Musical Elements: Harmony

Musical Elements: Harmony

Basics of Harmony

  • Harmony refers to the combination of simultaneously sounded musical notes to produce chords and chord progressions.
  • It complements melody and can be horizontal, identifying musical lines, or vertical, referring to chords.

Chord Progressions

  • Chord progressions define the sequence of chords, often associated with a particular tonality or key.
  • They can follow a pattern of tonic, subdominant, dominant, and then back to tonic.
  • Another common pattern is the cycle of fifths, which involves a sequence where each chord is a fifth lower than the last.

Modulation

  • Modulation is shifting from one key to another within a piece.
  • The pivot chord is common for modulation, acting as a bridge between the two keys.
  • Modulation creates variation and contrast, often used to signify a change in mood or scene.

Consonance and Dissonance

  • Consonance and dissonance often refer to the degree of harmoniousness or tension among notes played together.
  • Consonance is often perceived as a resolution, producing a sense of satisfaction.
  • Dissonance gives an impression of instability, and usually demands resolution.

Voicing

  • Voicing is how the notes of a chord are spread out within the chord.
  • Closed voicing occurs when notes are as close together as possible. Open voicing is when notes are spread out over a wide range.
  • Changing the voicing can greatly influence the sound of a chord even if it has the same notes.

Extensions and Alterations

  • Extensions add extra notes to a chord, increasing its complex tonality.
  • Alterations refer to changing a note in the chord to a nearby note, usually a semitone above or below.
  • Both can provide diversity and complexity, often used in jazz and other advanced harmonic systems.

Harmony in Different Musical Styles

  • Classical music features diatonic harmony with frequent modulation.
  • Jazz music utilises complex harmonies with many extensions and alterations.
  • Rock music typically makes use of straightforward major and minor chords.
  • Pop music uses a wide range of harmonies, from simple triads to complex jazz chords.