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"All music is nothing more than a succession of impulses that converge towards a definite point of repose." —IGOR STRAVINSKY

Key Points

  • The tonic chord, built on the first scale tone, is the home base to which active chords (dominant, on V; subdominant, on IV) need to resolve.
  • Composers can shift the pitch level of an entire work (transposition), or change the center, or key, during a work (modulation).
  • Composers change the key, or modulate, during a piece to create tension and drama.

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Norton Gradebook

Instructors now have an easy way to collect students’ online quizzes with the Norton Gradebook without flooding their inboxes with e-mails.

Students can track their online quiz scores by setting up their own Student Gradebook.