Which method is explicitly cited as a way to create smoother voice leading?

Which method is explicitly cited as a way to create smoother voice leading?

• A. Doubling the third of every chord
• B. Inverting some chords
• C. Transposing everything up an octave
• D. Using only major chords

Answer: (B)

Smoother voice leading comes from revoicing chords so that common tones stay in the same voices and the other voices move by small, mostly stepwise motions. Inverting some chords achieves that by redistributing the chord tones without changing the harmony. A concrete illustration: moving from C major to F major in second inversion keeps the bass on C in both chords. That shared note C can stay in the same voice, while the other voices move E to F and G to A—both by step. This creates a seamless line between the chords, which is exactly what smoother voice leading aims for. Doubling the third of every chord can introduce awkward voice-leading and doesn’t guarantee the smoothest connections. Transposing everything up an octave changes register, not the actual movement between chords. Using only major chords limits available tones and can force larger leaps between roots, harming smoothness.

Smoother voice leading comes from revoicing chords so that common tones stay in the same voices and the other voices move by small, mostly stepwise motions. Inverting some chords achieves that by redistributing the chord tones without changing the harmony.

A concrete illustration: moving from C major to F major in second inversion keeps the bass on C in both chords. That shared note C can stay in the same voice, while the other voices move E to F and G to A—both by step. This creates a seamless line between the chords, which is exactly what smoother voice leading aims for.

Doubling the third of every chord can introduce awkward voice-leading and doesn’t guarantee the smoothest connections. Transposing everything up an octave changes register, not the actual movement between chords. Using only major chords limits available tones and can force larger leaps between roots, harming smoothness.