Harmonic Construction Essentials - Quick Notes

Definition

  • 22 or more parts singing or playing musical notes a few tones or semitones apart; this creates chords/harmonies.

Harmonic Systems

  • Major and Minor Harmonic Systems – Key Signatures: notes available in that key; choosing that key affects mood/feel; the key choice may indicate purpose for using it.

Harmonic Intervals

  • Chord progression concept: each chord is assigned a harmonic degree, commonly shown as roman numerals: I,II,III,IV,V,VI,VIII, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII.

Consonant and Dissonant Harmony

  • Consonant: notes that sound good together (e.g., middle C and G; interval of a fifth).
  • Dissonant: notes that sound jarring (e.g., middle C and C#; minor second).
  • Could be referred to as clashing, bitonal, atonal.

Bass Line Construction Against Melody

  • Bassline provides foundation on which the melody rides; with the sturdy foundation of the bass and other rhythm section instruments, the melody is free to do more.

Scales – Pentatonic

  • Pentatonic scale: 55 notes per octave; contrast to heptatonic scales, which have 77 notes per octave.

Reference Video

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuraAIKyPiQ (watch from 1:37)