Guitar Harmonizing
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Why play harmonies? - Simply put, this is the easiest way of "fattening" up a basic melody. What's cool is, if you know how to play the melody, all you have to do is move it up or down on the neck, and you'll be playing awesome harmonies in no time!
In this lesson I will only cover the harmonies wich I personally find most useful for rock situations. For simplicity, I have divided them up into "horrible sounding" and "strong sounding".
The "horrible" ones are b2, minor second, and b5, flat fifth/tritone.
The "strong" ones are perfect fourth and perfect fifth.
STOP! If you don't understand what this means, don't worry - We will go through exactly where to put the fingers. So you too can understand what a "b2" is, just read on...
Horrible Harmonies |
First, why would I even bother explaining how to achieve horrible, or dissonant, sounding harmony? Who wants to hear that?
- Well, many modern rock/metal bands use dissonant intervals to achieve an excotic, cool sound. Even though you might think that the dissonant harmonies presented here sound horrible, they will blend in perfectly when put under the right riff, maybe as a build-up for a strong chorus. In fact, a dissonant harmony passage can be the perfect complement for a strong, non-dissonant riff or tune. If you give it a try in different situations you will realise where they fit.
What are they?
Harmonizing with the minor second interval- notated as "b2" - simply means that you play a note that's one fret above. So if the main melody is playing...
e|--------------| b|--------------| g|---3----------| d|--------------| a|--------------| e|--------------| |
...you play... | e|--------------| b|--------------| g|---4----------| d|--------------| a|--------------| e|--------------| |
...or if the main melody is playing...
e|--------------| b|-------3-6----| g|---3-5--------| d|--------------| a|--------------| e|--------------| |
...you play... | e|--------------| b|-------4-7----| g|---4-6--------| d|--------------| a|--------------| e|--------------| |
Pretty easy, right? Now if we were to harmonize with a minor second downwards, we would get something like this...
| Main melody: e|--------------| b|-------3-6----| g|---3-5--------| d|--------------| a|--------------| e|--------------| |
...you play... e|--------------| b|-------2-5----| g|---2-4--------| d|--------------| a|--------------| e|--------------| |
The key is to understand that we are just moving one fret up or down when harmonizing with a b2.
The second horrible interval is the flat fifth, the "devil's interval", also notated as b5. In this case we are moving six frets up (or down). So if the main melody is playing...
e|--------------| b|-------3-6----| g|---3-5--------| d|--------------| a|--------------| e|--------------| |
...you play... | e|--------------| b|-------9-12---| g|---9-11-------| d|--------------| a|--------------| e|--------------| |
Strong Harmonies |
The strong harmonies don't need much promotion. They are very common, in fact, if you
 Harmonizing is an easy way for two guitarists to create a strong effect |
have a boring melody which you want to turn into a great one, the simplest way is by using this powerful tool. This is what we are so use to hearing Irion Maiden guitarists do.
The perfect fourth interval, is achieved by harmonizing five frets up or down.
The perfect fifth interval, is achieved by harmonizing seven frets up or down.
What to do now? |
2. Learn the example melody 3. Try harmonizing by playing the corresponding amounts of frets up or down. |
Use the the provided backings, note that the melody comprises of a fast and slow part, start by just harmonizing the slow part if you are having difficulties getting up to tempo.
Remember there is no right or wrong way to harmonize, only you can decide which interval sounds best to you.
In this lesson I have only given you four examples of intervals, there are however many more for you to try, why not have a go at a major third (four frets up), or a major sixth (nine frets up), etc.
Good luck in the world of harmonies,
Lesson Questions, Feedback & Comments |
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11th December 2006
and i want to ask-harmonizing can be used in singing?
