Figured Bass

Figured Bass

Chapter 7

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Figured Bass

Figured bass comes from the Baroque Era (1600-1750). It was a way of “short-handing” the accompaniment. The bass line would be notated with figured bass underneath it to show what should go above it. This led to some improvisatory accompaniment that can vary from performer to performer. However, the harmony stays the same even if the voicing (which members of the chord go where) changes.

Multiple Choice

True or false. Figured bass indicates the harmony used above the bass.

• True

• False

What Does Figured Bass Do?

Each figured bass indicates a certain interval you should add above the bass (i.e. the lowest note). The intervals will show the distance, not the quality, because they should apply the accidental for the note that fits the key signature (unless otherwise indicated).

Multiple Choice

Figured bass shows the interval's ________ above the bass.

• quality

• distance

• accidental

• key signature

Root Position

Root position is indicated with the figured bass 5 3 to say that a third and a fifth above the bass should be played. If you are in the key of C major or A minor and D is in the bass with the figured bass symbols 5 3 below it, you would need to add an F and an A above it.​

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In the example on the right, the 5 3 figured bass symbols are in parenthesis. This is because root position is so common that usually, the 5 3 isn't even written beneath it. They are simply implied.

More on Root Position

Notice in the example on the right, they also added another D. This is called doubling. For right now, just add the minimum amount of notes required to create a triad (one root, one third, and one fifth).

Multiple Choice

What notes should be added to complete the triad? Pay attention to the figured bass, the key signature, and the bass.

• G and C

• G and B

• A and B

• B and D

Multiple Choice

What notes should be added to complete the triad? Pay attention to the figured bass, the key signature, and the bass.

• F# A#

• F A#

• F# A

• F A

First Inversion

First inversion is indicated with the figured bass 6 3 to say that a third and a sixth above the bass should be played. If you are in the key of C major or A minor and F is in the bass with the figured bass symbols 6 3 below it, you would need to add an A and a D above it.​

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In the example on the right, the 3 figured bass symbol is in parenthesis. This is because the 3 is not usually written beneath it, only the 6. The 3 is simply implied. Remember, musicians are lazy - I mean, efficient.

Multiple Choice

What notes should be added to complete the triad? Pay attention to the figured bass, the key signature, and the bass.

• G and B

• G and Bb

• G and C

• Gb and Cb

Multiple Choice

What notes should be added to complete the triad? Pay attention to the figured bass, the key signature, and the bass.

• F and B

• F# and B

• B

• F#

Second Inversion

Second inversion is indicated with the figured bass 6 4 to say that a fourth and a sixth above the bass should be played. If you are in the key of C major or A minor and A is in the bass with the figured bass symbols 6 4 below it, you would need to add a D and an F above it.​

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In the example on the right, neither of the figured bass symbols are in parenthesis. This is because second inversion is used so rarely, both figured bass symbols need to be written to clearly communicate with the musician playing the music. Otherwise, it may confuse it with the 6 for first inversion.

Multiple Choice

What notes should be added to complete the triad? Pay attention to the figured bass, the key signature, and the bass.

• F# and A

• F# and B

• G and B

• G# and B

Multiple Choice

What notes should be added to complete the triad? Pay attention to the figured bass, the key signature, and the bass.

• G and B

• F and B

• Gb and Bb

• F and Bb

Straight From the Textbook

Page 147 in The Musician’s Guide to Theory by Clendinning and Marvin:

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“Because Baroque keyboard players needed to read the bass line and figures quickly to know which intervals (and therefore chords) to play, the figures were simplified . For example, since the 53 figure was the most common, it was often omitted; for a bass note without a figure (or with just 5), they played as a 53. The figure 63 was frequently shortened to just 6. For the less-usual second inversion (64), the full figure was given to avoid confusion with 63.”

Figured Bass - Further Abbreviations

This means that the figured bass abbreviations can be (and often are) abbreviated even further.​

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Root position: 5 3, but usually left blank

First Inversion: 6 3, but usually just 6

Second inversion: always 6 4

Figured Bass Outside the Key

As we said earlier, all intervals above the bass are assumed to be in the key unless otherwise specified. To add accidentals above the bass, thereby creating a chord that isn’t diatonic (in the key), you need to alter the intervals. ​

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To raise the interval a half step higher than the key, add a # next to it or a \ through it. To lower the interval a half step lower than the key, add a b next to it. 

More on Accidentals

Sometimes, a natural sign will appear before the figured bass to either lower or raise the note based on the key. In other words, if the note would be D# according to the key signature, but a natural sign appears before the figured bass symbol, it would lower to a D. But if the note would be Db according to the key signature and a natural sign appears before the figured bass symbol, it would raise to a D. If an accidental symbol appears without a figured bass symbol, it applies to the third above the bass.

Chromatic Figured Bass Symbols

Multiple Choice

What does a \ on a figured bass symbol indicate?

• raise the note by a half step

• raise the note by a whole step

• lower the note by a half step

• lower the note by a whole step

Multiple Choice

What does a # before a figured bass symbol indicate?

• raise the note by a half step

• raise the note by a whole step

• lower the note by a half step

• lower the note by a whole step

Multiple Choice

What does a b before a figured bass symbol indicate?

• raise the note by a half step

• raise the note by a whole step

• lower the note by a half step

• lower the note by a whole step

Multiple Choice

What does a natural sign before a figured bass symbol indicate?

• raise the note by a half step

• lower the note by a half step

• it depends on the key signature

Figured Bass and Roman Numerals

If you combine figured bass symbols with Roman numerals, you can tell the chord’s scale degree, quality, and inversion. This is an efficient way of providing a lot of information in a small amount of space.

Popular Music Notation

As we have previously learned, we can use pop chord/lead sheet symbols to classify our triads. Instead of adding figured bass to a pop chord symbol when we have an inversion, we use slash notation.

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If you have an A minor triad in first inversion, the bass would be C. To indicate that, you would write Am/C. Whatever comes after the slash is the bass.

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If a chord is in root position, no slash is necessary. After all, Am/A seems a bit redundant.

Multiple Choice

What is the pop chord symbol for the following inverted triad?

• D

• Bm

• D/B

• Bm/D