Metalcore Music. Part 2 - Harmony

Introduction To Harmony

One of the many things I love in metalcore is the guitar, the great heavy riffs. So how do yo make a heavy riff into a "great" heavy riff you ask? Harmony is the solution. For people who don't know what harmony is, it's pretty much, adding a guitar and changing it's riffs slightly. Harmony is a great way to add more depth to a song simply by writing a riff were guitar one plays something and guitar two plays the same thing but higher on the fretboard (at a certain interval).

Basic Theory

These will help you figure out what notes you should play to harmonize a certain note at a certain interval.

2nds

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

3rds

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

4ths

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

5th

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

6th

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

7th

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

8th <--- octave

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

Ok now you may be quite confused with these. This is how we use them:

|-------------------||
|-------------------||
|-------------------||
|-------------------||
|-----3---2---0---2-||
|-1-1---1---1---1---||

Lets say you want this riff to be harmonized in 3rd's. You would find out what the notes are.

|-------------------||
|-------------------||
|-------------------||
|-------------------||
|-----C---B---A---B-||
|-F-F---F---F---F---||

Now that you know what are the notes (F C B A) You go back to the rule I wrote you and look for the interval that you want. So we said we wanted the riff in 3rd's. So:

3rds

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

Now remember this: the first line of notes is the current interval, the second line is the notes but in the interval chosen. So we said the notes were F C B A. Now look at the chart and look at the new notes in the new interval. They are A E D C. F=A, C=E, B=D, A=C. Now you need to rewrite the riff a 3rd higher (with the new notes we chose).

|-------------------||
|-------------------||
|-------------------||
|-------------------||
|-----7---5---3---5-||
|-5-5---5---5---5---||

Bingo! This is the original riff but in 3rd.

Harmonized Riffs

Ok I tried my best to make it very easy for people who are music theory dummies to understand it. Now I shall tab some metalcore style examples with a bit more theory behind it.

"Rose of Sharyn" Intro/Verse by KillSwitch Engage (tuning: C G C F A D)

Guitar 1 and 2
D|-------------------------------------------------||
A|-------------------------------------------------||
F|-------------------------------------------------||
C|---------------8---7-----------------------------||
G|-0-------------6---5-----------1---0-----------0-||
C|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0---0---0-0-0-0-0-1-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-||
pm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Harmonized Part.

Guitar 1 (Adam)
D|-------------------------||
A|-------------------------||
F|---3-2h3p2p0-------------||
C|-------------2h3p2p0-3/5-||
G|---------------------1/3-||
C|-0-----------------------||
pm .

Guitar 2 (Joel)
D|--------------------------||
A|--------------------------||
F|--------------------------||
C|---8-7h8p7p0--------------||
G|-------------7h8p7p0-8/10-||
C|-0-------------------8/10-||
pm .

For the first half of the song's intro both guitarist play the same riff, then they peel off into a harmonized lick, where Adam plays the exact same notes but higher on the neck. And if you did you homeworks correctly you will know he plays it an 8th higher or an octave higher (same thing).

"When Darkness Falls" mosh riff (starts at 2:28) by KillSwitch Engage (tuning: C G C F A D).

Guitar 1 (Adam)
D|--------------------------------------------------------------------||
A|--------------------------------------------------------------------||
F|-----------------------------------------------10h12p10-------------||
C|-------------------------------------------------------13-12-10-12*-||
G|-0-0-0-1--1-0-0-0-4-3-1-3-1-0-1--0-0-0-1--1-0-----------------------||
C|-0-0-0-1--1-0-0-0-4-3-1-3-1-0-1--0-0-0-1--1-0-----------------------||
pm . . . .  . . . . . . . . . .

Guitar 2 (Joel)
D|---------------------------------------------------------------||
A|---------------------------------------------------------------||
F|-----------------------------------------------7h8p7-----------||
C|-----------------------------------------------------10-8-7-8*-||
G|-0-0-0-1--1-0-0-0-4-3-1-3-1-0-1--0-0-0-1--1-0------------------||
C|-0-0-0-1--1-0-0-0-4-3-1-3-1-0-1--0-0-0-1--1-0------------------||
pm . . . .  . . . . . . . . . .

This riff is another example where Killswitch Engage guitarists really use two guitars at there best. For the most part both play the same heavy breakdown-style riff except in the end where they break into a harmonized lick. Once again Adam plays higher (a 3rd) than Joel.

"Bat Country" Sweep Harmony Leads (during solo, starts at 2:49) by Avenged Sevenfold (tuning: D A D G B E).

Guitar 1 (Gates)
E|-13^----------------------13----------------------12----------------------||
B|-----15----------------15----15----------------15-------12-------------12-||
G|--------14----------14----------14----------14-------13----13-13----13----||
D|-----------15-12-15----------------15-12-15----------------------14-------||
A|--------------------------------------------------------------------------||
D|--------------------------------------------------------------------------||

Guitar 2 (Vengeance)
E|-17--13----------------13-17-13----------------13-16-12-------------------||
B|--------15----------15----------15----------15----------15-12-------12-15-||
G|-----------14----14----------------14----14----------------------13-------||
D|--------------15----------------------15----------------------14----------||
A|--------------------------------------------------------------------------||
D|--------------------------------------------------------------------------||

Vengeance plays these pretty challenging arpeggio's a 3rd higher then Gates does. At first it may look hard to play, but like I said in the previous lesson. Seperate it into parts and learn them slowly. Then when you memorized all the notes, try playing it faster. And when your good enough, play it along with the song.

Now if you want to learn a great metalcore genre solo with harmonies, learn the solo to "A Gunshot to the Head of Trepidation". they're is a great tab of the solo on UG. So I hope I have helped you a bit with harmonies and have given you some good riffs to practice.

Please Note: all riffs were tabbed by me and not copied off anybody.

Comments

[xIxKilledxKenny]

awesome this is the only theory lesson i've actually understood all of.

bat country tab is a bit weird though

[jazkel24]

This is assuming that you only want to harmonize in major intervals? If you want to harmonize a major third, by all means, use a C and an E, but if you want to play music that isn't all happy sounding, you should use minor/diminished/augmented intervals as well. Good lesson, but i would suggest you post a part 3 with more theory.

[ThisFireBurns22]

Not to be a dick or anything, but I'm pretty sure the Rose Of Sharyn example, isn't a harmony. Those are the same notes, just an octave apart...But good lesson otherwise

[aramsahai]

Thank you for this article.

I really didn't understand how this:
|-----||
|-----||
|-----||
|-----||
|-----7---5---3---5-||
|-5-5---5---5---5---||

... became the 3rd of this:

|-----||
|-----||
|-----||
|-----||
|-----3---2---0---2-||
|-1-1---1---1---1---||

What makes it a 3rd? You provided diagrams and provided two tabs harmonized i 3rds but you didn't explain how they became 3rds.

Could you please explain a little more? Thanks,

[Sykonatiac]

Thanks! I've been trying to learn to harmonize, but its been mostly trial and error to find the notes I want. Your rules will help me conquer the world! MUWHAHAHAHAHA!!!

lol, ahemm, anyways thanks.

[gmikey222]

yea, in rose of sharyn, that part was played in true harmony i think, not an octave higher.
but thx, great stuff=)

[FromTheAsh]

aramsahai

Harmony kicks ass!!!!
look up some Children of Bodom they do alot
and also....the 557,55,53,55 thing is played in unison w the 113,,,,, thing

[bassplayer_87]

In "Rose of Sharyn" harmonized part, there are no harmony, they are the same notes.not even an octave apart. except the open strings wich is harmonized 4th and the two last power chords wich is octave. dont want to critisize cause it's a very good lesson for beginners.

[Les__Paul__630*]

nice, "Rose Of Sharyn" is a killer song, harmony's are totally awesome, more people should listen to Trivium if they wanna hear some more.

[sicfreak91]

**** yes from metalcore

[babak869]

Babak
I'm Wondeerfull because excelent site
Be Fun !!
www.Delphi-Magic.com

[davidstadnyk]

a good example of harmony would be the intro to "hand of blood by bullet for my valentine". it's exactly what the guy is trying to teach in this lesson, and props to the lesson too

[justine0393]

aramsahai wrote:

Thank you for this article.

I really didn't understand how this:
|-----||
|-----||
|-----||
|-----||
|-----7---5---3---5-||
|-5-5---5---5---5---||

... became the 3rd of this:

|-----||
|-----||
|-----||
|-----||
|-----3---2---0---2-||
|-1-1---1---1---1---||

What makes it a 3rd? You provided diagrams and provided two tabs harmonized i 3rds but you didn't explain how they became 3rds.

Could you please explain a little more? Thanks,

because if you raise the not

davidstadnyk wrote:

a good example of harmony would be the intro to "hand of blood by bullet for my valentine". it's exactly what the guy is trying to teach in this lesson, and props to the lesson too

yeahp.....BFMV ROCKS!

[Thiiknot]

what about notes like C#

[Thiiknot]

other thing.. would it sound strange if I mix harmonizations in a song? For example make things like harmonize a riff in 3rd and then the next one in 8th

[SLIP(SIC)KNOT]

bassplayer_87 wrote:

In "Rose of Sharyn" harmonized part, there are no harmony, they are the same notes.not even an octave apart. except the open strings wich is harmonized 4th and the two last power chords wich is octave. dont want to critisize cause it's a very good lesson for beginners.

exactly^^

[bassplayer_87]

does anyone of you know how to harmonize the blues scale?? you cant just take the 3rd note from the note youre playing in the scale and it becomes harmony in 3rd. please help.

[Trudenter]

deadly a lot better then the first one i think

what about notes like C#

correct me if im wrong but if you move up half a step then you simply move the harmony up half a step
for example the fourth for a C# would be an F#. But I think for this lesson it is better not to think of music as notes but rather as 12 blocks (13th block would be the octave). 4 of those blocks are majors and 3 are perfects (the octave is also considered a perfect). The others can be either minor diminished Minor or Augmented. This probably sounds really stupid and confusing but these are really the building blocks of music theory.

BFMV uses harmony really well in some of there songs.

[SlipKnoT_M4660T]

nice this really helps

[Shicaka]

I love music theory because not alot of people no about it so there something u can out smart ppl in lol

[brandenetc]

Dude this was great, for a n00b like me, i understood it all! and this is a first from alot of lessons i read on here, again thanks so much

[xavierxx2]

i cant understand...can you guyz explain it clearly??? ...how can i make my own harmony lead?? ....and explain this to me...

2nds

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

3rds

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

4ths

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

5th

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

6th

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

7th

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

8th

[xavierxx2]

2nds

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

3rds

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

4ths

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

5th

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

6th

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

7th

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

8th

[Nuckinfutz]

it was really confusing but other than that awesome

[bassplayer_87]

xavierxx2: The upper notes are the main notes in the melody you are playing. the notes under is the notes the second guitar is supposed to play. if first guitar plays: A B C B A B, then the second guitar plays: C D E D C D. then the melody is harmonized in 3rd

[xavierxx2]

bassplayer_87: but how to know if it is in 3rds/4ths/5ths/6ths/7ths??

can explain it deeper?? please make a tab....so i can understand it...thank you very much!! god blezz

[xavierxx2]

and wat are those A B C B A B(First guitar) C D E D C D(Second Guitar)....is that the tunning of the guitar??? thx!

[shibby013]

thats amazing...tts been a great help..thanks

[bassplayer_87]

xavierxx2 :
I never made a tab on a computer before so it would be difficult for me. when i wrote a b c b a b, i meant its the notes they are playing on one string. if you play an A (the note) and another guitarist plays C at the same time.... then you play a B and he plays a D at the same time. then you are playing in harmony. (3rd harmony)
if you look at what the "teacher" wrote:
3rds

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

CDEFGABC is the notes that you are playing.
the notes below is what your friend in your band are playing along with you. if you play C, he plays E. if you play D he plays F. So if you play a note on the first line, he has to play the note right under.

I use 3rds as an example because it sounds amazing. hope you understand. harmonies are wonderfull to listen to

[RoKeT]

I must say this is an excellent Lesson. I Dont Know anything about theory or playing guitar but i understood mostly everything except for this.

but how to know if it is in 3rds/4ths/5ths/6ths/7ths??

Does the 3rd, 4th etc. reffer to fret numbers or something different?

Is it as simple as moving the notes for guitar 2, 1 less space to the left than the number of the harmony.

Example:
C D E F G A B C The First
C D E F G A B C

C D E F G A B C The Second
D E F G A B C D This Line has moved one space to the left. So If this is Second all the notes on the bottom have moved one space to the left. So the third would be two spaces to the left and so on and so forth untill it corrects itself back at the eighth.

[Emergency?]

does this rule apply for ANY tuning ur playing in?

[Jawshuwa]

^ It can be modified for any tuning; Drop C and Drop D are generally used in metalcore music, though.

[flakjacket]

Actually your 3rds are off, the major 3rd of D would be F#, not F, if you are using major intervals. Im sure the rest are off too because the only key in a major scale that has no sharps or flats is C.

[seokorn]

WHERED YOU GET THE ROSE OF SHAYRN TAB?????

[bpauers]

it seems like a few people are wondering how those are thirds....i have only taken one college level theory class, but you probably know that when counting intervals, you start with your first note (i.e. if you start with an A note, you would count the first note A, second note B, 3rd note C). however, it would only be this way if it was in the key of C. any other key you would have to apply the key signatures, and play the sharps and flats in the appropriate places. i hope this helps some people.

[ClosedCasket]

I liked it. It didn't show much new to me (since I'm already in a Melodeath / Metalcore band) but it was well laid out and helped me with the harmonising when i hit a block. good show!

[flakjacket]

wtf is melodeath? another new genre of metal?

[STABxYOU]

melodeath = melodic death metal.

Cheese metal like In Flames, Dismember, At The Gates.

[powerplayer25]

im gettin tired of all these genres..im just gonna call the rock

[put_it_on_mytab]

you entirely failed to mention when you were switching between major and minor thirds, which threw me off instantly.

aside from that, this is a good article, but you really need to clarify what you're doing there.

[death_metalhead]

Does anyone out there have a good tutorial on melodic death metal? I mean...haven't really seen anything at all on internet anywhere? Might have to write one myself...just starting to understand the genre...

[death_metalhead]

Or Gothenburg Metal, if you prefer the more detailed term...

[cedaguol]

dude you got the kse thing wrong... first what you wrote or typed or whatever is not a harmony... its just the same thing played in other string... no harmonies and no octaves there... the song does have a harmony but u didnt do it well there... search for a tab man :P

[nickwentinsane]

I'm not trying to be a dick or anything, but I think your thirds in your example are off, because it should be f# not f.

[Back in Red]

Yes!!!!!

[Kooldood]

How would U harmonize a riff like this?

D F G G# A C A G A C

or

D D D# D D D F D D# D

With the sharp notes?