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.