Voice leading in repeating harmonies

Does J.S. Bach change the position of a chord when repeating the same harmony?

Néstor Nápoles López
Last updated on Aug 15, 2023 12 min read

It is common to find progressions where the same roman numeral repeats itself:

image

I think in these cases, a common procedure for good voice leading is to prefer a change of the voicing (e.g., change of position in the three upper voices), penalizing the algorithm for proposing the exact same voicing twice.

I wanted to make sure that the policy coincides with the practice in existing music.

I looked for repeated harmonies like these in 69 annotated Bach Chorales and found 192 instances.

The analyzed Bach chorales are located in the KernScores website.

They can be visualized interactively in the Verovio Humdrum Viewer.

They can also be scraped with a single query to the Kern Scores server: https://kern.humdrum.org/data?l=BachChoralesAnalyzed

I used the last approach to collect the data for this experiment. The code can found in this Jupyter Notebook.

Out of the 192 instances found:

  • In 78% of them, the voicing changes
  • In 22% of them, the voicing remains the same

Here are a few of the instances I found. Red means different voicing and green means same voicing.

image

For completeness, here is the full table. Offsets are given in quarter notes from the beginning of the score (starting from 0.0). In all instances, chord1 and chord2 are contiguous and annotated by a human expert:

filechord1_offsetchord1_noteschord2_offsetchord2_notessame_voicing?
chor315.krn
5.0[‘B4’, ‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘G2’]8.0[‘B4’, ‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘G2’]True
chor001.krn
0.0[‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘B3’, ‘G2’]1.0[‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘B3’, ‘G3’]False
19.0[‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘B3’, ‘G2’]21.0[‘B4’, ‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘G2’]False
21.0[‘B4’, ‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘G2’]22.0[‘B4’, ‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘G2’]True
24.0[‘D5’, ‘G4’, ‘B3’, ‘B2’]25.0[‘D5’, ‘G4’, ‘B3’, ‘B2’]True
30.0[‘G4’, ‘E4’, ‘B3’, ‘E3’]31.0[‘B4’, ‘E4’, ‘G3’, ‘E3’]False
chor024.krn
0.0[‘D4’, ‘A3’, ‘F#3’, ‘D3’]1.0[‘A4’, ‘D4’, ‘F#3’, ‘D3’]False
6.0[‘D5’, ‘F#4’, ‘A3’, ‘D3’]7.0[‘D5’, ‘F#4’, ‘A3’, ‘D2’]False
7.0[‘D5’, ‘F#4’, ‘A3’, ‘D2’]8.0[‘F#5’, ‘A4’, ‘A4’, ‘D4’]False
13.0[‘D5’, ‘A4’, ‘F#4’, ‘D3’]16.0[‘D5’, ‘A4’, ‘F#4’, ‘D3’]True
16.0[‘D5’, ‘A4’, ‘F#4’, ‘D3’]17.0[‘F#5’, ‘D5’, ‘A4’, ‘D4’]False
chor050.krn
7.0[‘A4’, ‘F4’, ‘C4’, ‘F3’]8.0[‘A4’, ‘F4’, ‘C4’, ‘F3’]True
9.0[‘C5’, ‘F4’, ‘C4’, ‘A3’]10.0[‘C5’, ‘F4’, ‘C4’, ‘A2’]False
33.0[‘C5’, ‘F4’, ‘C4’, ‘A3’]34.0[‘C5’, ‘F4’, ‘C4’, ‘A3’]True
chor323.krn
31.0[‘A4’, ‘F4’, ‘C4’, ‘F2’]33.0[‘A4’, ‘F4’, ‘C4’, ‘F2’]True
chor176.krn
0.0[‘F4’, ‘C4’, ‘A3’, ‘F2’]1.0[‘F4’, ‘C4’, ‘A3’, ‘F3’]False
16.0[‘C5’, ‘G4’, ‘C4’, ‘E3’]17.0[‘C5’, ‘E3’, ‘G4’, ‘E4’]False
19.0[‘A4’, ‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘D3’]20.0[‘A4’, ‘D3’, ‘F4’, ‘A3’]False
25.0[‘C5’, ‘E4’, ‘A3’, ‘A3’]26.0[‘C5’, ‘E4’, ‘C4’, ‘A3’]False
34.0[‘F4’, ‘A3’, ‘F3’, ‘D3’]36.0[‘F4’, ‘D4’, ‘A3’, ‘D3’]False
chor200.krn
12.0[‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘B-3’, ‘G2’]14.0[‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘B-3’, ‘G3’]False
28.0[‘C5’, ‘A4’, ‘F4’, ‘F3’]29.0[‘C5’, ‘A4’, ‘F4’, ‘F3’]True
48.0[‘D5’, ‘B-4’, ‘F4’, ‘B-2’]50.0[‘D5’, ‘B-4’, ‘F4’, ‘B-3’]False
chor311.krn
7.0[‘A4’, ‘F4’, ‘C4’, ‘F3’]8.0[‘A4’, ‘F4’, ‘C4’, ‘F3’]True
chor019.krn
0.0[‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘B-3’, ‘G3’]1.0[‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘B-3’, ‘G3’]True
7.0[‘F#4’, ‘D4’, ‘A3’, ‘D3’]8.0[‘F#4’, ‘D4’, ‘A3’, ‘D3’]True
16.0[‘A4’, ‘F4’, ‘C4’, ‘F3’]17.0[‘A4’, ‘F4’, ‘C4’, ‘F3’]True
23.0[‘B-4’, ‘D4’, ‘B-3’, ‘G3’]24.0[‘B-4’, ‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘G2’]False
27.0[‘F#4’, ‘D4’, ‘A3’, ‘D3’]28.0[‘F#4’, ‘D4’, ‘A3’, ‘D3’]True
33.0[‘F#4’, ‘D4’, ‘A3’, ‘D3’]34.0[‘F#4’, ‘D4’, ‘A3’, ‘D2’]False
35.0[‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘C4’, ‘G2’]35.5[‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘G2’, ‘B3’]False
chor136.krn
0.0[‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘B3’, ‘G2’]1.0[‘B4’, ‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘G2’]False
chor303.krn
13.0[‘F4’, ‘C4’, ‘A3’, ‘F2’]16.0[‘F4’, ‘C4’, ‘A3’, ‘F3’]False
chor248.krn
9.0[‘B4’, ‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘G3’]10.0[‘G3’, ‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘B3’]False
chor028.krn
6.0[‘B4’, ‘D4’, ‘F#3’, ‘B2’]8.0[‘B4’, ‘F#4’, ‘D4’, ‘B2’]False
8.0[‘B4’, ‘F#4’, ‘D4’, ‘B2’]9.0[‘D5’, ‘F#4’, ‘B3’, ‘B3’]False
22.0[‘B4’, ‘F#4’, ‘D4’, ‘B2’]24.0[‘B4’, ‘F#4’, ‘D4’, ‘B3’]False
chor101.krn
13.0[‘B-4’, ‘F4’, ‘D4’, ‘B-2’]16.0[‘B-4’, ‘F4’, ‘D4’, ‘B-2’]True
16.0[‘B-4’, ‘F4’, ‘D4’, ‘B-2’]17.0[‘D5’, ‘B-4’, ‘F4’, ‘B-3’]False
chor255.krn
1.0[‘F#4’, ‘D4’, ‘A3’, ‘D3’]2.0[‘D4’, ‘F#4’, ‘A3’, ‘D3’]False
3.0[‘A4’, ‘D4’, ‘A3’, ‘F#3’]4.0[‘A4’, ‘A4’, ‘D4’, ‘F#3’]False
5.0[‘B4’, ‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘G3’]8.0[‘B4’, ‘D4’, ‘G3’, ‘G2’]False
9.0[‘E4’, ‘C#4’, ‘G3’, ‘A2’]10.0[‘G3’, ‘E4’, ‘C#4’, ‘A2’]False
13.0[‘F#4’, ‘D4’, ‘A3’, ‘D3’]14.0[‘D4’, ‘A3’, ‘F#3’, ‘D3’]False
31.0[‘A4’, ‘E4’, ‘C#4’, ‘A2’]32.0[‘A4’, ‘E4’, ‘C#4’, ‘A2’]True
33.0[‘A4’, ‘F#4’, ‘D4’, ‘D3’]34.0[‘A4’, ‘F#4’, ‘D4’, ‘D3’]True
41.0[‘B4’, ‘E4’, ‘G#3’, ‘E3’]42.0[‘B4’, ‘E4’, ‘G#3’, ‘E3’]True
59.0[‘E4’, ‘D4’, ‘A3’, ‘A3’]60.0[‘E4’, ‘C#4’, ‘A3’, ‘A2’]False
chor110.krn
7.0[‘C4’, ‘G3’, ‘E-3’, ‘C3’]8.0[‘G4’, ‘E-4’, ‘C4’, ‘C4’]False
chor153.krn
4.0[‘A4’, ‘D4’, ‘E3’, ‘A2’]5.0[‘A4’, ‘C#4’, ‘E3’, ‘A2’]False
6.0[‘F#4’, ‘D4’, ‘D3’, ‘D2’]7.0[‘F#4’, ‘D4’, ‘D3’, ‘D2’]True
7.0[‘F#4’, ‘D4’, ‘D3’, ‘D2’]8.0[‘A4’, ‘D4’, ‘F#3’, ‘D3’]False
8.0[‘A4’, ‘D4’, ‘F#3’, ‘D3’]9.0[‘A4’, ‘D4’, ‘F#3’, ‘D3’]True
16.0[‘E4’, ‘C#4’, ‘A3’, ‘A2’]17.0[‘E4’, ‘C#4’, ‘A3’, ‘A2’]True
22.0[‘A4’, ‘C#4’, ‘A3’, ‘A2’]23.0[‘A2’, ‘A4’, ‘C#4’, ‘A3’]False
30.0[‘B4’, ‘D4’, ‘B3’, ‘B2’]31.0[‘B3’, ‘B2’, ‘B4’, ‘D4’]False
32.0[‘F#4’, ‘D4’, ‘A3’, ‘D3’]33.0[‘F#4’, ‘D4’, ‘A3’, ‘D3’]True
chor336.krn
chor224.krn
0.0[‘F4’, ‘C4’, ‘A3’, ‘F3’]1.0[‘A4’, ‘F4’, ‘C4’, ‘F3’]False
7.0[‘A4’, ‘C4’, ‘F3’, ‘F3’]8.0[‘F4’, ‘C4’, ‘A3’, ‘F3’]False
8.0[‘F4’, ‘C4’, ‘A3’, ‘F3’]9.0[‘C5’, ‘F4’, ‘A3’, ‘F3’]False
chor164.krn
chor191.krn
0.0[‘E4’, ‘C4’, ‘A3’, ‘A2’]1.0[‘A4’, ‘E4’, ‘C4’, ‘A3’]False
13.0[‘E4’, ‘C4’, ‘A3’, ‘A2’]16.0[‘E5’, ‘A4’, ‘C4’, ‘A3’]False
31.0[‘B4’, ‘D4’, ‘G3’, ‘G2’]32.0[‘B4’, ‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘G3’]False
chor040.krn
19.0[‘D5’, ‘G4’, ‘B3’, ‘G3’]20.0[‘D5’, ‘G4’, ‘B3’, ‘G3’]True
chor361.krn
16.0[‘A4’, ‘F#4’, ‘D4’, ‘D3’]17.0[‘A4’, ‘A4’, ‘F#4’, ‘D4’]False
chor213.krn
10.0[‘F4’, ‘C4’, ‘A3’, ‘F2’]12.0[‘A4’, ‘F4’, ‘C4’, ‘F3’]False
chor282.krn
14.0[‘C5’, ‘G4’, ‘E4’, ‘C3’]16.0[‘E5’, ‘G4’, ‘C4’, ‘C4’]False
32.0[‘E5’, ‘G4’, ‘C4’, ‘C4’]33.0[‘G5’, ‘C5’, ‘E4’, ‘C3’]False
chor345.krn
7.0[‘E4’, ‘B3’, ‘G#3’, ‘E3’]8.0[‘B4’, ‘E4’, ‘G#3’, ‘E3’]False
13.0[‘A4’, ‘E4’, ‘C4’, ‘A2’]16.0[‘C5’, ‘A4’, ‘E4’, ‘A3’]False
22.0[‘C5’, ‘E4’, ‘G3’, ‘C3’]23.0[‘C5’, ‘E4’, ‘G3’, ‘C3’]True
23.0[‘C5’, ‘E4’, ‘G3’, ‘C3’]24.0[‘G4’, ‘E4’, ‘C4’, ‘C3’]False
33.0[‘B4’, ‘D4’, ‘G3’, ‘G3’]34.0[‘D5’, ‘G4’, ‘B3’, ‘G3’]False
chor067.krn
14.0[‘G4’, ‘B3’, ‘D3’, ‘G2’]16.0[‘B4’, ‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘G2’]False
24.0[‘D5’, ‘D4’, ‘G3’, ‘B2’]25.0[‘D5’, ‘G4’, ‘B3’, ‘G2’]False
32.0[‘B4’, ‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘G3’]33.0[‘D5’, ‘G4’, ‘B3’, ‘G2’]False
40.0[‘G4’, ‘E4’, ‘E3’, ‘E2’]42.0[‘B4’, ‘E4’, ‘G3’, ‘E3’]False
chor366.krn
7.0[‘C#5’, ‘E4’, ‘A3’, ‘A2’]8.0[‘C#5’, ‘A4’, ‘E4’, ‘A3’]False
9.0[‘E5’, ‘A4’, ‘E4’, ‘C#4’]10.0[‘E5’, ‘A4’, ‘E4’, ‘C#3’]False
15.0[‘G#4’, ‘E4’, ‘B3’, ‘E3’]16.0[‘E4’, ‘B3’, ‘G#3’, ‘E3’]False
27.0[‘C#5’, ‘E4’, ‘A3’, ‘A3’]28.0[‘E5’, ‘C#4’, ‘A3’, ‘A3’]False
43.0[‘C#5’, ‘A3’, ‘E3’, ‘C#3’]44.0[‘E3’, ‘E5’, ‘A4’, ‘C#3’]False
chor268.krn
7.0[‘E5’, ‘G4’, ‘C4’, ‘C3’]8.0[‘E5’, ‘G4’, ‘C4’, ‘C3’]True
8.0[‘E5’, ‘G4’, ‘C4’, ‘C3’]9.0[‘E5’, ‘G4’, ‘E4’, ‘C4’]False
15.0[‘C5’, ‘E4’, ‘G3’, ‘C3’]16.0[‘C5’, ‘E4’, ‘G3’, ‘C3’]True
23.0[‘A4’, ‘E4’, ‘C4’, ‘A2’]24.0[‘A4’, ‘E4’, ‘C4’, ‘A3’]False
29.0[‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘B3’, ‘G2’]30.0[‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘B3’, ‘G3’]False
39.0[‘F5’, ‘F4’, ‘D4’, ‘D3’]40.0[‘F5’, ‘A4’, ‘F4’, ‘D4’]False
57.0[‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘B3’, ‘G2’]58.0[‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘B3’, ‘G2’]True
chor354.krn
9.0[‘B4’, ‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘G3’]10.0[‘G3’, ‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘B3’]False
chor276.krn
3.0[‘D5’, ‘G4’, ‘B3’, ‘G3’]4.0[‘D5’, ‘G4’, ‘G3’, ‘B3’]False
13.0[‘D5’, ‘D4’, ‘F#4’, ‘D3’]16.0[‘D5’, ‘F#4’, ‘D4’, ‘D3’]False
chor339.krn
23.0[‘E5’, ‘C5’, ‘C4’, ‘E3’]24.0[‘E5’, ‘C5’, ‘E4’, ‘C3’]False
27.0[‘C5’, ‘G4’, ‘E4’, ‘C3’]28.0[‘E5’, ‘G4’, ‘C4’, ‘C3’]False
chor299.krn
4.0[‘D5’, ‘A-4’, ‘F4’, ‘B-3’]5.0[‘D5’, ‘A-4’, ‘F4’, ‘B-2’]False
10.0[‘E-5’, ‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘C3’]11.0[‘G4’, ‘E-5’, ‘C4’, ‘E-3’]False
14.0[‘C5’, ‘F4’, ‘B-3’, ‘F3’]15.0[‘C5’, ‘F4’, ‘A3’, ‘F2’]False
34.0[‘E-4’, ‘B-3’, ‘G3’, ‘E-3’]36.0[‘B-4’, ‘G4’, ‘E-4’, ‘E-4’]False
41.0[‘D5’, ‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘B2’]41.5[‘G4’, ‘E-5’, ‘B3’, ‘G2’]False
chor048.krn
2.0[‘C5’, ‘E4’, ‘A3’, ‘A3’]3.0[‘C5’, ‘E4’, ‘A3’, ‘A2’]False
3.0[‘C5’, ‘E4’, ‘A3’, ‘A2’]4.0[‘C5’, ‘E4’, ‘A3’, ‘A3’]False
6.0[‘E5’, ‘G4’, ‘C4’, ‘C4’]7.0[‘E5’, ‘G4’, ‘C4’, ‘C3’]False
7.0[‘E5’, ‘G4’, ‘C4’, ‘C3’]8.0[‘E5’, ‘G4’, ‘C4’, ‘C4’]False
14.0[‘A4’, ‘E4’, ‘C#4’, ‘A2’]16.0[‘E5’, ‘A4’, ‘C#4’, ‘A3’]False
22.0[‘E5’, ‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘D3’]23.0[‘D5’, ‘F#4’, ‘A3’, ‘D3’]False
30.0[‘C5’, ‘F4’, ‘C4’, ‘C3’]31.0[‘C5’, ‘E4’, ‘G3’, ‘C3’]False
38.0[‘A4’, ‘D4’, ‘A3’, ‘A3’]39.0[‘A4’, ‘C#4’, ‘E3’, ‘A2’]False
chor306.krn
4.0[‘D4’, ‘E-4’, ‘G3’, ‘C3’]5.0[‘G4’, ‘E-4’, ‘C4’, ‘C3’]False
7.0[‘B-4’, ‘D4’, ‘G3’, ‘G2’]8.0[‘B-4’, ‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘G3’]False
12.0[‘E-4’, ‘C4’, ‘G3’, ‘C3’]13.0[‘G4’, ‘E-4’, ‘C4’, ‘C3’]False
23.0[‘E-4’, ‘B-3’, ‘G3’, ‘E-2’]24.0[‘E-5’, ‘B-4’, ‘G3’, ‘E-2’]False
40.0[‘G4’, ‘E-4’, ‘B-3’, ‘E-3’]41.0[‘B-4’, ‘G4’, ‘E-4’, ‘E-3’]False
55.0[‘F4’, ‘E-4’, ‘B-3’, ‘B-2’]56.0[‘B-4’, ‘F4’, ‘D4’, ‘B-3’]False
chor281.krn
0.0[‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘B-3’, ‘G2’]1.0[‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘B-3’, ‘G3’]False
31.0[‘B-4’, ‘F4’, ‘D4’, ‘B-2’]32.0[‘D5’, ‘B-4’, ‘F4’, ‘B-3’]False
chor273.krn
15.0[‘D4’, ‘A3’, ‘F#3’, ‘D3’]16.0[‘D4’, ‘D4’, ‘F#3’, ‘D3’]False
chor305.krn
30.0[‘F#4’, ‘D4’, ‘A3’, ‘D3’]32.0[‘F#4’, ‘D4’, ‘A3’, ‘D3’]True
34.0[‘E4’, ‘C#4’, ‘A3’, ‘A3’]35.0[‘E4’, ‘C#4’, ‘A3’, ‘A3’]True
chor158.krn
15.0[‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘B3’, ‘G2’]16.0[‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘B3’, ‘G3’]False
57.0[‘E4’, ‘C4’, ‘G3’, ‘C3’]58.0[‘C3’, ‘C4’, ‘G3’, ‘E3’]False
chor054.krn
chor098.krn
11.0[‘C#5’, ‘F#4’, ‘B3’, ‘F#3’]12.0[‘C#5’, ‘F#4’, ‘A#3’, ‘F#2’]False
13.0[‘B4’, ‘D4’, ‘B3’, ‘B2’]16.0[‘D5’, ‘B4’, ‘F#4’, ‘B3’]False
22.0[‘D5’, ‘D3’, ‘F#4’, ‘A3’]23.0[‘D5’, ‘F#4’, ‘A3’, ‘D3’]False
23.0[‘D5’, ‘F#4’, ‘A3’, ‘D3’]24.0[‘A4’, ‘F#4’, ‘D4’, ‘D3’]False
chor368.krn
24.0[‘G4’, ‘E4’, ‘C4’, ‘C3’]27.0[‘E5’, ‘G4’, ‘C4’, ‘C3’]False
45.0[‘G5’, ‘G4’, ‘C4’, ‘E3’]46.0[‘C4’, ‘C5’, ‘G4’, ‘E3’]False
49.0[‘F3’, ‘D5’, ‘B-3’, ‘B-2’]50.0[‘B-2’, ‘B-4’, ‘F4’, ‘D4’]False
51.0[‘G4’, ‘F4’, ‘G3’, ‘C3’]52.0[‘G4’, ‘E4’, ‘C4’, ‘C3’]False
chor009.krn
16.0[‘A4’, ‘F#4’, ‘D4’, ‘D3’]17.0[‘A4’, ‘A4’, ‘F#4’, ‘D4’]False
chor069.krn
19.0[‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘B3’, ‘G2’]20.0[‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘B3’, ‘G3’]False
24.0[‘D5’, ‘F#4’, ‘A3’, ‘F#3’]25.0[‘D5’, ‘F#4’, ‘A3’, ‘F#3’]True
35.0[‘B4’, ‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘G2’]36.0[‘G4’, ‘D5’, ‘B3’, ‘G3’]False
61.0[‘A4’, ‘E4’, ‘C4’, ‘A2’]62.0[‘C5’, ‘E4’, ‘A3’, ‘A3’]False
chor258.krn
33.0[‘D5’, ‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘B2’]34.0[‘B2’, ‘D5’, ‘G4’, ‘B3’]False
chor157.krn
15.0[‘F4’, ‘C4’, ‘A3’, ‘F2’]16.0[‘C5’, ‘F4’, ‘A3’, ‘F3’]False
chor223.krn
7.0[‘C4’, ‘G3’, ‘E3’, ‘C2’]8.0[‘C4’, ‘G3’, ‘E3’, ‘C3’]False
41.0[‘E4’, ‘E4’, ‘G3’, ‘C#3’]42.0[‘F#4’, ‘B3’, ‘A3’, ‘D#3’]False
chor177.krn
0.0[‘C#5’, ‘A4’, ‘E4’, ‘A2’]1.0[‘C#5’, ‘A4’, ‘E4’, ‘A3’]False
15.0[‘B4’, ‘E4’, ‘A3’, ‘E3’]16.0[‘E4’, ‘B4’, ‘G#3’, ‘E3’]False
17.0[‘A4’, ‘C#4’, ‘E3’, ‘A2’]20.0[‘C#5’, ‘A4’, ‘E4’, ‘A2’]False
35.0[‘B4’, ‘E4’, ‘A3’, ‘E3’]36.0[‘E4’, ‘B4’, ‘G#3’, ‘E3’]False
chor187.krn
13.0[‘E5’, ‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘C3’]14.0[‘E5’, ‘G4’, ‘C4’, ‘C2’]False
15.0[‘D5’, ‘G4’, ‘B3’, ‘G2’]16.0[‘D5’, ‘G4’, ‘B3’, ‘G3’]False
31.0[‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘C4’, ‘G2’]31.5[‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘G2’, ‘B3’]False
chor328.krn
0.0[‘B4’, ‘D4’, ‘G3’, ‘G2’]1.0[‘A4’, ‘D4’, ‘B3’, ‘G3’]False
16.0[‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘B3’, ‘G2’]20.0[‘D4’, ‘B3’, ‘G3’, ‘G2’]False
26.0[‘F#4’, ‘D4’, ‘A3’, ‘D3’]27.0[‘D4’, ‘A3’, ‘F#3’, ‘D3’]False
30.0[‘G4’, ‘E4’, ‘E3’, ‘C3’]31.0[‘G4’, ‘E4’, ‘G3’, ‘C3’]False
chor002.krn
7.0[‘E4’, ‘B3’, ‘G#3’, ‘E2’]8.0[‘B4’, ‘G#4’, ‘E4’, ‘E3’]False
chor290.krn
0.0[‘B4’, ‘G#4’, ‘E4’, ‘E3’]1.0[‘B4’, ‘F#4’, ‘B3’, ‘E3’]False
9.0[‘G#4’, ‘E4’, ‘B3’, ‘E3’]10.0[‘E3’, ‘E4’, ‘B3’, ‘G#3’]False
31.0[‘G#4’, ‘F#4’, ‘C#4’, ‘C#3’]32.0[‘G#4’, ‘E#4’, ‘C#4’, ‘C#4’]False
chor088.krn
0.0[‘A4’, ‘E4’, ‘C4’, ‘A2’]1.0[‘A4’, ‘E4’, ‘C4’, ‘A3’]False
13.0[‘A4’, ‘E4’, ‘C4’, ‘A2’]16.0[‘E5’, ‘A4’, ‘C4’, ‘A2’]False
21.0[‘B4’, ‘E4’, ‘G#3’, ‘E3’]24.0[‘B4’, ‘G#4’, ‘E4’, ‘E3’]False
chor030.krn
10.0[‘E4’, ‘B3’, ‘G3’, ‘E2’]12.0[‘G4’, ‘E4’, ‘B3’, ‘E3’]False
22.0[‘E4’, ‘B3’, ‘G3’, ‘E3’]24.0[‘G4’, ‘E4’, ‘B3’, ‘E3’]False
chor201.krn
4.0[‘E-4’, ‘D4’, ‘G3’, ‘C3’]5.0[‘G4’, ‘E-4’, ‘C4’, ‘C3’]False
7.0[‘B-4’, ‘D4’, ‘G3’, ‘G2’]8.0[‘B-4’, ‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘G3’]False
12.0[‘E-4’, ‘C4’, ‘G3’, ‘C3’]13.0[‘G4’, ‘E-4’, ‘C4’, ‘C3’]False
23.0[‘E-4’, ‘B-3’, ‘G3’, ‘E-2’]24.0[‘E-5’, ‘B-4’, ‘G3’, ‘E-2’]False
40.0[‘G4’, ‘E-4’, ‘B-3’, ‘E-3’]41.0[‘B-4’, ‘G4’, ‘E-4’, ‘E-3’]False
55.0[‘F4’, ‘E-4’, ‘B-3’, ‘B-2’]56.0[‘B-4’, ‘F4’, ‘D4’, ‘B-3’]False
chor032.krn
0.0[‘E5’, ‘A4’, ‘C#4’, ‘A2’]1.0[‘E5’, ‘A4’, ‘C#4’, ‘A3’]False
16.0[‘B4’, ‘G#4’, ‘B3’, ‘E3’]17.0[‘B4’, ‘E4’, ‘G#3’, ‘E3’]False
chor272.krn
chor183.krn
15.0[‘G4’, ‘B3’, ‘D3’, ‘G2’]16.0[‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘B3’, ‘G3’]False
31.0[‘G4’, ‘E4’, ‘B3’, ‘E3’]32.0[‘B4’, ‘E4’, ‘G3’, ‘E3’]False
chor090.krn
0.0[‘B-4’, ‘F4’, ‘D4’, ‘B-3’]1.0[‘B-4’, ‘F4’, ‘D4’, ‘B-3’]True
14.0[‘B-4’, ‘F4’, ‘D4’, ‘B-2’]15.0[‘F5’, ‘B-4’, ‘D4’, ‘B-2’]False
chor046.krn
7.0[‘D5’, ‘F#4’, ‘A3’, ‘D3’]8.0[‘D5’, ‘F#4’, ‘A3’, ‘D3’]True
9.0[‘D5’, ‘A4’, ‘D4’, ‘F#3’]10.0[‘A4’, ‘F#4’, ‘D4’, ‘F#3’]False
15.0[‘F#4’, ‘D4’, ‘A3’, ‘D3’]16.0[‘F#4’, ‘D4’, ‘A3’, ‘D3’]True
chor217.krn
9.0[‘A4’, ‘F#4’, ‘D4’, ‘D3’]12.0[‘A4’, ‘F#4’, ‘D4’, ‘D3’]True
chor117.krn
3.0[‘C5’, ‘A-4’, ‘E-4’, ‘A-3’]4.0[‘A-3’, ‘E-5’, ‘C5’, ‘C4’]False
9.0[‘E-5’, ‘A-4’, ‘E-4’, ‘C3’]10.0[‘E-5’, ‘A-4’, ‘E-4’, ‘C3’]True
chor165.krn
15.0[‘F4’, ‘C4’, ‘A3’, ‘F2’]16.0[‘A4’, ‘F4’, ‘C4’, ‘F3’]False
16.0[‘A4’, ‘F4’, ‘C4’, ‘F3’]17.0[‘A4’, ‘F4’, ‘C4’, ‘F3’]True
chor057.krn
7.0[‘G#4’, ‘E4’, ‘B3’, ‘E3’]8.0[‘E5’, ‘G#4’, ‘B3’, ‘E3’]False
chor068.krn
chor230.krn
0.0[‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘B-3’, ‘G2’]1.0[‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘B-3’, ‘G3’]False
7.0[‘D5’, ‘F4’, ‘B-3’, ‘B-2’]8.0[‘D5’, ‘F4’, ‘B-3’, ‘B-2’]True
23.0[‘D5’, ‘F4’, ‘B-3’, ‘B-2’]24.0[‘D5’, ‘F4’, ‘B-3’, ‘B-2’]True
24.0[‘D5’, ‘F4’, ‘B-3’, ‘B-2’]25.0[‘D5’, ‘F4’, ‘B-3’, ‘B-2’]True
25.0[‘D5’, ‘F4’, ‘B-3’, ‘B-2’]26.0[‘D5’, ‘F4’, ‘B-3’, ‘D3’]False
33.0[‘B-4’, ‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘G2’]34.0[‘D5’, ‘B-4’, ‘B-3’, ‘G3’]False
chor124.krn
0.0[‘B4’, ‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘G3’]1.0[‘B4’, ‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘G3’]True
7.0[‘C5’, ‘A4’, ‘C4’, ‘A2’]8.0[‘C5’, ‘E4’, ‘A3’, ‘A2’]False
9.0[‘B4’, ‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘G2’]10.0[‘G4’, ‘D4’, ‘B3’, ‘G3’]False
chor146.krn
7.0[‘G#4’, ‘E4’, ‘B3’, ‘E3’]9.0[‘E4’, ‘B3’, ‘G#3’, ‘E3’]False
chor350.krn
6.0[‘C5’, ‘A4’, ‘F4’, ‘F3’]7.0[‘C5’, ‘A4’, ‘F4’, ‘F3’]True
22.0[‘C5’, ‘E-4’, ‘G3’, ‘C3’]24.0[‘E-5’, ‘G4’, ‘C4’, ‘C4’]False
38.0[‘C5’, ‘F4’, ‘A3’, ‘F3’]39.0[‘C5’, ‘F4’, ‘A3’, ‘F3’]True
46.0[‘B-4’, ‘F4’, ‘D4’, ‘B-2’]47.0[‘B-4’, ‘F4’, ‘D4’, ‘B-2’]True

This would suggest that, in the context of an automatic voice leading algorithm, if two identical harmonies appear contiguously, they should be voiced differently. For example, by changing the position in the three upper voices and/or changing the octave of the bass.

Néstor Nápoles López
Néstor Nápoles López
PhD in Music Technology

I earned my PhD researching deep learning models for automatic Roman numeral analysis. Nowadays, I am one of the developers of the Sibelius music notation software.