Vocal Harmonies

[CountRobula]

Lately I've been messing around with them, but it was a bit hard for me to discern the individual pitches of some vocal harmonies from one or two Beach Boys songs. I also ain't that great at creating very intricate harmonies like that on the fly, but was Brian Wilson a natural at that, or did he just practice a lot early on? I'm playing guitar chords and just recording a vocal track for each individual note, easy enough, but I wouldn't be pitch-perfect if I was asked to build a certain chord as a harmony.

 

I feel that I could learn this, but some of the discussions are making me unsure. Is that something that can definetly be learned? I'm already good at simple harmonies, like a lead and lower backing. I'd really like to incorporate harmonies into my music at some point, but I feel a bit discouraged.

[Jersey Jack]

I don't think that there's any extraordinary value in being able to sing great harmonies on the fly--except for jam sessions, perhaps. While such a talent may save a lot of time/work in rehearsal, any harmony can easily be blocked out on a keyboard (or, if necessary, on a guitar) and then practiced until it works. The audience has no idea whether one generates harmonies spontaneously or has plotted them on paper; they only know that they sound good (or not).

 

There was a quote from Springsteen that I've lost in the mists of time, but it goes something like this: "The trick is to look spontaneous, not to be spontaneous."

 

That said, learning to harmonize is a form of ear training, and it most certainly can be learned if you want to put in the effort.

[DeadNight Warrior]

I'm guessing it's no natural ability as such; he probably grew up singing harmony and thus developed a good ear for it early on.

 

I'm finding my ear for picking harmonies is getting better the more I work on it, so I guess it is learnable.

[CountRobula]

Thanks a LOT, guys. I half figured this stuff, and generating harmonies on the fly isn't necessary, like you guys said. I'm just gonna do it to practice.