6.17Reduction: simplify first

Suppose a song has:

C | C/E | F | F♯° | G7 | G/B | C

This looks complicated.

Reduce it to:

C → F → G7 → C

Now the structure is obvious:

I → IV → V → I

The extra chords provide:

• bass motion
• passing harmony
• voice leading

This is a very important analytical habit.

Find the simple backbone first. Add decorations later.