves down a step to tonic

3rd inversion (7th in bass) Must resolve to a first inversion I chord.

First inversion- V65

Notice how the leading tone resolves upward

2nd Inversion 43

The tri-tone between scale degrees 7 and 4 resolves inward

3rd Inversion 42

Scale degree 4 in the bass resolves downward

the leading tone resolves upward to G

If you take anything away…

Just remember:

The chordal 7th (scale degree 4) resolves DOWN to scale degree 3

The leading tone (scale degree 7) resolves UPWARD to scale degree 1 (tonic)