Jump to content
HAPPY NEW YEAR, TO ALL OUR HARMONY CENTRAL FORUMITES AND GUESTS!! ×

Ho do you harmonize leads?


Recommended Posts

  • Members
Posted

For example, let's say I want to harmonize using thirds. Let's say I am soloing in A minor and the notes are A,C,G,D over and over.

 

What notes would I play over these? Do I move up a third in the key of Am? So would I play:

 

A C G D

C E B F over it?

 

or does every note get harmonized with the third from it's own scale, so C# would be played over A and so forth?

  • Moderators
Posted

For example, let's say I want to harmonize using thirds. Let's say I am soloing in A minor and the notes are A,C,G,D over and over.


What notes would I play over these? Do I move up a third in the key of Am? So would I play:


A C G D

C E B F over it?


or does every note get harmonized with the third from it's own scale, so C# would be played over A and so forth?

 

 

As a general rule a melodic line gets harmonized using the notes from the chord scale for what ever chord is in play. So if you were playing a section over an A minor chord you could use the notes that you've laid-out. Note that the "F" over the "D" is technically an avoid note over an A minor chord - so if for example you try to end the phrase on that DF, the "F" may not sound that way you expect.

 

If you have the ability to record a short progression you'll be able to hear this pretty easily.

 

cheers,

  • Members
Posted
For example, let's say I want to harmonize using thirds. Let's say I am soloing in A minor and the notes are A,C,G,D over and over.


What notes would I play over these? Do I move up a third in the key of Am? So would I play:


A C G D

C E B F over it?


or does every note get harmonized with the third from it's own scale, so C# would be played over A and so forth?

Basically what Jed said. ;)

The F over the D is fine if there is no Am chord, if you just have a melody or riff.

If - with no chords - you add 3rds in this way, it will start to imply chords.

Here's your 3rds, with their most likely implied chords:

, and works as well with the chords as the lead line does.  If it does, you can usually get away with all kinds of dissonant intervals.
  • Members
Posted

Good stuff guys. Thank you.


Why is the F an "avoid note". I realize it is not in an Am chord, but anything more to it?

Essentially it's because it's a half-step above a chord tone.

But also it can make a confusing or ambiguous harmony.

 

Eg, if you play the F an octave (minor 9th) above the E, it sounds pretty bad:

 

-1- F

-1- C

-2- A

-2- E

-0- A

-x-

 

(Play just the 4th and 1st strings together to really hear that "ouch" dissonance.)

 

Now try this:

 

-0- E

-6- F

-5- C

-7- A

-x-

-x-

 

Not so bad, right? Dissonant, but rather a nice sound.

However, this is really a kind of voicing of an Fmaj7 chord. F is really the root of this set of notes.

In the first shape, the low A and E make the A sound much more like the root, and F on top is really fighting it.

In the 2nd shape, the A is less powerful.

 

If you don't think F is the root, compare the following:

 

-0- E

-6- F

-5- C

-7- A

-0- A

-x-

 

-0- E

-6- F

-5- C

-7- A

-8- F

-x-

 

You may disagree, but to me the 2nd chord sounds more "right", more harmonically stable. F really works as the root.

The first chord is not a bad sound, but is less "rested". In a sense it's balanced awkwardly between the sound of an Am chord and rhe sound of an F chord. Even tho there are two As in there, the F is still a strong presence, disrupting the "Am-ness".

 

None of this stops you playing an F over an Am chord! But you will probably want to resolve it down to E, or use it as a passing note in an upward run (E-F-G). It's only when it's held over the chord it sounds bad: it needs to move out of the way!

  • Members
Posted

Essentially it's because it's a half-step above a chord tone.

But also it can make a confusing or ambiguous harmony.


Eg, if you play the F an octave (minor 9th) above the E, it sounds pretty bad:


-1- F

-1- C

-2- A

-2- E

-0- A

-x-


(Play just the 4th and 1st strings together to really hear that "ouch" dissonance.)


Now try this:


-0- E

-6- F

-5- C

-7- A

-x-

-x-


Not so bad, right? Dissonant, but rather a nice sound.

However, this is really a kind of voicing of an Fmaj7 chord. F is really the root of this set of notes.

In the first shape, the low A and E make the A sound much more like the root, and F on top is really fighting it.

In the 2nd shape, the A is less powerful.


If you don't think F is the root, compare the following:


-0- E

-6- F

-5- C

-7- A

-0- A

-x-


-0- E

-6- F

-5- C

-7- A

-8- F

-x-


You may disagree, but to me the 2nd chord sounds more "right", more harmonically stable. F really works as the root.

The first chord is not a bad sound, but is less "rested". In a sense it's balanced awkwardly between the sound of an Am chord and rhe sound of an F chord. Even tho there are two As in there, the F is still a strong presence, disrupting the "Am-ness".


None of this stops you playing an F over an Am chord! But you will probably want to resolve it down to E, or use it as a passing note in an upward run (E-F-G). It's only when it's held over the chord it sounds bad: it needs to
move out of the way!

 

 

Cool. Thanks for the explanation. I will have to experiment with the looper!

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...