Q&A for How to Harmonize

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  • Question
    What notes harmonize with E?
    Annabeth Novitzki
    Music Teacher
    Annabeth Novitzki is a Private Music Teacher in Austin, Texas. She received her BFA in Vocal Performance from Carnegie Mellon University in 2004 and her Master of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Memphis in 2012. She has been teaching music lessons since 2004.
    Music Teacher
    Expert Answer
    The perfect 5th above (B) and below (A) harmonize best. Major and minor thirds above (G#, G) and below (C, C#) do also, depending on the other musical context happening. If you get deep enough into music theory, like Jazz prodigy and composer Jordan Collier, any note can harmonize with E.
  • Question
    What does it mean to sing melody?
    Annabeth Novitzki
    Music Teacher
    Annabeth Novitzki is a Private Music Teacher in Austin, Texas. She received her BFA in Vocal Performance from Carnegie Mellon University in 2004 and her Master of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Memphis in 2012. She has been teaching music lessons since 2004.
    Music Teacher
    Expert Answer
    Singing melody is singing the primary notes of the song. For example, if all instruments were taken away and all that was left was one singer singing the most important part of the song, that is the melody of the song.
  • Question
    What does it mean to harmonize in music?
    Annabeth Novitzki
    Music Teacher
    Annabeth Novitzki is a Private Music Teacher in Austin, Texas. She received her BFA in Vocal Performance from Carnegie Mellon University in 2004 and her Master of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Memphis in 2012. She has been teaching music lessons since 2004.
    Music Teacher
    Expert Answer
    Harmonizing is adding notes that complement the melody. Most harmonies follow the overtone series, using mostly perfect fifths, major thirds, and minor thirds.
  • Question
    Can you harmonize without an instrument?
    Community Answer
    Yes, you can. As long as the people you harmonise with have an idea as to which note to sing, it should be fine. The instrument is mainly there so that you don't mess up, when tuned it has perfect pitch and you can figure out from there, but it isn't a necessity.
  • Question
    Can I harmonize with everybody?
    Community Answer
    Regardless of the notes others are singing, you can find other harmonizing notes to sing within the range of your voice.
  • Question
    How long does it take to master harmonizing?
    Community Answer
    It depends on your pace. Some people will accelerate at impossible speeds, but it might take others a little longer. Though you probably won't be the next Michael Jackson tommorrow, practice makes perfect.
  • Question
    How do I harmonize choral songs?
    Community Answer
    For most choral songs, sheet music is normally included along with harmonies. If it dosen't, you would want to have a look at the key signature and use those notes in the scale to help find the harmonies, making sure that they fit in with the overall tone of the song.
  • Question
    How can you improvise a harmony?
    Community Answer
    You can listen to the given melody of a song, and carefully sing that note and sing up two steps. Then continue singing with the melody, but with the harmony that you've just created, which is a third; for example, the melody is on C, so you sing on E. One of the easiest ways to improvise harmonies is by singing an octave above or below, as it's the easiest to pick up by ear.
  • Question
    How to harmonize within the chord (G), but the leading melody line has no G, but A?
    Community Answer
    The G triad is G, D and B. A is the second of G, you should play G(9), but if you play this chord there would be two intervals of a second, which can be quite dissonant. It depends of the other notes of the melody line, but it is recommended that you play G(9).
  • Question
    How do I harmonize in D major?
    Community Answer
    Like you would in any other scale, just keep in mind that it has F# and C#.
  • Question
    If the note sung by the main singer is a C, what would a lower harmony be?
    Community Answer
    A lower harmony would be either a base clef G, E, or even an octave lower C.
  • Question
    How will I know which part I'm singing?
    Community Answer
    Tenor will usually be the lowest note, alto the middle note, and soprano the top note. You will likely be assigned a part before you start practicing or singing the song. If you are not assigned a part, then choose a part based on your vocal range: tenor, alto, or soprano.
  • Question
    If the song is on the E scale, then what should be the scales for harmony?
    Community Answer
    If the song is in E major you can use C# minor scale, it depends on the chord that you are playing at the moment. If the compass's chord is D minor, you can use the E dorian, which is equal to D minor.
  • Question
    How can I harmonize with a song without moving my voice up and down with the singer?
    Community Answer
    Harmonies aren't just about moving with the melody. Any note you hit needs to fit with the chord that's being played as well. If you listen to the music rather than the singer and improvise your own melody to the chord sequence, you may find it much easier.
  • Question
    How can I teach 4 part harmonies?
    Community Answer
    Assign parts to the different harmonies. Some singers are better at reaching a higher register while others can sing the low harmonizations. In singing, the soprano can sing the highest registers while tenor and baritone singers typically sing the middle and low registers, respectively.
  • Question
    Is there an app that will harmonize a vocal song for me?
    Community Answer
    Yes, there are several apps that can help you develop your harmonization skills. Go to the app store and type in harmonization or harmony to find them. Some examples include Sing Harmonies and VocalizeU.
  • Question
    Can all songs and keys be harmonized?
    Community Answer
    Yes. Regardless of which key the song is in, you can always harmonize up or down with the melody.
  • Question
    My melody note is E, and I'm writing a song in D may. Can I harmonize it with a Dadd2 chord?
    Community Answer
    Absolutely! In fact, there are few hard and fast rules, and rules are made to be broken. Feel free to mess around with different combinations. For example, you may consider dropping the third of the Dadd2 to create a Dsus2 or even use something like a Cmaj (D Mixolydian mode). A good place to start is to find chords within (or adjacent to) the key you're in that also contain the melody tone you're working with.
  • Question
    I've noticed that often the harmonizing voices in rock tend to move less step-wise than the lead (e.g. chorus on the Offspring's "You're Gonna Go Far, Kid"), is there an implicit rule on the matter?
    Community Answer
    No, just habits re: rock music. But general harmony, yes.
  • Question
    Can you harmonize without the use of a keyboard?
    Caitlin Ocean
    Community Answer
    Yes, usually after a few years of experience or even a few voice lessons, this will really help.
  • Question
    Is it possible for different harmonising notes to clash with each other?
    Hagukanan
    Top Answerer
    Yes! Sometimes chords have "dissonance" in them, which is when two notes are only a half step apart from each other. Sometimes the dissonance resolves if there is a moving note, and sometimes it doesn't. Dissonance can make chords and harmonies sound super cool, so if you're wanting to put some in a song, then go for it!
  • Question
    Can one musically harmonize with one’s self?
    AvocadoGirl_8
    Community Answer
    This is not as easy as it might seem. the term for being able to sing two notes at once is called overtone singing, but it can take decades to master. Check out some of Anne-Maria Hefele's videos on YouTube. She is a professional overtone singer.
  • Question
    When or what parts of a song should be harmonised? For example, the chorus, meaningful phrases, phrases that settle anticipation? Looking for criteria or rules of thumb.
    Community Answer
    When you harmonise, do not have to choose a section. It should be harmonised the whole way through with small breaks while singing the melody.
  • Question
    How do you harmonize with a sharp or a flat?
    Community Answer
    It depends on the song! For an A# (or a Bb), if the chord is an A# or Bb chord, singing a D or F would be appropriate; for an F# (or Gb) chord, an F#/Gb or C#/Db would work; and for a D# (or Eb) chord, a D#/Eb or a G would sound pretty. Of course, these are only the notes that fall into the basic triad pattern and if you want to experiment beyond that, feel free!
  • Question
    What's the difference between singing in close and singing in open harmony and how to do so?
    Community Answer
    In organ performance, block harmony means that close position chords are added below the melody in the right hand, and the left hand doubles the melody an octave lower, while in open harmony the middle note of the chord is played an octave lower creating an "open" space in the chord.
  • Question
    I want to harmonize. How can I do it quickly?
    Jenny Hale
    Community Answer
    If you want to harmonize with singing, it works best if you are doing a duet with someone, because then one person can harmonize and the other one can try to keep the tune.
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