The principle
To harmonize means to choose chords (and a bass) that support a given melody. Each note of the melody can be the root, third, fifth, seventh, or tension of many different chords: the method serves to choose consciously.
8-step method
- Find the key and the final note.
- Mark the structural notes: long notes, notes on strong beats, arrival notes of phrases. The others (passing, neighbor) should not be harmonized individually.
- Decide the harmonic rhythm (1 chord per bar? 2?).
- Plan the cadences at the end of phrases (half cadence in the middle, authentic at the end).
- Choose candidate chords for each structural note (table below).
- Write the bass: prefer contrary motion against the melody and movement by step or by fifth.
- Fill in the inner voices with good voice leading (common tones, stepwise motion).
- Check the avoid notes: the melody must not hold a b9 above a chord note (a long F over Cmaj7, a long C over G7).
One note, many chords (melody E, C major)
| Chord | Role of E | Character |
|---|---|---|
| C | 3 | stable |
| Am | 5 | melancholic |
| Em | 1 | suspended |
| Fmaj7 | 7 | soft, pop |
| Dm9 | 9 | jazz, soul |
| A7 | 5 | push toward Dm |
| Bb7#11 | #11 | Lydian dominant, surprise |
| C#ø7 (C# E G B) | b3 | chromatic, leads to D7 or Dm |
| Gb7 (E = Fb, b7) | b7 | tritone, toward F |
Example: Frère Jacques (traditional melody) in C
Melody by bar: 1–2 C D E C; 3–4 E F G (long G); 5–6 G A G F (eighth notes) E C; 7–8 C G C (long C).
| Bars | Version 1 (triads) | Version 2 (pop) | Version 3 (jazz) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C | C – Am | Cmaj7 – Am7 |
| 2 | C | C – Am | Dm7 – G13sus4 |
| 3 | C | C – G | Cmaj7 – Em7 |
| 4 | C | Am – Em | Fmaj9 |
| 5 | C | F – C | Dm9 – C/E |
| 6 | C | G7 – C | G13 – Cmaj7 |
| 7 | C – G – C | C – G7 – C | Am7 – Dm7 – G7sus4 |
| 8 | C – G – C | C – G7 – C | Cmaj9 |
Checks: bar 2 version 3, D over Dm7 (root) and E C over G13sus4 (13 and 4) ✓; bar 5, G A G F over Dm9 (11, 5, 11, b3) ✓; bar 6, G A G F over G13 (1, 9, 1, b7) ✓. (Note: Frère Jacques is a round, so in the round version the harmony must stay simple.)
Alternative methods
- From the bass: write an interesting bass line first (descending, chromatic), then find the chords that connect bass and melody.
- Block chords: all the voices follow the melody in parallel (4-way close, drop 2); each note of the melody has a chord.
- Modal: a single mode and few characteristic chords (Dorian: i – IV).
- With a pedal: a fixed bass and chords above (great for intros and ambient).
- Chromatic reharmonization: after finding a functional version, replace some chords with secondary dominants, subV, modal borrowing.
Common mistakes
- Harmonizing every note (even the passing ones): the result is heavy.
- Parallel octaves and fifths between bass and melody.
- Weak cadences at the end of important phrases.
Producer exercise
Take the melody of your last chorus, delete the chords, and reharmonize it in three styles (triads, pop with borrowed chords, jazz with extensions) following the method. Choose the best one or combine them between the first and second repetition.
Related topics
Reharmonization, advanced reharmonization, chord-scale theory and avoid notes, voice-leading rules, diatonic substitution.