Secondary Triads

I was wondering, what is the best way to accomplish secondary triads? They are not the eaisest things in the world to accomplish, and it would be nice to have some tips.
Thanks,
Jessica

Hi, Jessica -
I guess my first question is: what do you mean by "accomplish"? If you are doing assignments like "build V of V in G major", it's a lot like building a regular triad with an extra step in the middle. Figure out what key you'd be in for the V of G major (D major), then just build the V in D major (A C# E).

If you're composing music and talking about where to use secondary dominants, sevenths, etc., that's a different question (and rather more complicated).

Does that help?

If you can provide a little more detail with the parts where you're getting stuck, we can probably offer better advice. :)

-Rob

Well thanks for making this question more complicated then it needs to be. But Alright i will give a substantial question.....for a hopefully remarkable answer.
What i think i'm having problems with is this....When writing secondary triads in for part harmonys i get a little confused for some reason. I mess up doubling rules....although they are kind of easy, and i'm having trouble with the movement. I can never tell if my movement is right. But there has to be an eaiser way to get these triads done. But at the same time keeping to all the rules and such. And what if you are writing these, but as cadences. I understand them...to a point. I think it just might be that i have freedoms in the four part writing that usually one cannot have when doing other theory. Therefore i get nervous when i'm trying to figure it out. I dunno. Is this a good enough question to ask?

Jessica

Sure, that question is fine (and now I understand what you're working on).

I don't think I have a remarkable answer for you, though... (but there are theory teachers and other students lurking around this message board who might offer more advice than I can).

Basically, part-writing can definitely get sticky sometimes. It's pretty common to write yourself into a corner where there's no really good way to get from where you are to the next chord you want. Sometimes you have to back up a few chords and take a different approach.

Simply doing more part-writing will make it easier, of course -- once you spend more time at it, you won't have to stop and think about the rules, and it'll be easier to tell at a glance if you're getting into trouble. In the meantime, it might help to make yourself a little reference chart of the rules you tend to forget or mix up (and just making the chart will help you remember them!).

It can also help to go to the library and grab a few different music theory textbooks, just to read over the sections on part-writing and use of secondary triads. Each author explains things in a slightly different way, and sometimes one of them clicks when the first one didn't.

Cheers,
Rob