Questions tagged [harmony]
For questions about the "vertical" aspects of music and how to build and study them.
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Can you give me feedback on an interval training game I'm building [closed]
I'm building some free web tools for musicians and one of them is an interval training game. https://guitarapp.com/chords/interval-trainer
The game is at the top of the page and beneath that, there ...
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When given the soprano and bass parts, how do I figure out the alto and tenor?
I missed one class and now I don't understand how to do this assignment plz help
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how do I analyse these chords in this chorale?
I’m playing some chorales and I can’t figure out how to ananlyse these highlighted chords. I think these chords share the characteristics of having adjacent notes and I’m having trouble with that. The ...
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What are ways to use permutations to explore harmonic progressions?
Permutations can be very useful for crafting varied and interesting rhythms. It is possible to explore rhythms using Pascal's triangle. Sounds and silences on two beats can be written in binary form: ...
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Harmonic Analysis of Polka, Op. 39, No. 14 by Tchaikovsky
I'm having some trouble identifying what's going on harmonically in this chromatic sections here.
i. Bar 2: What function does the chord spelled [C#EGBb] have? All I can say about it is that it's a ...
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How Do These Decorative Chords Contribute to Diatonic Modulation in Aldwell and Schachter's Example?
I'm studying diatonic modulation via example (e) in Unit 26 of "Harmony & Voice Leading" by Aldwell and Schachter and need some clarification. The progression moves from an F major to an ...
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The Newton Brothers "I'm the candy Man" chord progression analysis
I've been listening to "I'm the candy man" from The Fall of the House of Usher this morning and am hitting a little roadblock trying to think of the theory behind the chord progression.
It ...
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In harmonic syntax (“root progressions”), does only the root matter, or the entire chord?
I’ve read in these threads that Rameau & CPE Bach have a different opinion on wether or not more notes than the root of a chord are relevant in harmonic syntax.
Here are some stand out quotes from ...
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How does Gm → C9 → Ebm → Ebm/Gb work?
I have a song in Bb major. It begins its verse in G minor like this:
Gm → C9 → Ebm → Ebm/Gb
Gm → C9 → Ebm → D7
I can relate that Gm and C9 are a ii-V, but it resolved not to F but to Ebm (bVII?). ...
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Does melody come from root progressions?
I’ve noticed that in a melody certain notes stand out and it’s always the root of the current chord or arpeggio. (also, are arpeggios only descending/ascending or can they be in a random order?)
In ...
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What are the main concepts that aid singing in key?
In my previous question I asked about how many notes are needed to establish what key you are in. That kind of dodges around the purpose of me asking so here’s a more direct question.
With an ...
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How many notes does it take to state the key? To Have "Tonality"?
I'm referring to "tonal dominant function" as this gentleman is talking about in this video.
How many notes in a "melody" do you need to state the ...
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What is the music theory term for the study of the role and rhythm of each voice in multi voice compositions?
I’m looking for the for the study of the role and rhythm of each voice in multi voice composing. For example “lead part/voice/melody or supporting part/voice/melody”. By rhythms what I mean is the ...
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Why does Schoenberg think of "'semi-contrapuntal treatment' of the accompaniment" as a way of adapting a motive's melody to changes in its harmony?
Schoenberg says that the melody of a motive may be adapted to changes in the harmony "[b]y transposition," "[b]y addition of passing harmonies," or "[b]y 'semi-contrapuntal' ...
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Changing the harmony of a motive ''by additions at the end,'' according to Schoenberg
Schoenberg says that the harmony of a motive may be changed ''[b]y additions at the end'' (Fundamentals of musical composition, page 10). He cites examples 25c-i to illustrate what he means (see ...
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How to analyze/spell this chord progression
I generally feel that I have a good intuition for chord naming, but know very few formal rules that apply to chromatic progressions like this one I wrote:
It seems obvious that one should avoid ...
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How would you analyze these chords in Tchaikovsky's Waltz Op39
I'm having trouble figuring out what's happening in the following bars of this piece in Eb major.
Bar 4: My best guess is that this spells out an Eb fully diminished 7 -- or idim7. (The F in beat 1 ...
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How to analyze this chord in Moonlight Sonata 3rd movement?
In Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata 3rd movement, I'd like to understand the Fx (double sharp) in measure 8.
Measure 8 has a bass of A and an arpeggio with the notes C# E Fx C# which sounds like an A7, ...
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How does one resolve the conflict between Renaissance theory of Cadences and the contradictions against it in Bach Chorales?
A level pupil.
Made the mistake of learning Renaissance cadence voicing way before starting A-level harmony course. There's a conflict of interest between the cadential progressions of the renaissance ...
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How would you analyze this harmony in Mamma by Tchaikovsky
Context: The piece is in G major.
What's going on, harmonically, in the 2nd and 3rd bars here? I'm confused by the first chord (c#be'b') of the 2nd bar and the 2nd chord of bar 3 (ec#g'b')?
So far I'm ...
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How can harmony be implied by melody [duplicate]
I'm just curious about allot of compositional techniques, and one of them is the concept of "implying" harmony because it can be useful for determining later harmonic lines for an already ...
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Why does a chord sound lower although the individual notes went up?
I was dabbling around on my keyboard and noticed a strange effect that I'd like to learn more about.
I'm sure this is a well-known effect that probably has a name, but it's a little hard to google ...
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Why are triads considered perfect chords and the basis which all extensions are built off of?
Why are triads considered perfect chords and the basis which all extensions are built off of?
I'm sort of posting the question from an ignorant standpoint but I do already have some prior knowledge. I ...
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Can multiple instruments make a chord?
This seems in line with the definition of chord
"three or more musical tones sounded simultaneously"
But do people commonly refer to a chord coming from multiple instruments? Then any set of ...
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Bob Marley - Could You Be Loved - why single note outside mode?
In Bob Marley's song "Could You Be Loved" popcorn picking is used which is a percussive sounding rhythm guitar technique.
The song is in B minor key and uses these cords: Bmi, D, Emi, F#mi, ...
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Progression iii-VI-ii-V-I too short
I'm composing a piece that goes like this for now (mainly a iii-VI-ii-V-I)
AbMaj9 - Gm7 (add11) - C9 - Fm11 - Bb13 - EbMaj9- Eb9 and I can loop that.
In terms of harmony, the progression goes well and ...
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How to interpret this awkward runs and base chord? La La Land Mia & Sebastian's Theme runs
In the last section of Mia and Sebastian's Theme from La La Land, there were a lot of quick runs. Upon transcription I found the relationship of the scale and the base chord is rather unusual.
First ...
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Why does this song sound sad even though it is uptempo-ish and in a major key?
"Rag Tag Army" by John Edmond
The song is uptempo-ish, and in C major without any mode mixture from C minor. There are A minor and E minor chords in it, yet none of them even end a phrase, ...
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Bass line and chord mismatch - Afternoon in Paris
In Lewis and Sacha Distel version of Afternoon in Paris, Distel only played section A and repeat when his solo ends at 4:41, then was the break. After the break, Lewis picked up the rest of the ...
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Beginner at composing - Harmonising a melody in imitation of Mozart's Klavierstück KV 33B
TL, DR :
I don't know how to harmonize this melody (explained below) and need help deblocking (questions at bottom)
I have been learning violin for a few years now and I wanted to learn how to compose ...
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How do I distinguish between chords going 'up' and chords going 'down' when writing a harmony?
I'm transcribing "Can't help falling in love" in D major. The first chord is D major and the second chord is F#m.
I know F# is the third note from the tonic. So harmonized it would be the ...
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What is this harmony in this pokemon battle theme?
Fair warning: I'm more-or-less a complete neophyte when it comes to music theory.
I Bede's theme from Pokemon Sword/Shield, there's a piano riffing in a descending manner in the harmony in a really ...
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How do I harmonize over a passing chord (chromatic)
How do I harmonize a melody over a passing chord? Especially if the passing chord has notes not found in the key of the song. Should I sing the passing chord tones, and harmonize with other tones ...
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What set of notes does a singer typically do compared to the set of notes instruments play in popular music?
Suppose a song is "in C" and a guitar and bass are playing the notes of C major.
If the singer sings only thirds above the instruments and we isolate the voice, we hear a melody in E ...
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Is it possible to approach hidden 5ths & 8ves by contrary motion?
is it possible to approach hidden 5ths & 8ves by contrary or oblique motion?
In another meaning every time there is contrary or oblique
motion between voices, are direct 5ths & 8ves allowed ...
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Why does this vi-ii-V-I progression evoke a sense of ii-V-I-vi?
Could someone assist me in analyzing the chord progression found in 'Save My Soul, Not My Ship' by Enjoy?
A brief caveat with regard to the title: please note that my analysis of the progressions may ...
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What's it called when the Melody and Harmony are half a measure out-of-sync?
As an example in caveman speak, the melody goes ONE-2-3-4-ONE-2-3-4, and the harmony goes 1-2-THREE-4,1-2-THREE-4.
I'm not sure this is actually an example of what I'm talking about, but in the intro ...
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Are non-string non-aerophone instruments suitable for chordal playing?
A friend has recently told me that while string instruments and aerophones are suitable for playing chords, bells and most other instruments are not. He said the reason is that when you play a certain ...
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Secondary leading tone chords that do not resolve
I'm trying to analyse the harmony of a piece I've been given and I'm having trouble rationalising its use of non-diatonic chords.
For context, I figured I should show the chord progression of a phrase ...
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Why do some sheet-music arrangements harmonize anticipation notes?
Throughout this arrangement from the song "Don't look back in anger" by the band "Oasis" the arranger seems to harmonize the anticipated melody note as shown in green. But the ...
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Roman numeral analysis: how to notate tonic root anticipation / triple suspension V7 I742 I?
Sometimes in a cadence between V7 and I there's a moment when an anticipated tonic root in the bass given on top of suspended 7^2^4^ from the V7 (triple suspension?). Two examples:
Beethoven op 10 no ...
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A minor scale definition: am I missing something?
I've recently had a discussion with a woman, let's call her Jane, who maintained that the A minor scale features G# rather than a natural G. According to her, the scale goes A, B, C, D, E, F, G#, A. ...
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Rachmaninoff - Piano Concerto No. 2 (1st movement) Tempo I - Bar 86 - why D not D flat?
In Rachmaninoff - Piano Concerto No. 2 (1st movement) Tempo I - Bar 86 -
Red box shows a D.
Green box shows a D.
Blue box shows a D flat.
My question is that what is the logic / why the Green box is ...
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Unusual chord progression: I7-VIImaj7 (#VIImaj7 ?)
So I came up with this little tune that roughly follows the standard 12-bar blues form but it substitutes the subdominant (IV7 chord) with VIImaj7. It sounds unusual but quite smooth and not jarring ...
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Why does a harmony part work well for one instrument, but doesn't for another?
I harmonized a short melody using block string chords. I used voice leading technique so the notes progress at stepwise motion. It sounds good. But it doesn’t sound good when I give the melody to ...
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Lydian harmony: What chords are tonic (T), subdominant (S), and dominant (D)?
The Lydian mode is the brightest-sounding mode and I am interested in how to utilize it.
Diatonic chords in Lydian = I, II, iii, ivø, V, vi, vii
What chords are tonic, subdominant, and dominant, in ...
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How can a descending chromatic scale be harmonized while staying in the key?
It's possible to harmonize a descending chromatic scale with consecutive dominant 7ths(the most common way), but that goes down the circle of fifths and takes the piece to a distant key. Is there any ...
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What purpose does the third measure of Bach's 'toccata and fugue in d minor' serve?
I'm looking for an explanation on the effect and reasoning of Bach's choices in the third measure of 'toccata and fugue in d minor'. I can only presume its a cadence to resolve the chord built in the ...
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Identifying a chord with seeming multiple suspended notes
I cannot figure out what would be the name for the chord containing these notes:
D,E,G in the key of C Major.
Also, does a sus2/4 exist. For example, Csus2/4 being C,D,F,G?
To make things clearer ...
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Are non-tonic or dominant pedal points still effective?
Pedal points are usually over scale degree 1 or 5, the former to seal the tonic in the listener's mind, and the latter to generate more tension than most other techniques in music.
It seems that there ...
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