How to Harmonize
Know what harmony is., Form a chord with the melody., Try the most basic chords (1-3-5) like "C-E-G." The 1 represents the 'root' note, then skip one up to note 3 that represents the 3rd (the note 2 places up from the first one)., Practice singing...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Know what harmony is.
Harmony
- Noun: the combination of simultaneously sounded musical notes to produce a pleasing effect.
The term harmony is used to refer to notes that, basically, sound good together! The melody consists of the essential notes that form the basic structure of any tune.
Harmony requires at least 2 tones or voices and can be done with any number of additional tones or voices.
Most harmony is written for 3 to 6 voice parts.
Some arrangements go to as many as 8 or more parts, but these are uncommon.
A good step to harmonizing is to fully know the melody, and then sing to it in a slightly lower pitch not an octave low.
If you have another person with you, it also helps to sing with a piano first, and then move on to singing and harmonizing more independently.
Once you have some sense of the basic 1,3,5 major chord
-- or 1,3,5,7 major 7th chord
-- you can harmonize by singing any of the notes.
The 1 is the soprano or lead (Lead is singing soprano an octave low for a male or female with a lower alto voice.).
The more people you have the more of the notes you can sing.
Once you have a sense of the basics of harmony in some key, you can experiment with other notes in other, such chords. -
Step 2: Form a chord with the melody.
A chord is when 3 or more notes are played or sung at once (in tones, or voices).
These notes are often referred to as triads with 3 tones (1,3,5 intervals) the most basic chord for harmonizing, the 1,3,5 chord. , Then skip from the 3rd to place 5 which represents the 5th (or the note 4 places up from the root and 2 places up from the 3rd).
You can also have 1-3-5-7 by adding the 7th and/or the 1st (root) note up or down the octave. , When you play a piano, a good note to harmonize is:
Assuming a C major scale, strike the C note and, then strike 2 together with your harmonizing note (two) which is found by skipping the next note, and singing the next one in the same direction, from the original note.
But that's rather crude. , Slower songs like hymns are easier. , Try to sing along at this higher or lower pitch and have it sound good. , Just continually try to sing a little higher or lower than the original and have it sound good.
If it sounds bad, then you're not harmonizing.
If it sounds good, then you probably are. , You learn what sounds right and wrong, and that proves that you know the right/wrong notes.
Just loosen up and try to sing at the slightly higher (or lower) pitch...
If you play an instrument like a guitar or piano you can find the harmony by first playing the note you are singing then move that note up to the 3rd on the scale (in the key) of the song you are playing like C (C-E-G) or G (G-B-D); notice they skip a letter, but of course sharps and/or flats are found in many keys which is usually the black keys on a piano type of keyboard. -
Step 3: Try the most basic chords (1-3-5) like "C-E-G." The 1 represents the 'root' note
-
Step 4: then skip one up to note 3 that represents the 3rd (the note 2 places up from the first one).
-
Step 5: Practice singing harmony
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Step 6: by trying harmony with a keyboard or a piano.
-
Step 7: Sing along with a recorded song the way you're supposed to.
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Step 8: Try to sing a little bit higher or lower in pitch.
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Step 9: Realize this might sound awful when you first try it.
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Step 10: Harmonizing to a great degree is intuitive.
Detailed Guide
Harmony
- Noun: the combination of simultaneously sounded musical notes to produce a pleasing effect.
The term harmony is used to refer to notes that, basically, sound good together! The melody consists of the essential notes that form the basic structure of any tune.
Harmony requires at least 2 tones or voices and can be done with any number of additional tones or voices.
Most harmony is written for 3 to 6 voice parts.
Some arrangements go to as many as 8 or more parts, but these are uncommon.
A good step to harmonizing is to fully know the melody, and then sing to it in a slightly lower pitch not an octave low.
If you have another person with you, it also helps to sing with a piano first, and then move on to singing and harmonizing more independently.
Once you have some sense of the basic 1,3,5 major chord
-- or 1,3,5,7 major 7th chord
-- you can harmonize by singing any of the notes.
The 1 is the soprano or lead (Lead is singing soprano an octave low for a male or female with a lower alto voice.).
The more people you have the more of the notes you can sing.
Once you have a sense of the basics of harmony in some key, you can experiment with other notes in other, such chords.
A chord is when 3 or more notes are played or sung at once (in tones, or voices).
These notes are often referred to as triads with 3 tones (1,3,5 intervals) the most basic chord for harmonizing, the 1,3,5 chord. , Then skip from the 3rd to place 5 which represents the 5th (or the note 4 places up from the root and 2 places up from the 3rd).
You can also have 1-3-5-7 by adding the 7th and/or the 1st (root) note up or down the octave. , When you play a piano, a good note to harmonize is:
Assuming a C major scale, strike the C note and, then strike 2 together with your harmonizing note (two) which is found by skipping the next note, and singing the next one in the same direction, from the original note.
But that's rather crude. , Slower songs like hymns are easier. , Try to sing along at this higher or lower pitch and have it sound good. , Just continually try to sing a little higher or lower than the original and have it sound good.
If it sounds bad, then you're not harmonizing.
If it sounds good, then you probably are. , You learn what sounds right and wrong, and that proves that you know the right/wrong notes.
Just loosen up and try to sing at the slightly higher (or lower) pitch...
If you play an instrument like a guitar or piano you can find the harmony by first playing the note you are singing then move that note up to the 3rd on the scale (in the key) of the song you are playing like C (C-E-G) or G (G-B-D); notice they skip a letter, but of course sharps and/or flats are found in many keys which is usually the black keys on a piano type of keyboard.
About the Author
Jean Stewart
A passionate writer with expertise in cooking topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
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