Main Body

12 Figured bass

Learning goals for Chapter 12

In this chapter, we will learn:

  • How to identify inverted chords
  • Figured bass symbols for triads and seventh chords in all positions
  • How to analyze chords using figured bass symbols
  • How to construct chords using figured bass symbols

Figured bass and chord inversion

Triads and seventh chords may appear in , which occurs when the root of the chord is also the bass or lowest note, or they may be , which occurs when the third, fifth, or seventh is the bass note. The chord is in when the third is the bass note, when the fifth is the bass note, and when the seventh is the bass note. Example 12‑1 shows a triad and a seventh chord in all positions.

Example 12‑1. All positions of a triad and a seventh chord

image of A minor triad in all positions, with figured bass labels beneath staff. Image of G7 chord in all position, with figured bass labels beneath staff.

Access a screen-reader friendly .pdf of this figure here: Example 12.1

Example 12‑1 also shows symbols, which are shorthand for chords in various positions. Figured bass symbols originated in the Baroque era in Europe as a system of indicating chords with as little information as possible for improvisation, much like how chord symbols are used today for lead sheets in jazz and various popular genres. Example 12‑2 shows a chorale harmonization by J. S. Bach from 1736, which uses figured bass symbols.

Example 12‑2. J. S. Bach, “So gehst du nun, mein Jesu, hin”

image of score with figured bass symbols

Listen to a recording of this example, performed by soprano Sibylla Rubens, on Spotify.

Learn about German composer Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750) by reading this Oxford Music Online article, written by Christoph Wolff and Walter Emery.

Figured bass symbols simply show the intervals above each bass note. This system can be used for both performance and analysis, allowing chords to be constructed or improvised with just a bass note and a figured bass symbol. Example 12-1 above shows both the full and abbreviated figured bass symbols. The full symbols are more complete, showing all intervals above the bass, but using them quickly becomes cumbersome, so the abbreviated symbols are more commonly used. To become fluent with figured bass, you should memorize both the full and abbreviated symbols.

Figure 12-1 shows all of the figured bass symbols at a glance. The black numbers show the abbreviated symbols, and the grayed-out numbers are those that are only included in the full symbols. Note that in the abbreviated system, no symbol at all indicates a root position triad ({}^5_3). The full and abbreviated symbols are written out and labeled in Figures 12-2 and 12-3 respectively.

Figure 12‑1. Figured bass symbols at a glance

image showing figured bass symbols: 5 above 3 (in grey); 6 (in black) above 3 (in grey); 6 above 4 (in black); 7 (in black) above 5 above 3 (in grey); 6 above 5 (in black) above 3 (in grey 3); 6 (in grey) above 4 above 3 (in black); 6 (in grey) above 4 above 2 (in black)

Figure 12-2. Full figured bass symbols

chart showing full figured bass symbols

Access a screen-reader friendly .pdf of this figure here: Figure 12.2

Figure 12-3. Abbreviated figured bass symbols

chart showing abbreviated figured bass symbols

Access a screen-reader friendly .pdf of this figure here: Figure 12.3

Figured bass symbols may be modified in several different ways. Any note other than the bass may be altered (lowered or raised) by placing a flat, natural, or sharp symbol to the left of the number. Another method of raising a note by a half step is to place a diagonal line (slash) over a figure. Finally, if only a flat, natural, sharp or slash symbol appears with no number, the symbol applies to the third above the bass, which is assumed. Modifications are used only for chromatic notes, i.e., those outside of a key signature. Several examples of these modifications appear in Example 12‑3.

Example 12‑3. Figured bass modifications

image of chords on staff with figured bass labels beneath staff

If the position or identity of a chord is not immediately apparent, the best way to make sense of the chord is to rearrange the notes in a stack of thirds. Once the chord is arranged in this fashion, the bottommost note will be the root of the chord, and from there you can determine the quality and inversion by comparing it to the original chord. Example 12‑4 demonstrates this process.

Example 12‑4. Identifying chords in various configurations

image of three-step process

Access a screen-reader friendly .pdf of this example here: Example 12.4

Video: T28 Intro to figured bass, part 1 (7:54)

This video explains what figured bass is, how it emerged, how it was used for improvisation and performance in the Baroque era, and how we use it as an analytic tool today. In addition, this video introduces the figured bass symbols for triads.

Video: T29 Intro to figured bass, part 2 (5:08)

This video introduces the figured bass symbols for seventh chords.

Quiz on figured bass symbols

Video: T30 Figured bass modification symbols (2:39)

This video briefly introduces a few of the most common modification symbols used with figured bass.

EXERCISE 12-1 Figured bass identification

For each of the chords, provide the root, quality, bass note, and figured bass symbol. You do not need to add modifications to the figured bass symbols, since the chords are taken out of a tonal context. You may use either the full or abbreviated figured bass symbols, or whichever your instructor prefers. The first is done for you.

SET 1

image of chords on staff in bass clef, with blanks beneath staff to label root, quality, bass, and figured bass

SET 2

image of chords on staff in treble clef, with blanks beneath staff to label root, quality, bass, and figured bass

SET 3

image of chords on Grand staff, with blanks beneath staff to label root, quality, bass, and figured bass

SET 4

image of chords on Grand staff, with blanks beneath staff to label root, quality, bass, and figured bass

Access a printer-friendly .pdf of the exercise here: Ex12.1 Figured bass identification

EXERCISE 12-2 Figured bass chord construction

Given the bass note and figured bass symbol, spell each chord on the staff below or on a separate sheet of staff paper. When modifying symbols are given, raise notes by adding a sharp, and lower notes by adding a flat. The first is done for you.

SET 1

image of staff with treble clef. First chord F4, A4, D5 with 6 beneath staff. Second bar shows A3 with figured bass five above a sharp sign. Third bar shows B-flat 3 with 7 beneath staff. Fourth bar shows E-flat 4 with 6 beneath staff. Fifth bar shows C-sharp 4 with figured bass 6 above 5. Sixth bar shows D4 with figured bass 6 above 4. Seventh bar shows F4 with figured bass 4 above flat-3. Eighth bar shows E4 with 6 with a slash through it beneath staff.

SET 2

image of staff with bass clef. First bar shows A-flat 2 with flat-5 above 3 beneath staff. Second bar shows F-sharp 2 with 4 above 3 beneath staff. Third bar shows D3 with sharp-4 above 2 beneath staff. Fourth bar shows G-sharp 2 with 7 beneath staff. Fifth bar shows B-flat 2 with 6 above flat-4 beneath staff. Sixth bar shows C3 with 5 above a flast sign beneath staff. Seventh bar shows G2 with figured bass 6 above 5 beneath staff. Eighth bar shows A2 with 5 above a sharp sign beneath staff.

SET 3

image of staff with treble clef. First bar shows D4 with flat-6 above 5 beneath staff. Second bar shows F-sharp 4 with 6 with a slash through it beneath staff. Third bar shows E4 with slashed 6 above 4 above 3 beneath staff. Fourth bar shows G4 with slashed 4 above 2 beneath staff. Fifth bar shows A-flat 3 with figured bass 6 above flat-4 beneath staff. Sixth bar shows D-flat 4 with no figures beneath staff. Seventh bar shows B3 with figured bass 6 above 5 beneath staff. Eighth bar shows C4 with 6 beneath staff.

SET 4

image of staff with bass clef. First bar shows G2 with 7 beneath staff. Second bar shows C3 with 6 above 4 beneath staff. Third bar shows A2 with 4 above 3 beneath staff. Fourth bar shows E2 with 4 above 2 beneath staff. Fifth bar shows F2 with figured bass 6 above flat-3 beneath staff. Sixth bar shows G-flat 2 with flat-5 above flat-3 beneath staff. Seventh bar shows B2 with figured bass slashed-6 above 5 above 3 beneath staff. Eighth bar shows C-sharp 3 with 6 beneath staff.

Access a printer-friendly .pdf of the exercise here: Ex12.2 Figured bass chord construction

Supplemental resources for Chapter 12

Chelsey Hamm and Samuel Brady’s chapter on inversion and figured bass (Open Music Theory)

Barbara Murphy’s primer on figured bass

Robert Hutchinson’s chapter on figured bass

License

Icon for the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

Multimodal Musicianship Copyright © 2024 by Victoria Malawey is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

Share This Book