Music Theory: Harmony Fundamentals

Harmony in Music

• Harmony is a fundamental concept in music that refers to the combination of different pitches or tones played simultaneously to create a pleasing and unified sound.
• It is an essential element in any musical composition and plays a crucial role in creating emotions, tension, and resolution.

Definition of Harmony

• Harmony can be defined as the result of combining different musical notes or tones in a way that is pleasing to the ear.
• It involves the simultaneous sounding of multiple pitches, which can be achieved through chords, intervals, and melodic lines.

Role of Harmony in Music

• Harmony serves several important roles in music, including:
  • Providing a solid foundation for the melody to rest upon
  • Creating tension and release, adding emotional depth to the music
  • Contributing to the overall texture and timbre of a musical piece

Basic Concepts in Harmony

• Chords:
  • Building blocks of harmony
  • Consist of three or more notes played simultaneously
  • Can be major, minor, diminished, or augmented
• Progressions:
  • Sequences of chords that create a harmonic framework for a piece of music
  • Establish a sense of tonality or key
  • Guide the listener through the various sections of a composition
• Key:
  • Determines the tonal center or main note of a piece of music
  • Provides a sense of stability and establishes which notes and chords will be used

Techniques for Creating Harmony

• Counterpoint:
  • The art of combining two or more melodic lines while maintaining their independence
  • Involves creating melodies that work well together and result in pleasing harmonic progressions
• Modulation:
  • Refers to a change in the key within a musical piece
  • Provides a sense of movement and can be used to evoke different emotions or tones
• Voice Leading:
  • The practice of moving individual melodic lines from one chord to the next in a smooth and logical manner
  • Helps create coherent and pleasing harmonic progressions

Importance of Harmony in Composition

• Harmony plays a vital role in composition as it allows composers to manipulate emotions and create a specific atmosphere.
• By carefully choosing chords and progressions, composers can convey a range of emotions and create a cohesive and engaging musical experience.

The Three Elements of Harmony

• Melody:
  • The main musical line in a composition that carries a recognizable tune
  • Created by combining different notes played either in succession or simultaneously
  • Has a specific tonality, which sets the foundation for chord progressions
• Rhythm:
  • The pattern and organization of sounds and silences in a piece of music
  • Determines the movement, pace, and groove of a composition
  • Affects the way chords and melodies are performed and interact with each other
• Texture:
  • Refers to the layers and density of sound created by the combination of different instruments or voices
  • Can be monophonic, homophonic, or polyphonic
  • Harmony relies on texture to create depth and complexity

Terms in Harmony

• Pitch:
  • Refers to the frequency of a sound
  • In music, pitch is categorized into different notes (e.g. A, B, C, etc.)
• Chord:
  • A combination of three or more notes played simultaneously
  • Primary element of harmony
  • Can be major, minor, diminished, or augmented
• Triad:
  • A three-note chord consisting of a root note, a third, and a fifth
  • Most basic form of harmony
  • Provides the building blocks for more complex chords

Triads and Chords

• Triads:
  • Can be major, minor, augmented, or diminished
  • Constructed by stacking two thirds on top of a root note
• Chords:
  • Constructed by adding additional notes to a triad
  • Most common chords are constructed by adding a seventh note to the triad
  • Can be major seventh, minor seventh, dominant seventh, or half diminished seventh chords