Guitar Harmony

Harmony is often used in orchestra and classical music, but on guitar it can be used for two or three guitars to play on each other. Many bands like Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax etc use it and so do solo guitarists like Steve Vai. If you ask someone about harmony, they might tell you and it will probably make you think it's hard, in actual fact it's really easy. Harmony is when one instrument plays so many intervals above another eg. one guitar plays a 5th above the other.

Lets say guitar 1 plays this riff 

E----------------------------
B----------------------------
G----------------------------
D----------------------------
A-----7----8-----10----8-7~--
E--0-0--0-0--0-0---0-0-------

If guitar 2 was to harmonize (for example in 5th's) it would play this

E----------------------------
B----------------------------
G----------------------------
D------9---10---12----10-9~--
A----------------------------
E--0-0--0-0--0-0--0-0--------

I find that to harmonize something in 5th's is easy because...

E-----
B-----
G--9-- 
D--9-- 
A--7--
E-----

The chord shown is an E5, the seven in the chord is the root note (the tonic) the first nine (on the D string) is the 5th and the second nine is the octave. If you were to play the the seven in a note sequence, to harmonize it in 5th's, you take the 5th (the first nine) and use that for the harmony part. you can do this for any note if you want to harmonize it.

3rd's.
3rd's are kind of the same except you need to remember what key the note is in if you want to harmonize it, eg in the c major scale:

C D E F G A B C 

C=major D=minor E=Minor F=major G=major A=minor
B=diminished

So if you played C note and harmonized in 3rd's you would play a major 3rd (in this casethe note would E). If we harmonize the first riff we used in 3rd's, this is what we would get:

E--------------------------
B--------------------------
G--------------------------
D----5----7-----8----7-5~--
A--------------------------
E-0-0--0-0--0-0---0-0------

So bascially all you're doing is taking the note and playing whatever the interval is above it. here is a list of different intervals to use. How to use:

5th's.

C D E F G A B C 
G A B C D E F G

On the top row, pick out the notes you are going to harmonize, then take the notes underneath the notes you have picked and those are the notes you would play to harmonize them. eg to harmonize the notes C E G, you would play G B D. List of intervals (5th's listed above)

3rd's

C D E F G A B C
E F G A B C D E

7th's

C D E F G A B C
B C D E F G A B

4th's

C D E F G A B C
F G A B C D E F

2nd's

C D E F G A B C
D E F G A B C D

6th's

C D E F G A B C
A B C D E F G A

8th's (octaves)

C D E F G A B C
C D E F G A B C

One last thing, if you forget these, this is all you do to work it out. Write down the notes C D E F G A B C on a bit of paper and then if you want to harmonize in sevenths for example, you start on C and count seven along which would give you B and keep doing it, but when you come to the last C in the list you go back to the beginning, but miss out the first C and go onto D. Eg. E harmonized in 7th's would be D because you miss the first C the second time you count the notes well there you go, harmony explained, hope it helps, this is a really cool thing to use in a band if you have 2 guitarists.

Comments

[Danny7]

I kinda skimmed it, but it seems to cover everythnig. I'll give it a re-read later on in the summer holiday when I'm boned up on theory...

For now, from what I've read I understand the basics of it all, and could probably work it out myself. Still, it looks like its worth a good read later on.

I wont rate it yet, but it's looking to be a 4 or a 5 so far.

[Butterknife]

its not too hard to figure out, you count up 3 frets to get the diatonic 3rd, 5 for the 4th, 7 for the 5th etc.

[damn_punks]

nice article, but it's for people who cannot comprehend musical theory.

[80s_rock_guitar]

Good article. For people who cant read music and dont know notation, another easy way is to take a scale, play a root note, and then play the 3rd or 5th note in the same scale to harmonize it.

[80s_rock_guitar]

Ahh shit just re-read my last post. What I meant by 3rd or 5th is the 3rd or 5th note up in the same scale from the root note

[lpclassic696]

seemed a little bit simplistic too me... i think that you could've covered some points a little more thorough. Especially that last bit b/c if the reader doesn't know what you're talking about...you made it clear as watery mud...

[Another_Idiot]

kickass man u give me new light This article saved my life i think now i will not slit my wrists after i rob a liquor store No I mean it THIS is a source of inspiration i might even quit drugs really dude

[6_string_razor]

Good article. Gave it to my dumbass friend to read and it actually helped him. If anything can do that, it has to be good.

[0bakaSan]

oh shiat never realized it untill now ive just known it but not actually like that lol tnx haha im so stuppppid

[buckethead101]

Good article. For people who cant read music and dont know notation, another easy way is to take a scale, play a root note, and then play the 3rd or 5th note in the same scale to harmonize it.

yeah you're right. This article kicks asses

It's good but the theory behind it is not explained properly. http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=128159 is a thread where I explained roughly the same thing in more detail.

[re4lity]

Yep. Good article. Slightly basic but its a good way of representing a widly miss understood topic.

BTW: Deftones forum post on the subject is entirely correct and well explained, check it out!

[steaknife]

5 stars w00t w00t

[guitargal10]

very good. this actually made sence. kudos to you

[acidbass]

Good article, makes harmony very clear and doesn't take a lot of musical knowledge to do so. Good job

Butterknife:
its not too hard to figure out, you count up 3 frets to get the diatonic 3rd, 5 for the 4th, 7 for the 5th etc.

Those would be parallel 3rds, 4ths, and 5ths. Not diatonic.

[angusrox]

I know absolutely nothing about musical theory, and this article really helped. Thanks, man!

[Plague_Angel]

good exercise

[christhesob]

i know very basic music theory and this helped a lot though i might have to re-read again, but thanks.

[bimsterfls]

I know little theory and this really helped good lesson

[14GreenDay]

nice

[samlynch]

it really helped me

[guitarshredder1]

not bad u didnt fuk me up like sum of the other theory heads on this site

[NOFXER]

i dont get it? the 10th fret on the A string is a G yeah? and so it should be harmonized by B? from

3rd's

C D E F G A B C
E F G A B C D E

But then i know that it doesnt sound right and should be A# (as the example also says "8the fret on D string")

Someone care to enlighten me?

[NOFXER]

i dont get it? the 10th fret on the A string is a G? so by:

3rd's

C D E F G A B C
E F G A B C D E

G should be harmonized by B, but i know this sounds wrong and should be A# (as the example says 8th fret on the D string)

Someone care to enlighten me on this?

Cheers

[BullonParade]

brilliant, really good lesson

[atreyufan99]

good article maybe now i understand how to write A7X style songs 5 stars

[X3r0x]

cool lesson helped alot looking forward for more lessons

[jC44]

can somebody explain me a little bit about the 3rds i get all mix up with all this

somebody please

[11thHourMartyr]

great lesson, u make it easy to understand harmonies. Trivium uses harmonies in their solos, so anyone willing to learn them will get an idea of the theroy of harmonizing.

[yonathon]

gd article man u made it short and sweet, its easy to read and understand and has helped me understand harmomnies better and the examples u gave helped too, u didnt just go on and on coolio

[axe_grinder247]

i was hoping to see something on classical harmony used by solo guitarists to make two-note chords and whatnot...someone should post one on that

[GiantRaven]

kickass, this is something im gonna remember

unlike lots of other things i read -_-

[joedc52]

I love playing harmony in stacked intervals in 3rs. When you have 5-6 guitars going it sounds like a plthora of guitars!

[nitroshredder]

NOFXER wrote:

i dont get it? the 10th fret on the A string is a G? so by:

3rd's

C D E F G A B C
E F G A B C D E

G should be harmonized by B, but i know this sounds wrong and should be A# (as the example says 8th fret on the D string)

Someone care to enlighten me on this?

Cheers

Thats right its supposed to be the 9th fret not the 8th

[LarsHamfield]

Wow Great Lesson

[No.1 FS Fan]

Ahh i'm totally confused lol i dunno what you'r talking about how to harmonize and stuff :S

[whitey314]

ohk i get most of it but wat about sharps n flats wat do i do there??
Cheers

[OVERDRIVE_THIS!]

F is B's fifth now?

[DrCOOL]

Thanks alot. I've known a bit about harmony for a while but up until recently have I had to actually know about it. I've read countless lessons with pro's like Marty Friedman and Steve Vai teaching it and jsut gotten all kinds of confused. This is a good lesson and gave me the start I needed. You should have thrown in the sharps and flats as well. or tables for diminished and minor scales as well but it's easy enough to figure out now.

[bassplayer_87]

Does anybody know how to harmonize the blues scale?? you cant just play the 3rd note higher in the scale of the note youre plaing and it becomes hormony in 3rd. please help.

[bassplayer_87]

OVERDRIVE_THIS! :
F is B's fifth now?

if you play a melody in C major/A minor, F is the B's 5th. if you knew the scale, you would've knew that as well

[SlipKnoT_M4660T]

hey I like this, I saw some other dudes lesson it had some parts this did I dont know if he copied you or vise versa.

[Boe]

Man, i wish i would have seen this lesson before my other guitarist left the band!!!

[Turambar]

the blues scale has blues notes (flattened 3rds, 5ths and 7ths) which are used, but not all the time. thats all I know. sorry

[demonofthenight]

If this all confuses, just play another note in a chord and use the lowest note you want harmonized as the root or tonic or whatever

[demonofthenight]

BTW you DONT have to harmonize all notes played at the same time, it just sounds pretty
some guitarist purposely wont harmonize notes for some desired effect

[tired and lazy6]

yep im pissed

[kevtitian]

hey i dont rly kno like where all these nots r. does n e 1 kno where i can get like a chart or sumthin that has em on it?C D E F G A B C
E F G A B C D E

cause i have no idea wat that means. ha
plzz help

[kevtitian]

i also dont kno wat 5ths and 7ths and 3rds n wat not are so some1 plzz help

[superslinky]

good article! plain and simple.direct to the point!!

[Seth Shadows]

kevtitian wrote:

hey i dont rly kno like where all these nots r. does n e 1 kno where i can get like a chart or sumthin that has em on it?C D E F G A B C
E F G A B C D E

cause i have no idea wat that means. ha
plzz help

maybe if you knew how to spell I'd help you.

[Ich_Bin_Ibanez]

nice article quite simple and well...simple

[Ich_Bin_Ibanez]

kevtitian

check out www.musictheory.net

[Kooldood]

Good, but What if you dont know the scale youre
playing in?
I Know it sounds stupid, but if youre using the chromatic scale?

[Kooldood]

very good,but wot about the cromatic scale?

[The Spoon]

Great!

[Silas S Thompso]

It really helped me out. Me and my rythm player decided when we formed our band to harmonize alot, but I didn't understand it. This has really cleared it up. I get it except I don't know the notes really high above the 12th fret.

[synystagates]

i'm sorry but i am pretty new to this and understand it for the most part. But how would you deal with sharps and flats. Say im harmonizing a B flat note in fifths. Normally a B turns into F in fifths but B flat turns into F flat which doesn't exist.. because of the half step from E to F. Anyone help me out?

[BullonParade]

Silas S Thompso wrote:

It really helped me out. Me and my rythm player decided when we formed our band to harmonize alot, but I didn't understand it. This has really cleared it up. I get it except I don't know the notes really high above the 12th fret.

its basically the first 12 frets repeated

[BullonParade]

synystagates wrote:

i'm sorry but i am pretty new to this and understand it for the most part. But how would you deal with sharps and flats. Say im harmonizing a B flat note in fifths. Normally a B turns into F in fifths but B flat turns into F flat which doesn't exist.. because of the half step from E to F. Anyone help me out?

i dont understand, a F in respect B is a diminished 5th. a 5th up from B is F#, and a 5th up from Bb is F.