harmonizing

[Derrick1642607670]

is there more than one way to do it? im trying to figure out a song that I thought uses guitar harmony but what im playing sounds wrong, the way ive been playing harmonys is take the note ie G and going up 2 whole steps and playing B maybe im just doing something wrong? help would be helpful

 

Thanks

[Billster]

Your description is vague, but basically the note you are harmonizing serves a function relative to the chord, and you should start by harmonizing with respect to the chord.

 

To go from your example, if the melody note is G, then you need to know the chord so that you can choose logical harmony notes. B won't necessarily function with all of the chords that G fits. You must also consider the overall key of the song.

[A String]

Well, there are a ton of ways to do harmonies, but generally, with major chords, you use 1,3,5.

 

With your example, the root note (first) of G would give the harmony notes of either C (third) or D (fifth).

[Derrick1642607670]

oh ok that clears things up a bit more now

[Billster]

With your example, the root note (first) of G would give the harmony notes of either C (third) or D (fifth).

 

Um, C would be the fourth. B is a third.

 

 

[A String]

With your example, the root note (first) of G would give the harmony notes of either C (third) or D (fifth).

 

Um, C would be the fourth. B is a third.

 

 

I'm so sorry Derrick. I wrote C and I meant to write B.

 

Thanks for the catch Billster.

[theTragicRich]

There are a bunch of different ways to harmonize with two guitars or any instrument, as they have said. Typically, a safe bet is to harmonize in 5ths, or the Octave. That's typically what's done in rock and metal as the harmonies are based off of perfect intervals which don't add "color" to the melody/riff being played.

 

Harmonies based off of the key signature that add some 'color' are typically done in 3rd's (Maj or min) and 6ths (also Maj or min). This is where you start to get rich melodies and more melodic harmonies as you follow the key signature/chords of the given song. If you haven't studied some basic theory, this probably sounds a bit daunting, but even a basic understanding of theory will help you in developing harmonies.

 

I've only studied basic theory, and I can't begin to tell you how helpful that was for me. It might be something to look into if you haven't already. Getting a basic idea of key signatures, chord voicings, and inversions are great tools for developing harmonies.

[Soulrock]

is there more than one way to do it? im trying to figure out a song that I thought uses guitar harmony but what im playing sounds wrong, the way ive been playing harmonys is take the note ie G and going up 2 whole steps and playing B maybe im just doing something wrong? help would be helpful

 

Thanks

 

Derrick, as a general rule, you want to stay within the scale you are playing. So if you want to harmonize in thirds play the note that is two notes higher in the scale. It will be either two whole steps(a major third) or one and a half steps(a minor third). In Em(aeolian or dorian as an example) the third of E is G(minor third) and the third of G is B(major third). It depends on which scale degree and which scale. This may be why it doesn't sound right to you if you are playing all major thirds.

 

[BillWelcome Home Studios]

As was said above, you need to know what key you are in, and how the notes relate to each other.

 

Each tme you put two notes together, that constitutes a simple chord.

 

Bill

[Derrick1642607670]

thanks guys

[tomtele]

which song is it if you don't mind me asking?

[Derrick1642607670]

i tried using the 5th instead of the 3rd and it still sounds iffy

 

http://youtube.com/watch?v=DrG0CVoG_ww it starts at 150ish

[A String]

Try this combination:

 

10-8--7--

12-10-8--

---------

---------

---------

---------

[Derrick1642607670]

im confused

[A String]

Sorry, impromptu tablature...

 

10th fret on the high E string and 12th fret on the B string. Then 8th on the high E and 10th on the B. Lastly 7th on the E and 8th on the B. Those are the notes that are being played in that little section, at around 1:53 (Those are just the notes, some are repeated or in different orders etc., but I figured that would give you something to work with).

[Derrick1642607670]

still not really making any sense to me, are you writing it out as double stops so I can play it by myself realtime?

[A String]

Yes, or play one of the pair and let someone else play the other. You were unsure about which notes were making up the harmonies, so I put them up for you.

[musicianmaker]

Learn your major scales!!! Then simply play thirds. Stop looking for easy tricks and learn some basic theory it will make everything easier in the long run.

[Guitar55]

Harmonizing guitar lines is no different than writing vocal harmonies. There is no right or wrong there are just guidelines and results that either sound good or don't. You've been given some good advice so far:

 

- Understand the key/mode you're playing in

 

- Understand the chord changes you're playing over and what notes are in those chords.

 

- Experiment. The 3rd or 5th are good starting points but think about what your'e trying to accomplish, what you want it to sound like. Give me a guitar line and I'll give you MANY variations on a harmony line.

 

In general, you want to stay in the same key/mode, but don't limit yourself. Very often "grace notes" or "outside" notes will really help you come up with interesting lines. Staying in parallel thirds or fifths will often produce results that sound sterile or "corny".

 

For some examples, listen to and dissect some of Duane & Dickie's work with the Allmans (Revival, the chorus of Whippping Post, Blue Sky), also listen to the harmonies on Thin Lizzy's "The Boys Are Back in Town".

 

 

[Corner Pocket]

Harmonizing guitar lines is no different than writing vocal harmonies. There is no right or wrong there are just guidelines and results that either sound good or don't.

 

Actually, in tonal music there are rules. If you know the rules and understand how to apply them, then harmony will come much easier and quicker, as opposed to trial and error.

 

Once you understand what function the chord has, in context of the key of the moment, then you will know what the chord tones are, and what the available (ex)tensions are. That's harmony.

 

There are only 4 functions a chord can perform, and there are only 12 notes to worry about....how hard can this be?

[Derrick1642607670]

ok... im sorry but somethings still not coming across could anyone listen to the first harmony line and tell what the interval or relationship of the two lines are? i've tried playing the third and fifth which neither worked, so then I just took the rif fup the neck and guessed chromatically which as well didnt work to well sorry for the troubles.

[A String]

The first two notes (10th and 12th fret) are root and third of the minor scale. (The minor scale has a flattened third, compared to the Major scale.)

[Derrick1642607670]

Oops were in d arent we? I was playing in G

Woooo it worked out this time thanks man now let me go try to apply it to something else and make sure I have this thing.

[Derrick1642607670]

Ok so yet again my brain fails,

 

 

G ----587--------

D -77------------

 

im taking that lick (in A minor) and trying to harmonize it the same way you did with the other lick, So I am to take the 3rd scale degree of each of these notes and that is my harmony line? sorry for not understanding this well ill keep rereading the other posts and see if that helps

[A String]

I would harmonize that, like this (to keep to the same feel of the other harmony):

 

B------4-8-7-

G--5-5-5-8-7-

D--7-7-------

 

It has a lot to do with the sound you want to get though. There are tons of ways to harmonize any given set of notes.

[Derrick1642607670]

ok thanks I have it now

[Caevan O’Shite]

Cool thread!

 

Yeah, 3rds 'n' 6ths are waaaay cool harmonizing tools, and actually often pretty easy to play as double-stops "solo"-all-by-yeself.

 

Try a little time spent noodling around "by ear", playing double-stops on the string-pairings of the 2nd & 3rd ("B" & "G" strings, respectively) and/or 1st & 2nd ("E" & "B"), for Major and minor 3rds. For 6ths, try the 2nd & 4th (skipping a string in-between) and 1st & 3rd pairings. This can reward you with some very useful fingerings & proto-licks for jamming...