Harmonising

[DoubleBlade]

what is the concept behind this aspect of music?

 

[thor666]

think of it as playing chords pretty fast, in a melody manner. chords tend to make a song "full", so say harmonizing solos make the solos "full" in that sense. Very hard for me to describe to u since I learn my music unoffically through the internet/by my gut feelings.

 

[input_output]

dat pretty much sums it all up.
try imagining playing a guitar with juz 1 string.... not so nice right?
but once u strum a chord together, it sounds full...
also adds diversity in music while singing

 

[Cheez]

Harmonising comes from the theory of harmony. Layman terms - in vocals, another voice sings over the main voice with a different note but the same chord (eg main voice C, harmony E). In theory, we usually write in 2 parts, 3 parts or 4 parts vocals. In 4 parts, voices are split into soprano, alto, tenor and bass. There are rules that apply to harmony - how the chords progresses.

 

[KMA]

Mine is also internet & self thought lessons. I think harmony and melody are two parallel roads. Harmony can be of Chords, vocals, another intrument playing the same note as melody, or even purcussion also. The harmony moves in one road parallel to the melody moving in another road

 

[DoubleBlade]

Harmonising comes from the theory of harmony. Layman terms - in vocals, another voice sings over the main voice with a different note but the same chord (eg main voice C, harmony E). In theory, we usually write in 2 parts, 3 parts or 4 parts vocals. In 4 parts, voices are split into soprano, alto, tenor and bass. There are rules that apply to harmony - how the chords progresses.

so i suppose if i have a violinist wif me and i play a song in the key of G on the piano and i ask him to play harmony in the key of A

is that called harmonising?

 

[vernplum]

so i suppose if i have a violinist wif me and i play a song in the key of G on the piano and i ask him to play harmony in the key of A

is that called harmonising?

No - that would result in something quite unharmonious.

Generally, if you tell someone the key, it's because youu want someone to stay in the same key as you! So, if you tell the violinist that you are in G, he/she should play notes in that key, or notes that make certain intervals or chords that are generally pleasing in context (which may be accidentals).


An example of a harmony is if you play the notes G A B, then at the same time, you can get your violinist to play notes a 3rd above, so, B, C, D. This will result in a pleasing harmonised line. You can choose any intervals, mix and match etc, but this is a good place to start because 3rds sound very nice.

 

[DoubleBlade]

okay so to clearify what u had juz said....


i play G , B , D in the key of G

and my violinist plays A , C , F# in the key of G as well

now that's harmonising?

what about chords?does the same theory apply for chords as well?

suppose if i play a chord progression of G , B , D , A and my violinist plays a chord progression of C , F# , G , B

is that still considered harmony? since u said that it all involves mixing and matching of notes in the same scale...

 

[vernplum]

Actually, a harmony can be broadly defined as any two or more notes played at the same time, however, it is generally used to indicate two or notes at a time that sound nice together, e.g. 'harmonious'. You can have a perfectly valid (in theory) harmony composed of two lines played a minor 2nd (semi-tone) apart, but whether it sounds nice is a matter of taste - most people would agree that it sounds terrible and not harmonious.

The harmony you suggest is harmonising in major 2nds and isn't too tasty to be honest. I suggest 3rds, 4ths, 5ths, 6ths and 7ths as nice ones to start with.

A chord is a harmonic structure composed of three or more notes and generally conforms to including notes at specified (by convention and nice sounding) intervals such as 3rds, 5ths and 7ths from the root. You can of course, as mentioned previously deviate and include accidentals (sharp or flat notes outside the key) which depending on your tastes sound good or bad in context.

 

[DoubleBlade]

okay suppose if i play a C major chord which compromises of the notes C , E , G and my violinist plays a E chord since it's in the chord of C.

the result would be a "fuller" sounding harmony is it? since the note E is the 3rd interval from the root and he plays an E chord to make the harmony sound "fuller"...

i roughly get ur point here vernplum but i juz need to make sure i understand FULLY the entire concept of harmony...

and i'll be printing out this entire forum page as reference for future use cause i might want to experiment wif harmony sometime in the near future :lol:

 

[vernplum]

okay suppose if i play a C major chord which compromises of the notes C , E , G and my violinist plays a E chord since it's in the chord of C.

the result would be a "fuller" sounding harmony is it? since the note E is the 3rd interval from the root and he plays an E chord to make the harmony sound "fuller"..

You mean E 'note' since it is in the chord of C.

Yes, generally you get the idea. Your E note if it is in a different register (such as an octave higher) will augment the underlying chord and also outline a melody. This is a form of harmonising.

If you want to fully understand the concepts of harmony (which I can't claim to myself, though I have a reasonable working insight) then you'll need to understand so theory, including scales, how they are constructed, and how chords are built up. Chords have formulas, e.g. Major chord is made up of the 1st 3rd and 5th notes of a scale. A minor is 1st flat 3rd, and 5th, and so on.

There are tonnes of resources on the net for learning this stuff.

 

[Cheez]

For the layman, harmonising can simply mean whatever sounds good to the ears. A simple example - you play a melody of C, D and E. The violin plays E, F and G together with you. Many people "harmonise" by ear. Therefore it is defined by what sounds nice to the ear.

But if you talk about the theory of harmony, you have rules to follow. To "fully understand the concept of harmony" you will need a lot of time. The theory goes deep. When I've completed Grade 8 theory, I realised I only scraped the surface of harmony.

One example of a rule (one of the first we learn in theory) is that you don't double the third note. Take for example in a vocal with SATB - a C chord will be something like C, G, C, E (in root position). You don't double the E. If it is in first inversion with bass of E, then the rest of the chord should not have an E in it. That is one of the rules - which of course can be broken but with good reasons (but not in exams ...).

Give you another example - we are always told to avoid parallel 5ths and 8ths. Basically, they are chords that runs in 5ths intervals (eg: C and G, followed by D and A - the 5th intervals runs parallel). I've never understood why this rule existed except that my theory teacher would scream at me if he saw it. It was only much later that I understood. They will prevent voices (ie each musical line) from being independent with each other, making them sound momentarily as if they merged and thus confusing the listener. This independence of voicing is very important in polyphonic music - each line independent from another. The only time that it can be used is when you want a desired effect deliberately. But in basic harmony - always follow rules. In advance theory, we can slowly move away but with great caution.

Sounds complicated? Hope not. Harmony is extremely rewarding - my favourite subject in theory. Actually, it is more than theory - I find it extremely practical in my compositions and writing. Maybe because I had a guru in harmony as a theory teacher in the past. He sings the part independently and intertwiningly as he writes harmony - can't explain in words. If you're into composition, you'll have to know harmony. But remember always follow the rules at the basic level.

Again, once in a while, there are those who don't have the theory and writes great music (eg Hans Zimmer).

 

[DoubleBlade]

You mean E 'note' since it is in the chord of C. .

nope wad i mean is when i play a C chord and u know a C chord consist of the notes C , E , G...instead of playing an E note on the violin to harmonise wif the piano...could my violinist play a E chord instead of an E note since chords tend to make it sound "full"

 

[DoubleBlade]

okay that's it...i'm gonna take my grade 1 to grade 5 theory drills assesment book out and start crashing on my theory now!!!! :twisted:

 

[vernplum]

You mean E 'note' since it is in the chord of C. .

nope wad i mean is when i play a C chord and u know a C chord consist of the notes C , E , G...instead of playing an E note on the violin to harmonise wif the piano...could my violinist play a E chord instead of an E note since chords tend to make it sound "full"

No.

C Chord: C E G
E Chord: E G# B

The G and G# would clash and the B and C would clash.
Try it - it sounds horrible.

 

[DoubleBlade]

okay that's it...i'm gonna take my grade 1 to grade 5 theory drills assesment book out and start crashing on my theory now!!!! :twisted:

arghhhhhhhhhhhhh theory drills here i come!!!! can't stand it man...took u guys some effort in trying to explain to me wads harmonising when i've not even completed my grade 1 theory book yet!!!! :roll:

 

[Cheez]

OK. I see that you misunderstood. Harmonising is not about a chord over another chord. The key to harmonising is about melodic lines. Lets say you play a melody (not chords) with your piano. The violin plays another (different) melody together with your melody line. Harmonising is when your melody line and the violin's melody line, although they are different, fall into place such that each note you play is in chordal progression with each note the violin plays. So if the first note you play is in the family of chord C (for example), the violin's first note must also be in the family of chord C (ie C, E or G) - following some rules. If your second note is in the family of chord G, then the violin's second note must also fall into the family of chord G (G, B or D) - again following some rules. And so on...

Make it simpler. Think of a duet - 2 singers singing together. One sings the main melody. The other sings another (higher or lower)- although not the same melody, but it flows together with the other singer. The 2 melodies harmonises to create a duet.

Don't fret too much about harmony. You'll come to it in Grade 6. Foundation is always important - so take your time and build your foundation first.

 

[DoubleBlade]

haha i know , was going thru my fren's theory book but it did not specify wad grade it is but i'm pretty sure it's from grade 6 onwards cause the topic on harmony was in the first few pages of the book and she's taking her grade 6 theory exam this week if i'm not wrong....

anyways i ran thru her book and saw the topic on "harmony" and i tot..."hey harmonising is cool!!!!"

i now fully understand basics of harmony...thanks a lot guys for having enough patience to answer my queries on harmony especially to vern and cheez :lol:

alright since i've got wad i wanted now...soooooo cheez , what's it like to be the proud owner of a ABRSM grade 8 theory certificate????
as far as i could recall , i've only come across people wif a grade 6 theory cert but not a grade 8 cert...

man you're one of a kind cheez!!!!

so wads it like to possess a grade 8 cert? hows the feeling? huh? huh? huh? :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:

 

[Cheez]

Just a paper certificate to me. Got it so long ago. I'm pretty sure syllabus have changed dramatically by now. I know so many who got Grade 8 theory - nothing to it really.

In the end, it is not about certs. It is how you apply it. I got it last time because 1. I liked theory, 2. to complete what I started, 3. I needed it for my 'O' levels MEP (music elective program) - you get marks for higher practical and theory grades.

You can still learn harmony without sitting for exams. Exams is good - test to see if you really know. But sometimes studying for the sake of exams kills the interest - many of my friends took theory for that reason. Sad.

 

[DoubleBlade]

yeah the syllabus has changed dramatically...

now u only need a minimum of grade 3 theory cert to take O level MEP from sec 1 onwards :lol: