Discussion 10b - Part-writing Errors

Part Smarts

“What is the difference between voice-leading and part-writing?

  • Voice-leading is all about how a single voice moves through the harmony.
  • Part-writing deals with how those voices move in relation to each other.

“What does it mean that part-writing errors are symptoms of voice-leading errors?”

  • Voice-leading errors cause part-writing errors. So, if you find a part-writing error, it means that a voice-leading error is occuring somewhere in those voices.
  • If you write your parts with good voice-leading in mind, you won’t have to worry about creating errros!

“Why is good part-writing important?”

  • Good part-writing is easier to play.
  • Good part-wrting is more enjoyable to play. Especially for inner-voice players, melodic lines make the music more interesting for the player and the listener.

WARNING: when you attempt to fix a part-writing error, more errors may be generated!