Harmony for Composers (Part 10): Harmonizing Melodies

Summary

In this final video of a 10-part harmony series, the creator walks through harmonizing a short melody in the key of C major. The process includes choosing a chord palette, identifying key notes, and applying functional harmony with a strong-weak pattern. The video delves into how to select chords based on melody, harmonic rhythm, and voice leading, while addressing various harmonic concepts like seventh chords, modal borrowing, and dissonance. The creator also shares their creative process and the value of their patrons' support. It's a comprehensive conclusion to the series, offering a solid foundation in harmony for aspiring composers.

Takeaways

• 😀 Functional harmony focuses on the relationship between chords in a key, ensuring strong voice leading and coherence in a chord progression.
• 😀 A chord palette defines the set of chords a composer can choose from, and for this video, the focus was on using functional harmony within the key of C major.
• 😀 Identifying the most important notes in a melody, such as those that occur on strong beats or are held the longest, is key to building a suitable harmonic progression.
• 😀 The harmonic rhythm, or how many chords you use per measure, is an important consideration when harmonizing a melody, with one chord per measure being a good starting point.
• 😀 Functional harmony follows a pattern of strong and weak beats, typically alternating between tonic, subdominant, and dominant chords to create a balanced progression.
• 😀 The relationship between chords, particularly tonic (I), subdominant (IV), and dominant (V), forms the foundation for most chord progressions in functional harmony.
• 😀 Modal modulation allows the composer to borrow chords from parallel modes like Lydian or Mixolydian, but it's important to establish the key first before introducing these borrowed chords.
• 😀 The strength of a chord can be determined by the placement of its notes, especially those on downbeats or repeated notes. The tonic and dominant chords play crucial roles in establishing a key.
• 😀 Repetition and note placement on strong beats (beats 1 and 3 in 4/4 time) help prioritize important notes, which should inform chord choices for harmony.
• 😀 Voice leading is crucial for smooth transitions between chords. In this video, a decision was made to raise certain notes an octave to improve clarity and avoid muddy harmonies.
• 😀 The final progression was evaluated for dissonance and voice leading, with some experimentation leading to unconventional but effective harmonic choices, such as the use of a b-flat major 7 chord.

Q & A

What is a chord palette and why is it important in this harmonization process?

A chord palette is the selection of chords that the composer allows themselves to use for harmonizing a melody. It's important because it helps the composer make informed choices that align with the key and harmonic goals of the piece. In this case, the composer sticks to functional harmony in C major and chooses to include seventh chords but avoid extensions and modal chords initially.

What are the 'most important notes' in a melody, and how are they identified?

The most important notes in a melody are those that occur on strong beats or are held the longest. In 4/4 time, beats 1 and 3 are considered strong, so notes played on those beats or held for longer durations are prioritized for harmonic consideration.

What role does harmonic rhythm play in the harmonization process?

Harmonic rhythm refers to how frequently the chords change within a measure. In this process, the composer chooses to stick with one chord per measure to maintain simplicity and allow for smooth voice leading and harmonic clarity.

How does functional harmony influence the chord selection?

Functional harmony is a system where chords are categorized into functions based on their role in the progression (tonic, dominant, subdominant). The composer follows a strong-weak pattern for the first five measures, with tonic and dominant chords typically being more emphasized, and uses the traditional subdominant to dominant resolution to end the phrase.

Why did the composer choose C major for the first measure, despite the presence of other options?

The composer chose C major because it is the tonic chord of the key, which helps to establish the key firmly from the start. The composer also avoided modal chords at this stage to prioritize a strong sense of tonality in C major.

What did the composer mean by 'strong' and 'weak' chords?

'Strong' chords are those that fulfill a tonic or dominant function, usually the I (tonic) or V (dominant) chords in the key. 'Weak' chords, typically subdominant (ii, IV), have a less resolved or final sound and are used in less final positions in the progression.

What was the significance of using the G major chord in measure 2?

The G major chord was used because it serves as the dominant (V) chord in the key of C major. It helps to establish the tonality of C major more firmly before moving into other chord choices.

Why did the composer remove the third from the B-flat major seven chord?

The B-flat major seven chord was initially chosen for its dissonant sound, but upon further consideration, the composer realized that it did not fit the strong-weak harmonic pattern. Removing the third from the chord created a more open sound and aligned better with the overall progression.

What role does repetition play in harmonic decision-making?

Repetition of notes can give them more importance in the harmony. Notes that repeat more frequently or occur on the downbeat (beats 1 and 3) are given priority when selecting chords, as they often carry more weight in shaping the harmonic structure.

Why did the composer switch to a different harmonic strategy after encountering difficulties with the B-flat major seven chord?

The composer decided to try a new harmonic strategy by shifting from a strict strong-weak pattern to a tonic-subdominant-dominant pattern. This allowed more flexibility in chord choices and better suited the harmonic structure of the melody.