A composer adds a ♭9 (flattened ninth) to a dominant seventh chord. How does this affect the chord's harmonic function?
AIt destroys the dominant function — the alteration makes resolution to the tonic ambiguous
BIt changes the chord's function to a borrowed chord from the parallel minor
CIt intensifies the dominant function — the chord still resolves to tonic, but with added chromatic tension
DIt converts the chord into a secondary dominant of the subdominant
Chromatic alterations like the ♭9 add expressive intensity without undermining the chord's functional role. A dominant seventh with ♭9 still wants to resolve to the tonic — the dominant-to-tonic pull remains intact, amplified by the additional chromatic dissonance. This is the core principle of extended harmony: the underlying function stays the same while the surface 'shiver of tension' changes. Option A is the common misconception — students often assume more dissonance = less functional clarity, but this conflates color with function.
Question 2 Multiple Choice
A composer borrows a iv chord (minor subdominant) in a major key. What is the correct description of this technique?
AA secondary dominant, because it functions as V of another chord
BA borrowed chord from the parallel minor, with pre-dominant function retained but a darker, more plaintive color
CTonicization of the subdominant, which temporarily establishes iv as a new tonic
DA chromatic alteration that undermines the key's tonal center
Borrowed chords come from a parallel mode — in C major, the iv chord (F minor) is borrowed from C minor. Crucially, the borrowed chord retains its *functional* role: iv is a pre-dominant, just like IV, but the flat third lends a modal, shadowed quality. This differs from a secondary dominant (which creates dominant function toward a non-tonic chord) and from tonicization (which would require an applied dominant, not just borrowing the iv itself). The function is preserved; only the color changes.
Question 3 True / False
Adding upper extensions (ninths, elevenths, thirteenths) to a chord fundamentally changes its harmonic function in a progression.
TTrue
FFalse
Answer: False
This is the central misconception to guard against in extended harmony. The underlying harmonic function — dominant, subdominant, tonic — is determined by the chord's root and its relationship to the key, not by the extensions added above. A G dominant ninth still functions as a dominant (V) in C major; a C major thirteenth chord still functions as a tonic. The extensions add color — harmonic richness, tension, or softness — but do not alter the functional grammar. Jazz musicians call this 'chord coloring': the function stays the same while the surface changes.
Question 4 True / False
A dominant seventh chord with a raised ninth (♯9) retains its dominant function and still resolves to the tonic.
TTrue
FFalse
Answer: True
The ♯9 (sometimes called the 'Hendrix chord' in rock contexts) is a chromatic alteration that amplifies tension without changing the chord's dominant function. The tritone between the third and seventh of the dominant seventh — the interval that drives resolution — remains intact. Adding the ♯9 creates additional dissonance that intensifies the desire for resolution to tonic. This is the general principle: chromatic alterations on dominant chords make the resolution feel more urgent, not less.
Question 5 Short Answer
What does it mean to say that extended harmony maintains 'functional clarity' while adding harmonic color? Use a specific example to explain.
Think about your answer, then reveal below.
Model answer: Functional clarity means that the underlying harmonic role of a chord — tonic, dominant, pre-dominant — is preserved even when extensions or alterations are added. For example, a G7(♭9♭13) chord is still functioning as a dominant in C major: the root (G), the chord's relationship to C, and the tritone between its third (B) and seventh (F) all preserve the pull toward resolution on C. The ♭9 and ♭13 add chromatic tension and color — making the moment feel more intense or expressively charged — but the grammar of the progression is unchanged. Extended harmony enriches the surface while keeping the functional skeleton intact.
Students often think of extensions and alterations as 'exotic' additions that take the chord outside normal harmonic function. The key insight is that function and color are separable: you can dress up a chord with extensions without changing what it 'does' in the progression. This is precisely what makes extended harmony a practical compositional tool rather than a theoretical curiosity — you can deploy rich sonorities while maintaining the coherence of tonal direction.