{"id":413,"date":"2017-01-27T16:59:18","date_gmt":"2017-01-27T21:59:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/robertkelleyphd.com\/home\/?page_id=413"},"modified":"2025-09-27T15:04:44","modified_gmt":"2025-09-27T19:04:44","slug":"figured-bass","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/robertkelleyphd.com\/home\/figured-bass\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Read Figured Bass: Introduction to Thoroughbass Realization"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1 style=\"display: none;\">Figured Bass<\/h1>\n<h2 style=\"display: none;\" id=\"figured-bass-calculator\">Figured Bass Calculator<\/h2>\n<h3>Confused About a Figured Bass Symbol?<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Try the online <a href=\"https:\/\/robertkelleyphd.com\/home\/FigBassSolver.htm\" alt=\"Realize Figured Bass Online\">Figured Bass Calculator<\/a> tool\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"display: none;\">Definition<\/h2>\n<h3 id=\"what-is-figured-bass\">What is Figured Bass, or Thoroughbass?<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Figured bass is a shorthand system for chords above a given bass note or series of bass notes.<\/li>\n<li><em>Basso continuo<\/em> musicians, who accompany Baroque music from a bass part, use thoroughbass to remind themselves what chords to play for each bass note.<\/li>\n<li>Thoroughbass is also used to <a href=\"https:\/\/robertkelleyphd.com\/home\/teaching\/keyboard\/how-to-play-hymns-on-piano-easy-piano-hymns-for-beginners\/\">practice writing or playing in four-part (SATB) chorale style<\/a>.\u00a0 Bass lines with figures are often used in music theory classes to learn <a href=\"https:\/\/robertkelleyphd.com\/home\/teaching\/music-theory\/tonal-harmony-part-writing-rules-and-procedures\/how-to-part-write\/\">part writing and analysis<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"display: none;\">Figured Bass Numbers<\/h2>\n<h3 id=\"how-to-read-figures\">How to Read Figures<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>The numbers represent intervals that one should play, sing, or write above the given bass note.\n<ul>\n<li>The numbers usually reduce compound intervals to simple intervals (less than an octave).<\/li>\n<li>Figured-bass intervals are generic: They contain no information about interval quality (M, m, A, d).\u00a0 Interval qualities come from the key signature and any alterations added to the figures.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>The figures do not typically include information about voice leading.\n<ul>\n<li>The performer must ensure that their realization adheres to the Baroque style. This includes avoidance of parallel perfect fifths and octaves and mostly stepwise voice leading.\n<div class=\"fnlink\" style=\"margin-left: -3px;\"><a href=\"#fn\" rel=\"footnote\">*<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"tooltip\">For more information on how to play from a figured bass, see my translation of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.robertkelleyphd.com\/home\/nivers.pdf\">Nivers, <em>The Art of Accompanying on the Basso Continuo<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 id=\"alterations-to-figures\">Alterations to Figures<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>The following symbols tell you to raise the note that the number refers to by a half step (A1) relative to the key signature:\n<ol>\n<li>A backward slash through a number<\/li>\n<li>A plus symbol before a number (or sometimes after)<\/li>\n<li>A sharp symbol (\u266f) before a number (or sometimes after)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<li>The following symbols tell you to lower the note that the number refers to by a half step (A1) relative to the key signature:\n<ol>\n<li>A flat symbol (\u266d) before a number (or sometimes after)<\/li>\n<li>A forward slash through a number (very rare)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<li>A natural symbol (\u266e) overrides both the key signature and any other accidentals in the measure.<\/li>\n<li>If a sharp, flat, or natural appears alone in the figures, it tells you to alter the note a third above the bass as indicated. (\u266f = \u266f3)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"display: none;\">Unfigured Bass<\/h2>\n<h3><a name=\"unfigured\"><\/a>Abbreviated Thoroughbass Symbols and Partially Figured Bass<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>If no figure appears below a bass note, assume that the numbers 3, 5, and 8 constitute the implied figure.\n<ul>\n<li>Most Baroque music uses partially figured basses, however. This means that missing figures might be something other than 853.<\/li>\n<li>In such cases, a performer must refer to the vocal parts and other instrumental parts to determine the figure.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Almost all figures appear in abbreviated form, giving only the numbers that serve to replace the default numbers 3, 5, and 8.\n<ul>\n<li>2 replaces 3<\/li>\n<li>4 replaces 3<\/li>\n<li>If 3 is already present or replaced by 2, then 4 replaces 5<\/li>\n<ul>\n<li>Whenever 4 replaces 5, the default 8 becomes a default 6.<\/ul>\n<li>6 replaces 5<\/li>\n<li>7 replaces 8<\/li>\n<li>9 replaces 8<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<p> \t<!------li]Use the following flowchart to determine what intervals to add above a bass note:[\/li]---->\n<\/ul>\n<p><!-----[img class=\"size-full wp-image-416 alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/robertkelleyphd.com\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/FiguredBassRealizationFlowchart.svg\" alt=\"\" \/]----><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"display: none;\">Exceptions<\/h2>\n<h3>Multiple-Bass-Note Figures<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Some figures mean something different in the context of surrounding figures.\n<ul>\n<li>For example, 7 usually stands for 753. \u00a0If a 6 appears after it on the same bass note, however, it indicates a 63 chord with a 7-6 suspension. In this instance, add 73 above the bass instead of 753.<\/li>\n<li>The following table\u00a0shows how to realize most thoroughbass symbols, including cases where multiple figures in a row mean something different.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/robertkelleyphd.com\/home\/FiguredBass1.pdf#page=2\" title=\"Figured Bass Cheat Sheet\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"padding:0;\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-517 size-full alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/robertkelleyphd.com\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/FiguredBassSymbols.svg\" alt=\"Figured Bass Chart\" title=\"Figured Bass Symbols and Their Typical Realizations\" width=\"720\" height=\"550\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a name=\"fn\"><\/a>*For more information on how to play from a figured bass, see my translation of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.robertkelleyphd.com\/home\/nivers.pdf\">Nivers, <em>The Art of Accompanying on the Basso Continuo<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Watch: Mastering Figured Bass Realization (Music Theory Lesson)<\/h2>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Beyond Inversion Symbols: Mastering Figured Bass Realization\" width=\"580\" height=\"326\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/MgijTfXddgs?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3>Further Reading<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Arnold, F.T. <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3tnZGgl\"><em>The Art of Accompaniment from a Thorough-Bass: As Practiced in the XVII and XVIII Centuries, Volume I<\/em><\/a>. Dover Publications, 2003.<\/li>\n<li>Ledbetter, David, ed. <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/2R1uEh2\"><em>Continuo Playing According to Handel: His Figured Bass Exercises<\/em><\/a>. Clarendon Press, 1990.<\/li>\n<li>Williams, Peter. <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3o4giZl\"><em>Figured Bass Accompaniment<\/em><\/a>. Edinburgh University Press, 1987.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\namzn_assoc_tracking_id = \"contrapunctus-20\";\namzn_assoc_ad_mode = \"manual\";\namzn_assoc_ad_type = \"smart\";\namzn_assoc_marketplace = \"amazon\";\namzn_assoc_region = \"US\";\namzn_assoc_design = \"enhanced_links\";\namzn_assoc_asins = \"1093961554\";\namzn_assoc_placement = \"adunit\";\namzn_assoc_linkid = \"954bc8d62a798d71d8982119087fccc8\";\n<\/script><br \/>\n<script src=\"\/\/z-na.amazon-adsystem.com\/widgets\/onejs?MarketPlace=US\"><\/script><\/p>\n<div id=\"amzn-assoc-ad-63bf1251-e122-4513-ae79-e6071d6bf94b\"><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/z-na.amazon-adsystem.com\/widgets\/onejs?MarketPlace=US&#038;adInstanceId=63bf1251-e122-4513-ae79-e6071d6bf94b\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Figured Bass Figured Bass Calculator Confused About a Figured Bass Symbol? Try the online Figured Bass Calculator tool Definition What is Figured Bass, or Thoroughbass? Figured bass is a shorthand system for chords above a given bass note or series of bass notes. Basso continuo musicians, who accompany Baroque music from a bass part, use [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-413","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How to Read Figured Bass: Introduction to Thoroughbass Realization &#8211;<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Figured bass is a shorthand system for indicating chords above a bass. 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