8-Step Tonal Music Score Analysis

A C is not a C is not a C. In tonal music, a pitch only has meaning when it is seen in context: a note within a chord, within a tonal center, within a piece. Sometimes this context is obvious, but often, the context is surprising, hidden within the score.

That’s why I love score study. So much of the action and drama within tonal music is communicated through its harmonic structure, and getting to know the score gives us a window into how the composer chose to use (or break) that structure.

I didn’t always feel comfortable with score study, but now I’m hooked. Through trial-and-error, I have come up with a basic framework for how I like to study and mark my tonal scores, and here it is for your viewing and analyzing pleasure!

8-Step Tonal Music Score Study Framework:

1. Flip through and visually scan the whole score.

2. Listen to the piece and mark phrase endings.

3. Listen again (or audiate) to mark your phrases’ cadence types.

4. Label the easy chords using root letter and suffix (i.e., Dmaj, Fm, G7, Adim).

5. Use context clues to make your best guesses for the difficult spots.

6. Interpret with a roman numeral analysis to show modulations and tonal centers.

7. Notice the surprises, twists and turns, and other awesome moments.

8. Make informed and purposeful musical decisions.

p.s. If you have frameworks, processes, or thoughts on how to approach baroque or post-tonal score study and analysis, I would love to chat and hear your thoughts :)