Voice Leading for Social Change
As musicians, we spend an incredible number of hours mastering our craft. We practice scales, study harmony, and part writing, for which we have to learn the parameters for effective voice leading. Voice Leading is all about how individual melodic lines (voices) move together to create a cohesive and intentionally crafted whole. Voice Leading is not just academic exercises; I believe it to be a powerful metaphor for how we can best engage with and affect meaningful change in our current world view.
Voice Leading: is the linear movement of independent musical statements and their interaction with one another. The resulting harmony gives an incredible amount of information about how these interactions are coexisting.
Oblique Movement
In traditional western music theory, each voice—soprano, alto, tenor, bass—has its own identity and trajectory. The core principle of good voice leading is smoothness and independence. Each voice must move logically and with minimal disruption.
As creative individuals, our cultural contributions are directly related to social change, we are each a 'voice' in the larger composition of society. When we move with intention, clarity, and authenticity, resolution and/or resonance is inevitable. This can take a lifetime. Change is rarely the result of erratic, sudden leaps-it's often the cumulative effect of consistent, small, step-wise movements. Showing up, having conversations, building trust, and making ethical choices every day, our individual movement must be purposeful, not just reactive.
Parallel Movement: Diverse Perspectives
When practicing effective voice leading, parallel perfect octaves and perfect fifths are forbidden. The logic is because when two voices move parallel to one another at these intervals, they temporarily lose their distinct identity and blend into one, effectively reducing the number of independent voices. The richness of the texture is diminished.
To create sustainable "social harmony," we must reject the "parallelism" of echo chambers and monolithic thought. When everyone is saying the same thing in the same way, we often lose the vital, contrasting perspectives that create depth and understanding. Meaningful change requires diverse perspectives—the alto challenging the soprano, the tenor providing a grounding counter-argument to the bass. We must actively seek, value, and cultivate a variety, independent voices without forcing them into lockstep. The strength is in the difference.
Contrary Movement: The Necessity of Conflict
Music is not static; it is a journey from tension to release. Dissonance is not a mistake; it's a structural necessity. Good voice leading, however, requires that this dissonance be resolved. Basically, the dissonant voice moves logically to a consonant note in the next chord. It doesn't just disappear; it moves to an adjacent tone, transforming the tension into stability.
In society, conflict and disagreement are inevitable, necessary forces for growth. We cannot, and should not, avoid the "dissonances" of injustice, inequality, or differing world views. The musician's task is not to eliminate all tension, but to facilitate its meaningful resolution. We must learn to guide difficult conversations toward a new, shared harmony. Rather than fleeing a difficult conversation, find an effective pathway to the closest logical point of mutual understanding so that the dissonant voice has some meaningful resolution.
The Leading Tone: Resolve
A cadence is a sequence of chords that creates a sense of arrival or resolve—a momentary rest before a new phrase begins. Cadences ground the listener in the current key, affirming where we are and from whence we've come.
For a movement to succeed, it must periodically stop and establish a new, clear common ground—a new "key". A new understanding that everyone can agree on before moving forward. This might be a newly passed piece of legislation, a shift in cultural understanding, or a successful community project. These moments of collective "arrival" are essential for building momentum and defining the new reality.
Similar Movement: Call To Action
Our training in music theory has helped to prepare us for this task. We have a unique perspective for understanding how to take disparate elements and organize them into a compelling, moving whole. We know the power of a single line, and the exponential strength of all lines moving together. The wisdom of voice leading to be not just "a voice" but a Voice Leader. Be someone who understands the essentials of harmonious coordination, who actively integrates dissonance toward meaningful resolution, and who helps all voices find their unique, authentic, and step-wise path toward a more resonant future.