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Diatonic Harmonisation Guide


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Posted

Disclaimer: This is definitely not the last word on harmonisation. It's basically designed to give an idea of the most important tones that chords will support and build on. I am not taking into account all the extra elements of composition which will alter these harmonisations, such as suspensions, chromaticism, melodic figuration etc.

 

The harmonisations are grouped into three categories: Tonic, Intermediate, and Dominant. Tonic and Dominant are self-explanatory. Intermediate refers to harmony that moves from the tonic to the dominant.

 

Building over given scale degrees in the bass:

 

Tonic harmonies:

Built on bass scale degrees 1 and 3.

 

For 1: I triad in root position; Use 1, 3, or 5 scale degree in the top voice.

For 3: I triad in first inversion; Use 1, 3, or 5 scale degree in the top voice.

 

Intermediate harmonies:

Built on bass scale degrees 2, 4, and 6.

 

For 2: II triad in root position (not usually used in minor, because it is a diminished triad); Use 2, 4, or (sometimes) 6 scale degree in the top voice.

For 4: IV triad in root position, or II triad in first inversion; For IV triad in root position use 1, 4, or 6 in the top voice. For II in first inversion use 2, 4, or (sometimes) 6 in the top voice.

For 6: VI triad in root position, or IV triad in first inversion; For VI in root position use 1, 3, or 6 in the top voice. For IV in first inversion use 1, 4, or 6 in the top voice.

 

Dominant harmonies:

Built on bass scale degrees 2, 4, 5, 7.

 

For 2: V7 in second inversion, or VII in first inversion; For V7 in second inversion use 4, 5, or 7 in the top voice. For VII in first inversion use 2, 4, or 7 in the top voice.

For 4: V7 in third inversion; Use 2, 5, or 7 in the top voice. (Using 4 in the top voice will result in parallel octaves, since the bass tone 4 and the top voice 4 will both move down to 3 in most cases. Use your ears carefully).

For 5: V in root position, V7 in root position, I in second inversion (cadential 6/4 chord); For V use 2, 5, or 7 in the top voice. For V7 use 2, 4, 5, or 7 in the top voice. For I in second inversion (cadential 6/4 chord) use 1, 3, or 5 in the top voice.

For 7: V in first inversion, or V7 in first inversion; For V in first inversion use 2 or 5 in the top voice. For V7 in first inversion use 2, 4, or 5 in the top voice. (Using 7 in the top voice will result in parallel octaves, since the bass tone 7 and top voice 7 will both move up to 1 VERY strongly. Be careful here.)

 

Building chords to support a given scale degree in the top voice:

 

Tonic harmonies:

Support top voice scale degrees 1, 3, and 5.

 

For 1: I triad in root position, or I triad in first inversion.

For 3: Exactly the same as for 1.

For 5: Exactly the same as for 1.

 

Intermediate harmonies:

Support top voice scale degrees 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6.

 

For 1: IV triad in root position, IV triad in first inversion, VI triad in root position.

For 2: II triad in root position, or II triad in first inversion.

For 3: VI triad in root position.

For 4: IV triad in root position, or IV triad in first inversion, or II triad in root position, or II triad in first inversion.

For 6: IV triad in root position, II triad in root position, II triad in first inversion, VI triad in root position, IV triad in first inversion.

 

Dominant harmonies:

Support top voice scale degrees 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7.

 

For 1: I triad in second inversion (cadential 6/4 chord). Here the top voice tone 1 will move down to 7, so then look at the dominant harmony for 7 to decide upon the next chord.

For 2: V triad in root position, V7 in root position, V7 in first inversion, V7 in third inversion, VII in first inversion. V7 in second inversion is rarely used (parallel octaves).

For 3: I triad in second inversion (cadential 6/4 chord). Here the top voice tone 3 will move down to 2, so look at the dominant harmony for 2 to decide upon the next chord.

For 4: V7 in root position, V7 in first inversion, V7 in second inversion, VII in first inversion. Use V7 in third inversion mainly when you use VII in first inversion straight afterwards and then moving to I triad in first inversion.

For 5: V triad in root position, V7 in root position and first, second, third inversions, I triad in second inversion (cadential 6/4 chord).

For 7: V triad in root position, V7 in root position, V7 in second inversion, VII in first inversion, V7 in third inversion. V triad in first inversion and V7 in first inversion are rarely seen due to parallel octaves.

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Posted

Sorry - I have no idea what the point of all this is. I've studied harmony, composition and arranging, and I can't make head not tail of it. I can't imagine what guitar players with little or no professional training could possibly do with it.

 

No offense, I just don't get it.

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Posted

 

Originally posted by bassmantele

Sorry - I have no idea what the point of all this is. I've studied harmony, composition and arranging, and I can't make head not tail of it. I can't imagine what guitar players with little or no professional training could possibly do with it.


No offense, I just don't get it.

 

 

Don't worry. We'll get r0g3r in here to explain it in English =P

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Posted

 

Originally posted by bassmantele

Sorry - I have no idea what the point of all this is. I've studied harmony, composition and arranging, and I can't make head not tail of it. I can't imagine what guitar players with little or no professional training could possibly do with it.


No offense, I just don't get it.

 

 

It's just a very basic guide as to what tones are supported by what chords. It's very simple really.

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Posted

I'm simple - explain it to me. Give me an application. Tell me how you use it. It looks like you copied it from a classical harmony book. Which was good for Mozart, but doesn't say much to today's popular music.

  • Members
Posted

 

Originally posted by bassmantele

I'm simple - explain it to me. Give me an application. Tell me how you use it. It looks like you copied it from a classical harmony book. Which was good for Mozart, but doesn't say much to today's popular music.

 

 

I did learn it from classical harmony, but I certainly didn't copy it. I have talked to mods and admin in the past about that sort of thing in the past and they told me in no uncertain terms that they didn't want to have to deal with any breaches of copyright.

 

Applications for the average guitarist? It's the same as any other usual lesson that people post, just a bit more general and broad. For instance, in a standard ii-V-I in a major key, the guide shows that the soloist (in assuming the role of, if not the top voice, at least the most prominent voice) should move around and between the scale degrees 2, 4, and 6 (the same notes that form the ii chord) above the ii chord, then change to moving around and between the scale degrees 2, 5, and 7 (the same notes that form the V chord) above the V chord, and finally change to moving around the scale degrees 1, 3, and 5 (the same notes that form the I chord) above the I chord. It's basically just the old "playing the changes" since all you have to do is take those guide tones as your starting point and just fill in the gaps with your own melodic sensibilities.

 

And while a lot of the fussy laws of classical harmony aren't really paid attention to in popular music, an understanding of functional tonality is extremely beneficial. After all, popular music is tonal music.

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