Writing for Four Voices

Comfortable ranges for soprano, alto, tenor and bass, four rules that do most of the work in SATB writing, and habits for building a chord and setting words.

What's inside

• Comfortable ranges and tessitura for soprano, alto, tenor and bass
• Four rules that do most of the work — no parallel fifths or octaves, keeping upper voices within an octave, resolving the leading note, and moving by the smallest step — with why each matters and how to fix a breach
• Building the chord in order, and setting words with syllables, hyphenation and breathing marks
• Notes on two-stave short score, writing for amateur choirs, and unaccompanied writing