What Are Harmonies? Harmony Basics In Songwriting

Harmony, melody and rhythm are core elements of music. So, what exactly are harmonies? 

Harmony is the sound of two or more notes heard simultaneously, creating pleasing effects and enriching the auditory experience. Here's a simple way to visualize harmonies: They are the vertical aspect of music, as contrasted with the horizontal aspect, the melody. 

Harmony, rooted in the Greek word "harmonia," brings depth and richness to music, and it's crucial in establishing a song's mood and emotion. Chords, made up of multiple notes played together, are the building blocks of harmony. 

Whether you listen to classical compositions or modern pop songs, harmonies are an essential part of the music's structure and character.

Understanding harmonic roles helps you not only appreciate how different chords evoke different feelings, but as a songwriter it gives you the tools to apply harmony in your craft.

For example, major chords often sound happy and uplifting, while minor chords can feel more sad or serious. Once you can grasp these concepts, you can use them to communicate your ideas and emotions as you write songs.

What Are Harmonies?

Harmony adds depth and texture to music by combining different notes to create chords. It helps shape a composition's emotional and expressive qualities. Understanding the basics of creating harmonies is one of the key building blocks of writing songs.

I know some of these concepts might sound like alien language in the beginning, but trust me, once you grasp the basics, it will all start making sense.

The Basics

Notes

Musical harmony is a core element of music theory, and it begins with notes. A note is a single sound with a specific pitch. When you play or sing two or more notes simultaneously, you get an interval (two notes) or a chord (three or more notes).

Chords

Chords are built by stacking notes in specific patterns. The most common chords are major and minor chords. 

A major chord consists of the root note, a major third, and a perfect fifth. For example, a C major chord includes C (root), E (major third), and G (perfect fifth).

A minor chord includes the root note, a minor third, and a perfect fifth. For example, an A minor chord consists of A (root), C (minor third), and E (perfect fifth). 

These structures form the basis of many songs and musical pieces.

Harmony in Western Music

In Western music, harmony often follows specific chord progressions. A chord progression is a sequence of chords played in a particular order. 

Common progressions like the I-IV-V-I are fundamental in creating a sense of movement and resolution in music.

Triads

Major triads and minor triads are building blocks in Western harmony. 

A major triad gives a happy or bright sound, while a minor triad produces a sad or melancholic tone. Understanding these concepts helps in crafting harmonic backgrounds for melodies.

Chords can expand beyond the triads; for example, seventh chords add an extra note to the triad for a more complex sound. 

You should experiment with different notes and chords to discover rich and varied harmonic textures in your compositions.

The Role of Scales

Scales are essential in understanding how harmonies are created. They serve as the foundation for constructing melodies and harmonizing those melodies into chords that add depth and emotion to music.

Major Scales

Major scales are composed of seven notes in a specific pattern: whole, whole, half, whole, whole, whole, half steps. This pattern creates a familiar and bright sound often associated with happy and uplifting music. For example, the C major scale includes the notes C, D, E, F, G, A, and B.

Minor Scales

Minor scales have a different sequence of intervals: whole, half, whole, whole, half, whole, whole. This alters the mood and tone to sound more melancholic or serious. A common example is the A minor scale, which includes the notes A, B, C, D, E, F, and G.

Both major and minor scales are used to build chords, which are necessary for harmonizing in major or minor key signatures.

Chordal Structures

Scales provide the framework for chordal structures by offering a set of notes that can be combined. 

For example, chords built on the major scale can be in root position or various inversions in a major key signature, contributing to a piece's harmonic richness.

Triads are the simplest chords, consisting of three notes: the root, third, and fifth. Building a triad on the C major scale gives you the C, E, and G notes, forming a C major chord.

The chords in the minor scale might be minor, diminished, or major, adding complexity and emotional depth. For instance, an A minor chord includes the notes A, C, and E. 

Combining these chords effectively allows you to create rich, immersive harmonies in your music.

Harmony in Practice

Consonant Harmonies

Consonant harmonies are pleasing to the ear and create a sense of resolution. These harmonies typically involve intervals such as thirds, fifths, and sixths. For example, singing a major third above the melody note blends seamlessly, providing a smooth, harmonious sound.

Dissonant Harmonies

Dissonant harmonies add tension and complexity. They often involve seconds, sevenths, or tritones. These intervals create a sense of unease or anticipation, which can be resolved by moving to a consonant harmony. 

Using both consonant and dissonant harmonies creatively can add depth to your music.

I think dissonants can add an interesting and unique sound to your song's harmony, but be sure not to overuse it or the song might start feeling chaotic.

Function and Progression

Harmonic progressions, or the succession of chords, are foundational in musical composition. 

A common progression is from the tonic chord (I) to the dominant chord (V) and back to the tonic. This creates a feeling of departure and return, which is satisfying to the listener.

Creating harmonies within these progressions is about understanding the role each chord plays. The tonic chord provides stability, while the dominant chord introduces tension that leads back to stability. 

Using chords such as the dominant seventh can add layers of interest before resolving back to the tonic. 

Mastering these progressions will help you take your musical arrangements to a professional level.

Types of Harmony in Music Genres

Pop and Modern Harmony

Pop and modern music focus on simple, catchy harmonies that support the melody and convey strong emotional messages.

Diatonic harmony is very common in pop music, using chords from the key to create pleasing and familiar progressions.

In genres like jazz, non-diatonic harmony introduces more intricate and unexpected elements. This kind of harmony adds a unique flavor, often through the use of extended chords and improvisation.

Vocal harmonies are essential in pop music, from background harmonies in chart-topping hits to intricate acapella arrangements. These harmonies often follow the lead melody, creating a fuller and richer sound.

Using stacks of 3 or even more vocal harmonies in a pop song is a true and tried trick of the biggest producer names, for example, to help lift the chorus of a song. In fact, today, it's rare to have a song without vocal harmony stacks at some point in the song.

Practical Tips

My approach for getting killer vocal harmonies down: Once I've recorded the artist singing solid lead takes, I listen to the song and imagine what parts could use an emotional lift to support the lead vocal. I then work out a few different harmony lines with the artist and we start trying them out. 

At this point, it becomes easy to spot what works and which line might be a little too much. Then, it's just a question of getting the artist to nail the takes on the important lines.

If you're a producer or songwriter who's not much of a singer, my one tip for you here is don't be afraid to hum your harmony ideas to the artist. It doesn't have to be perfect; you won't be singing it on the record! If you hear a cool harmony that would add to the song, just blurt it out. The artist will do their thing and make it sound amazing if it's a fit.

It's good to start with the basic triad harmonies and then experiment with more complex lines: one line could be a diatonic harmony, a third above the melody, and another fourth below, completing the triad.

Sometimes, a vocal harmony creating a dissonant sound at key points against the lead vocal can also work well. Just follow the basic rules we've discussed and trust your instincts. You'll know if you took it too far.

Classical Harmony

In classical music, harmony plays a central role in composition. 

Composers use diatonic harmony derived from the scales associated with the key signature, which creates a sense of stability and resolution.

The use of non-diatonic harmony, such as chromaticism, introduces tension and drama. Works by composers like Beethoven and Mozart exemplify these approaches, blending simple harmonies with complex, unexpected chord progressions.

Vocal harmonies are also prominent and often found in choral pieces. These layers of voices create rich textures and enhance the emotional depth of the music.

Analyzing Harmonies

The Use of Different Harmonies

Different types of harmony play unique roles in music. 

Consonant harmonies create a pleasant and stable sound, often used in favorite songs for a soothing effect. In contrast, dissonant harmonies add tension and excitement.

Musicians often rely on diatonic harmony, staying within a musical key. Yet, chromatic harmony steps outside these boundaries, adding spice and complexity. 

Some instruments bring out harmonies more clearly than others. The piano, for example, provides a rich harmonic foundation, while a violin might weave harmonies subtly into the melody.

Harmony and Emotion

Harmonies significantly influence the emotional tone of music. 

Major keys often sound happy or triumphant, while minor keys evoke sadness or mystery. This key choice underpins the harmony's emotional impact.

Specific harmonies can trigger strong emotional responses. 

A minor seventh chord might convey longing or nostalgia, while an augmented chord can create a sense of unease or anticipation. Your favorite songs likely use harmony to evoke these feelings, connecting on a deeper emotional level.

Additionally, the interplay between melody and harmony shapes the overall mood. Even a simple C major chord can feel different depending on the context - whether it resolves tension or introduces brightness.

Conclusion

Harmony is one of the key elements of music. Understanding the history and rules of harmony is important for writing professional-level songs. 

It's essential in creating both consonant and dissonant chords. Whether it's the close harmony in popular music or the more complex arrangements in string quartets, the choice of chords and their progression shapes the music's overall character.

The melody of a song interacts with the harmony, creating a dynamic and expressive soundscape. The bass line supports the chord tones, while non-harmonic tones add depth and interest. From the simplest three-note chords to the more intricate atonal harmonies used in classical music, harmony provides a sense of unity and structure in music. 

Understanding these elements allows you to craft songs that resonate emotionally.

About the author

Tero Potila is a professional music composer and producer. His career combining knowledge and experience from music, TV, film, ad, and game industries gives him a unique perspective that he shares through posts on teropotila.com.