Walt Ribeiro » How To Harmonize A Song!

How To Harmonize A Song!

To understand Harmony, you must first understand Intervals. After you write the melody, use intervals (usually within the key signature) to give it a hip feel. Harmony can be in intervals of fifths, fourths, sevenths, outside the key, inside, etc. The thing is – anything goes!

What are Intervals?

Intervals are the distances between two notes. So the distance from C to A is an interval of a sixth – because A is 6 notes away from C (C-D-E-F-G-A). So when Harmonizing a song, if the notes are C-F-A, then you can still keep those notes, but just add to them by simply building double stops, etc. off of them. So to add the notes E-A-C on top of C-F-A would sound neat – and still keep the melody!

The most well known Harmonized songs are the beginning of Van Morrison’s “Brown Eyed Girl“, and the Bridge to Metallica’s “Wherever I May Roam“.

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By WaltRibeiro on Mar - 14 - 2009 -- Categories: Blogroll

Tony

you say adding E A C on top of C F A would sound good… why? What exactly are you doing there? What kind of pattern?
http://www.waltribeiro.net Walt

E A C are the third intervals of C F A respectively.

E A C
C F A

notice how when E is on top of C it creates a C major chord in harmony of a third.

playing these in order create a neat sound. Make sense?
http://www.waltribeiro.net Walt

E A C are the third intervals of C F A respectively.

E A C
C F A

notice how when E is on top of C it creates a C major chord in harmony of a third.

playing these in order create a neat sound. Make sense?
Tony

Yeah it makes sense. I am really understand things clearly now. Your lessons are great. I have a long way to go, but it is just a matter of time.
Tony

Yeah it makes sense. I am really understand things clearly now. Your lessons are great. I have a long way to go, but it is just a matter of time.
andy

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
C major scale- C D E F G A B
for C third interval is E
for F third interval is A
for A third interval is C
So we are finding the intervals according to the key of C.
My doubt is this:
for C the third is E
for F if we consider F(F-G-A-A#-C-D-E-F) the third is A(which is the same as we calculated in the key of C “Conincidently”)
and for A(A-B-C#-D-E-F#-G#-A) the third is C#.
So can i say that i can also harmonize CFA as EAC#.
Would it sound nice? Do people use it?

http://www.fororchestra.com WaltRibeiro

ok – the problem that you’re doing here is that you’re not staying diatonic (in the same key) as the original note.

The key of ‘C’ has no sharps and no flats. So when you harmonize in thirds going up the scales, it should be C-E, D-F, E-G, F-A, etc.

It should NOT be C-E, D-F#, E-G#, F-A, etc. – because notice how every harmonized note is changing keys. One minute you’re harmonizing in the key of C, and the next minute your’e harmonizing in the key of D, then E, then F.

So to answer your question “So can i say that i can also harmonize CFA as EAC#?”. The answer is no. The correct harmonization would be to harmonize CFA while playing EAC on top.

Make sense?

http://www.fororchestra.com WaltRibeiro

not every harmony has to be in thirds. In fact, notice how both E’s are playing Octaves. The reason why your example sounds nice is because every note is still in the key of G.

If you were to make the second E and F, then you’ll see how ‘off’ it sounds. It sounds awesome because they don’t go out of the key, unless you play the F natural, which is NOT in a G major scale.

andy

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
C major scale- C D E F G A B
for C third interval is E
for F third interval is A
for A third interval is C
So we are finding the intervals according to the key of C.
My doubt is this:
for C the third is E
for F if we consider F(F-G-A-A#-C-D-E-F) the third is A(which is the same as we calculated in the key of C “Conincidently”)
and for A(A-B-C#-D-E-F#-G#-A) the third is C#.
So can i say that i can also harmonize CFA as EAC#.
Would it sound nice? Do people use it?

http://www.fororchestra.com WaltRibeiro

ok – the problem that you’re doing here is that you’re not staying diatonic (in the same key) as the original note.

The key of ‘C’ has no sharps and no flats. So when you harmonize in thirds going up the scales, it should be C-E, D-F, E-G, F-A, etc.

It should NOT be C-E, D-F#, E-G#, F-A, etc. – because notice how every harmonized note is changing keys. One minute you’re harmonizing in the key of C, and the next minute your’e harmonizing in the key of D, then E, then F.

So to answer your question “So can i say that i can also harmonize CFA as EAC#?”. The answer is no. The correct harmonization would be to harmonize CFA while playing EAC on top.

Make sense?

Anurag Dongre86

Thanks a ton….Now im clear….but i have also seen sometimes that they use 3rds, 4ths and what not..and dont really follow the rules….but it still sounds awesome…
For eg: In the key of G if the notes of the song go this way:
E F# G F# E F# G F# E B A
Then the harmony should be(in 3rd)
G A B A G A B A G D C

But they play
C C B B C C B B EDC

It still sounds nice….
How?

http://www.fororchestra.com WaltRibeiro

not every harmony has to be in thirds. In fact, notice how both E’s are playing Octaves. The reason why your example sounds nice is because every note is still in the key of G.

If you were to make the second E and F, then you’ll see how ‘off’ it sounds. It sounds awesome because they don’t go out of the key, unless you play the F natural, which is NOT in a G major scale.

Anurag_dongre

So we always have to be in key while harmonizing…..
Then why did you write on the second line of this very page that
“Harmony can be in intervals of fifths, fourths, sevenths, OUTSIDE THE KEY, inside, etc. The thing is – anything goes!”

http://www.fororchestra.com WaltRibeiro

not ALWAYS. but it would sound better if you stayed in key. Try it in one of your pieces or with another guitar player. However, playing outside the key is welcomed if you’re trying to create tension, or if thats the sound you’re going for

http://www.fororchestra.com WaltRibeiro

not ALWAYS. but it would sound better if you stayed in key. Try it in one of your pieces or with another guitar player. However, playing outside the key is welcomed if you’re trying to create tension, or if thats the sound you’re going for
NotDoctorPhil

Hey Walt!

I know you’re really busy, but I just had a few questions and didn’t really know where to ask. Anyways, I have been writing a lot of music in Sibelius lately, and it sounds okay in MIDI, but your orchestra songs sound fantastic! Can you just point me in the right direction of sampling MIDI files? What software do you use? Etc… Any help is more than I have now.

Thanks!
http://www.fororchestra.com WaltRibeiro

Hi Shaun, I use a bunch of plugins and they change all the time.
http://www.fororchestra.com WaltRibeiro

Hi Shaun, I use a bunch of plugins and they change all the time.
http://www.fororchestra.com WaltRibeiro

Hi Shaun, I use a bunch of plugins and they change all the time.