Skip to main content
Humanities LibreTexts

12.5: Harmonically Closed and Open Sections

  1. Last updated
  2. Save as PDF
  • Page ID
    117456

    • \( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \) \( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)\(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)\(\newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}\)

    12.5 Harmonically Closed and Open Sections

    A harmonically closed section ends on the tonic chord (II). A harmonically open section typically ends on a non–tonic chord like VV, but could also end on IVIV.

    In an AABA form, the A sections are usually harmonically closed, ending on II, and the B section (or bridge) is usually harmonically open, ending on VV.

    In verse-chorus form, sections that leads into the chorus (verse, pre-chorus, and bridge) are usually harmonically open, while choruses can be harmonically closed or open.

    If you compose a piece in AABA or verse-chorus form, placing harmonically open and closed sections appropriately is important to the flow of the music.

    For example, the verse and bridge on “We Are the World” are harmonically open (ending on VV) while the chorus is harmonically closed (ending on the tonic chord, II).

    This page titled 12.5: Harmonically Closed and Open Sections is shared under a GNU Free Documentation License 1.3 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Robert Hutchinson via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform; a detailed edit history is available upon request.

    1. Back to top
    • Was this article helpful?

    Recommended articles

    1. Article type
      Section or Page
      Author
      Robert Hutchinson
      License
      GNU FDL
      Show TOC
      no
    2. Tags
      1. source@https://musictheory.pugetsound.edu/mt21c/MusicTheory.html