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In a Noteshell

3.4 Melody Harmonization

So far in our studies we’ve seen how to harmonize from a given bass line when all the chords are in root position, so we haven’t been given any choice for chords.

Let’s learn a technique to help harmonize (choose chords) a given melody. Here’s a soprano line as an example to start:

Step 1: Analyse the Soprano

  • Play it once to get a feel for it and for the direction
  • Identify the key the melody is in
    • Bb Major
  • Identify the cadenzas
    • in this specific exercise, there are 2 cadenzas: a DC in the middle
  • Identify other elements:
    • 7ths
    • Harmonic marches
    • Ornamental notes (Passing Tone, Escaped Note, Embroidery (?))
    • For now though, in our exercises, we’ll keep it more simple and assume all notes are part of a chord, and that there are no 7ths.

Step 2: Identify Possible Chords

  • When you have a note on the soprano, it can be harmonized with (at least) 3 different chords.
    • i.e. if you’re in C Major and you have C on the soprano: C, Am, F
    • For now, we’re not allowing ornamental notes, which means we most likely will need 1 chord per note of the melody. At least, that’s how we’re going to write our possible chords.
    • The end must always be V-I

Step 3: Creation of Harmonic Scheme

Pick a coherent scheme using the tools we’ve learned

Step 4: Write the Bass Line

Step 5: Fill the Inner Voices