How to Harmonize a Melody in a Minor Key - Music Theory
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 พ.ค. 2024
- This music theory lesson teaches you how to harmonize a melody with chords in a minor key on the piano. The video focuses on how to choose the most effective chords for the given melody and also investigates the particular challenges of writing harmony in a minor key. Dealing with the augmented 2nd between the 6th and 7th degrees of a minor scale is a particular consideration, along with the implications of using the harmonic and melodic versions of the minor scale. The spacing of parts and obeying the ‘rules of harmony’ are also covered. Useful for anyone wanting to harmonize a melody in a minor key.
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🕘 Timestamps
0:00 - Introduction to how to harmonize a melody in a minor key
1:41 - How to tell we're in a minor key
5:22 - Planning the chords
8:21 - Using chords in minor keys
10:41 - Thinking about cadences
14:43 - Choosing the rest of the chords
16:56 - Writing the parts
20:21 - Playing through the piece
20:35 - Adding some decoration
21:17 - Final play through
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This is the best music theory teacher i ever saw. He is so clear to follow. His courses must really be worthwhile!
That’s most kind. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme. If you value this channel and would like to help us continue to share and develop the content please consider supporting us as a level 1 Maestro by clicking here th-cam.com/channels/8yI8P7Zi3yYTsypera-IQg.htmljoin Alternatively you can express your support for the channel by clicking on the Super Thanks button beneath any of our videos. Thank you.
Love those videos, they are some of the absolute best for music theory I've ever watched on youtube!
That is most kind. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk
Absolutely incredible explanation and I was impressed how pretty this mini tune sounded at the end, the inverted II-dim really gave it some interesting edge, I seem to really love diminished chords :)
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“A lot of textbooks recommend avoiding chord seven because it is diminished.”
I am forever grateful that by random chance I bought a book of Irish folk music as my very first song book when starting to learn the guitar. To my delight found it was filled not only with Irish music, as was expected, but that Irish music is positively brimming with diminished chords, and plenty of 7ths, 9ths, 13ths, and the like. Not to mention all sorts of wonderful rhythms, and of course that’s not even starting on the melodies that the Irish are particularly famous for crafting with such skill.
All in all it was a pretty big win.
That’s brilliant. Enjoy!
We call them leprechaun chords
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Very useful. You make it so simple! Thanks so much 🙏🏻
A pleasure. See www.mmcourses.co.uk for much more.
Excellent Video sir. Very well Simplified. Thank you so much.
A pleasure.
Impeccable! Thanks so much!
A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk
Great help. Thank you very much
Glad it’s helpful. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk
Amazing! Thank you
A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme. If you value this channel and would like to help us continue to share and develop the content please consider supporting us as a level 1 Maestro by clicking here th-cam.com/channels/8yI8P7Zi3yYTsypera-IQg.htmljoin Alternatively you can express your support for the channel by clicking on the Super Thanks button beneath any of our videos. Thank you.
Thankyou. Your videos are so easy to understand
That’s great. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme.
Such a good teacher
You’re too kind.
Gareth explains concepts so well. The material never seems overwhelming. I like the way Gareth suggests using your ear as a guide. I think there is a natural desire to learn the rules of music, but the most important consideration is how does the music sound?
It’s a pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our 25 online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme.
I wish you would play examples more, but I love your videos. I’ve had no education in music theory but like watching these videos.
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That was one of the best lessons i have ever attended. Youre a great teacher. Thank you.
You’re most kind. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk
If you mind not, i love composing, and would want to know of you can edit some of my hymns.
Thank you Sir, this lesson means a lot to me. Regards.
A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our 25 online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme.
Very helpful. thank you so much. I only learned how to do it for major before and always wondering how should I harmonize minor. I feel I should use harmonic scale but was shocked to see those two diminished chords and one aug chord. Now I know I can at least use one of them. :)
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I'm going to have to watch this one twice. ;) Lots of good information here. Thanks!
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Very interesting details
I’m glad it’s helpful
I make most of my music by trial and error. My theory is weak, but I keep learning about it and there are little moments where theory helps me when I am not sure what to do next. Thanks for this video!
It’s a pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk
Nice lessons👍
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Very, very good!
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Thank you.
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Thank you very much.
A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme. If you value this channel and would like to help us continue to share and develop the content please consider supporting us as a level 1 Maestro by clicking here th-cam.com/channels/8yI8P7Zi3yYTsypera-IQg.htmljoin Alternatively you can express your support for the channel by clicking on the Super Thanks button beneath any of our videos. Thank you.
@@MusicMattersGB Thank you :)
😀
Man thank you sooo much. Greetings from 🇫🇷
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according to Walter piston harmony book the interrupted cadence is V resolving to II, III OR VI
even though my traditional harmony teacher just mentioned the V to VI
thank you for using those I II III IV V VI VII as numbers not as litters (i ii iii iv V VI vii).
I use 6 for the 1st inversion and 6 for 2nd inversion
4
Using the Figured Bass to describe inversions is absolutely fine. Yes - V Vl is usually what’s regarded as an Interrupted Cadence.
Sublime!
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Awesome 👀💕
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tyvm
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very good
Many thanks. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk
Really great demonstration. The treatment of the melodic minor is a bit perfunctory. The upper tetrachord of the melodic minor has arguably generated the whole of jazz harmony's extended chords, so it's not just melodic in function, and also I believe it was Stravinsky (possibly Hindemith) who explained this as an area of harmony that is only neutralized once the harmonic movement upwards or downwards is completed by a cadence, at which point the movement can switch from ascending to descending or vice versa. The modal jazz of the 1950s, plus the success of recordings of Gregorian Chant and other early European music on the one hand, and various modal experiments in composed music (Messiaen for instance) has perhaps made us less demanding about cadences.
That’s all absolutely true. Of course this exercise belongs to the Western tonal system of 1600-1900, after which music moved in many different directions.
@@MusicMattersGB Yes but the melodic minor was also well established during that period. I don't know that I really believe Stravinsky's explanation. I don't think I've ever seen a really convincing treatment. Waiting for your fine touch no doubt!
Absolutely true re the melodic minor scale. Interesting re Stravinsky!
Hi Gareth, may I also thank you for your excellent video
series on music theory delivered with conviction, knowledge and compassion. While
I’m here, I was wondering if could you clarify the situation concerning the
chord on the Mediant in a minor key as there seems not to be a consensus in academic
circles. Some sources leave this as a Major triad, sharpening the 7th
degree only within the Dominant and Leading note chords, preferring the natural
minor form to produce a major triad. Any light you may be able to shed on this
issue would be most gratefully received. Thanks once again, Trevor
Hi Trevor. Thanks for your kind comments. Good question re lll in a minor key. Basically we use the harmonic minor scale in relation to harmony, which leaves lll in the minor key as an augmented chord. It’s the only diatonic chord that is augmented and needs handling with care. Nevertheless it can be very expressive eg lll in a minor key with the leading note progressing up to the tonic makes a very pleasing progression. There are times when the harmony has to blend with the melody, where we will more likely use the melodic minor scale. In the melodic minor descending scale the leading note is not raised and that’s where the use of lll would need to be major in order to avoid a clash.
@@MusicMattersGB Hi Gareth, thank you very much for your prompt and most helpful reply to my question. Your suggestion to be mindful of the context in which these chords arise has given me a lot of food for thought. All the very best for now, Trevor.
That’s great. Enjoy!
@@MusicMattersGB what a nice answer. This was my question as well, thank you 😊🌷
I actually like using a diminished ii chord in root position, especially if it's followed by a perfect cadence, because it creates some dramatic bass movement. Using F# minor as the key, for example, going from a G#o7 to a C#7 to F#m, and the bass starts on G# (top space of the bass staff), drops a 5th to C#, and then pops back up a 4th to F#, especially if the other voices have minimal movement, does sound pretty nice and big. Or, starting on low G# (bottom line of the bass staff), go up a 4th to C#, and then another 4th to F#, that sounds huge, but definitely requires some intentional setup if you're having your basses hovering all the way down there.
That certainly works. Many composers would put the diminished chord in first inversion but one is not obliged to.
@@MusicMattersGB Thanks Gareth! While I really like the sound of those three chords together, that's the only way I've gotten a diminished ii in root position to work. I sometimes wonder if the reason most composers don't use a diminished ii chord in root position is for voice leading purposes. For example, to avoid consecutive parallel motion, since the ii often goes to i or III. Or, if you were to do root ii to root VI, that G# to D interval (tritone) is a little jarring. But, first inversion opens up more options. Who knows... haha! Just a guess. Anyways, love your content, as always!
I agree. Voice leading can be an issue. Also having the tritone exposed as the outer notes rather than being concealed between the parts.
Very nice explanations. So technically the contrary motion in a soprano and bass is for making a space for another voices, right? if I may, I've two sugestions. 1) Try to look at the camera not the screen. 2) If is it possible, try do more examples with piano not only five-line examples. I mean, if you say something like "It sounds ugly, try to avoid it." please let us hear that. As chords progression too, when you explain why we should use first inversion of diminished chord. Thanks :)
Contrary motion between soprano and bass is primarily in order to create better polarity between the outer parts and it helps to avoid the writing of consecutive 5ths and 8ves. That’s a fair point re piano illustration. The camera and the screen are the same thing in our setup. Enjoy!
If you got the notes of the descending melodic minor in an ascending passage wouldn't that be the same as the natural minor or have I got the wrong end of the stick? So many great videos - thank you so much.
Yes. The descending melodic minor is the same as the natural minor
Sir you are really awesome. I have learned a lot from you.
Just a question about this minor key,
This is a question about melody writing, in that the opening had B flat as its key signature and started on D. It had no C sharp. (no C even) so, what key is it? F major or d minor.?
D is the tonic of D minor but it’s the 6th degree in the scale of F major so that makes D minor more likely. Also worth looking at the chord implications of the melody to see if they point to D minor or F major. The evidence here points to the minor key.
@@MusicMattersGB Thank you so much. Thank you for your quick reply and for your explanation.
Love from🇱🇰
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Is it a rule of thumb to always first try all possible chords in root position before trying inversions? Is there a reason why you'd prefer a chord in root position over another chord in inversion? Thank you!
Most conventional music contains a mixture of inversions. There are generally more root position chords than first inversion chords but too many of either usually starts to tell. Much depends on how well a chord progresses to another eg C major first inversion progresses well to F major root position because the bass line moves by step.
What happens if we want to use Super Locrian bb7 or Mixolydian #1 in a Melody context would it be a good move to harmonize it with a Harmonic Major Mode/Scale?
If it sounds good go for it.
@@MusicMattersGB Thank you, I'll give it a go!
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if chord 7 in any of its invertion helping for the contrary motion of the bass line we can use chord 7 also know sir....?
You can do but it’s often less successful in root position.
can u do a piece of melody wch is about 16 or 24 bars long....(minor scale melody) along with the modulations to its one of relative majors or dominant or sub dominat key....
by seeing u harmonize long melody we understand even better cz in practical life examples we have lenghty melodies to harmonize....
so request from my side plz take a minor melody of 16 bars lenght with modulation and harmozie 4 parts for us....❤❤❤❤
love u sir....
wish u greath health.....🎉🎉🎉🎉❤❤❤
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what happen with the minor key relative to the major key for example a minor with c major ? It goes I minor ii diminished III major iv minor v minor VI major VII major
That’s the pattern for the natural minor
What is Ic (one c) that he is using in the beginning of the cadence?
Chord l is the Tonic chord. C refers to the second inversion of that chord ie when the tonic of the chord is in the Bass we call it a; when the 3rd of the chord is in the bass we call it b; when the 5th of the chord is in the bass we call it c.
Music Matters, thank you! I pieced that together by the end of the video and I appreciate you clarifying. Your videos are great and very helpful to me as a budding composer.
That’s great. See www.mmcourses.co.uk for much more.
I am a composer with a sort of ancient sensibility. Often melodies occur to me in modal forms, specially Dorian, Mixolydian and the natural minor. Do you have any help for harmonizing these beyond my laborious trial and error system?
It’s great using the modes. Basically harmonise in the conventional way but use notes only from the mode and watch out/ listen out for awkward intervals, especially tritones which are best avoided.
@@MusicMattersGB That's, that's basically what I've been doing, but sometimes it takes a good deal of sweat and tears to get something that is appropriate and interesting, and not sound medieval. Often resort to extended cords and suspensions, just wondering if there any short cuts. Thanks awfully for responding. I'll think more about avoiding tritones.
I think you’re on it. Extended chords and suspensions work really well.
Question. What if I am working with the natural minor scale where the E isn't raised? Should I still use the V chord with a raised E? Or should I use E natural?
Make sure accidentals in the melody match with accidentals in the harmony.
this is a pretty late response but if you're trying to keep a piece in the natural minor scale, then with this key that'd preclude E#. just note the minor v chord makes for a weaker resolution than the major V, without the leading tone in the V chord it just doesn't have the same pull, but it's not like, a bad chord progression or anything. if you're staying in natural minor, one potential cadence to play around with is bVII - i, possibly extended to iv - bVII - i, aka the "backdoor cadence". bVI - bVII - i is another possible extension that sounds rather nice.
if you want to maintain a "classical" sound though, the strong, concrete resolution of the major V - i is gonna have a lot more utility towards that end.
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Make sure you use the correct Roman numerals when distinguishing minor triads and major.
That depends on whether you’re using Basic Roman or Extended Roman as your system. I’ve used Basic Roman to keep things as straight forward as possible. You can of course use Extended Roman if you wish to distinguish major chords from minor chords.
That sentence at 9:20 "so if you want to stab someone in the shower" caught me off guard 😅😅😅
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thank you loads. but what's 1c and 1b
are they inversions?
Yes. b is a first inversion chord. c is a second inversion chord.
@@MusicMattersGB thank you :)
Now only when I am really old do I realise why I failed music lessons in school. 3 bars and one needs 20 minutes to figure it out
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What to do if there is a subtonic (lowered degree 7) on a strong beat in the melody?
Harmonise with a chord that fits it or treat it as an inessential note.
@@MusicMattersGB Yes but there arent many chords that fit it, are there? Of course, with extended chords there are many options, but what chords would classical composers have chosen? They didnt use III, V needs to have the 7 raised, and vii, as far as I am aware, is also used basically always with a raised 7, so what am I even left with? As for treating it as an inessential note, I suppose that is possible sometimes, but what if, say, you have a fixed harmonic rhythm of 1 or 2 chords per bar and the subtonic just happens to be the only melody not in that beat or bar? It would sound very jarring to have a dissonant chord in that situation. So far, I really havent been able to figure out how to harmonize this without major 7th or otherwise extended or "nonstandard" chords. Love your videos by the way, and merry christmas!
You could modify the accidental in the chord.
@@MusicMattersGB So it would be acceptable to have a chord like minor v or III or vii with a natural 7th then? Say I am in c minor, and my melody goes Bb, would chords such as g minor or E major (not augmented) really be idiomatic there? I am a bit confused about this, because I never see those chords in real music.
Bb or Gm or Eb would all fit.
how to learn grade 6 trinity music theory syllabus from u sir....?
You can follow our advanced theory course at www.mmcourses.co.uk
The focus is on ABRSM but much of the Trinity syllabus is covered.
@@MusicMattersGB tq soo much sir
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Excellent. Another outstanding vid presented in a direct, concise and well-explained manner. Well done. Thanks a lot. BUT...you're still NOT introducing yourself. Say your name so people will know who's providing this superior info.
We have taken that on board so when we record the next batch we will do so. Thanks for the reminder!
Why would the seventh be expressed as E# rather than F natural? In my limited experience there is no such thing as E#. Thanks!
Have a look at our video on this very subject!
not me trying to learn music theory for a song about dying in space
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🙌🙏🎉
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I keep thinking I hear him saying E Sharp at around 4 minutes and those words together confuse me...
E# is of course a legitimate note. It’s the same as (an enharmonic equivalent) of F natural. We use it for example as the 7th degree of the scale of F#.
@@MusicMattersGB thank you for the reply, I am trying to learn music theory and my only reference is a fretboard on a guitar.
Have a look at our online theory courses at www.mmcourses.co.uk
@@MusicMattersGB thank you
So from a layman’s perspective, it’s an F ; but it’s an issue in annotation and the proper way to write it in that context?
@rodneybrown2364 Absolutely
Ah, elementary part writing, where the tenor line is in 3rds/6ths with the melody, and the altos get stuck with as many repeated notes as possible :-)
You’ve got it exactly. Best place to start, from where people can then expand and become more adventurous.
@@MusicMattersGB Do the recurring notes apply to viola parts as well?
It’s often effective in smoothing harmonic progression.
E #? Do you mean F?
E# and F are the same note but they are what we call enharmonic equivalents ie they sound the same but look different. In F# Minor, for example, the key must deliver one of each letter name - FGABCDEF. Then add the sharps from the key signature - F# G# A B C# D E F# Now we need to raise the 7th note. The 7th note is E and we already have a F so it must be called E#.
@@MusicMattersGB I Appreciate the explanation. Thank you.
A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk
no, it's f double sharp flat sharp double flat
F double sharp is the same note as G.
But I - IV is very often used in Rock and Metal.
That’s great.
@@MusicMattersGB Typo I mean I - VII.
I -IV also. But I mean I-VII or I-VI-VII.
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