Singing harmony below the melody

Frank Freniere · Post by **Frank Freniere** » 1 Oct 2023 10:33 am

Can anyone point me to a good YouTube or paper on the subject? I haven't been able to find a set of principles or how-to's that address the subject in a basic way that I can understand and apply.

I want to introduce harmonies to a a couple of unison singers but I can't sing and play steel at the same time, like a Nelson Wynn.

I instinctively hear the third above - no problem there. But some songs - like "When Did You Stop Loving Me" and "Cry On The Shoulder Of The Road" - have that 6th below that really grabs me. The absolute hit-making master of this talent is Vince Gill - his harmony is the secret sauce in many of Patty Loveless's greatest hits, just to name one artist.

So I'm looking for some basic rules of the road or training wheels to help figure out 6th below (and 4th) lines. Thanks in advance.

D Schubert · Post by **D Schubert** » 1 Oct 2023 6:33 pm

May not be the most up-to-date method, but the old Baptist hymnals have harmonies written with the same harmony intervals, in standard notation. SATB = Soprano melody on top, alto and tenor below.

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 1 Oct 2023 6:40 pm

If you can instinctively hear the 3rd above, sing it an octave lower and you are singing with 6th's in the bass.

Frank Freniere · Post by **Frank Freniere** » 1 Oct 2023 7:18 pm

Bill McCloskey wrote:If you can instinctively hear the 3rd above, sing it an octave lower and you are singing with 6th's in the bass.

Easier said than done though, Bill.

Steve Hinson · Post by **Steve Hinson** » 2 Oct 2023 5:48 am

Frank,listen to some Osborne Brothers records from the 60's...

SH

Mike Auman · Post by **Mike Auman** » 2 Oct 2023 6:00 am

I think in terms of double stops (2 voices) and chords (3 or more voices.) The melody note is just one of the notes of the chord you're trying to build. To define a 3-note (triad) chord, add 2 more notes/voices to the melody. The other notes can be above or below the melody note. You can do inversions, drop intervals, and put the melody on top, in the middle or on the bottom. Notes can be 1-3-5 (major or minor triad) or you can make 7, 9, suspended 4, etc. When I used to build harmonies for a group, I worked them out on guitar and played each singer their notes.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 2 Oct 2023 7:55 am

And referencing what D Schubert said, in those old hymnals, the music was written in "shaped notes".
Whatever your voice was, you sang your part according to the shape of the note.
Some notes were square, some were round and some were triangular.
Erv

Frank Freniere · Post by **Frank Freniere** » 2 Oct 2023 8:50 am

All good information and advice- thanks!

Fred Treece · Post by **Fred Treece** » 12 Oct 2023 8:17 am

It’s just as important to understand chord inversions for vocals as it is for playing them on an instrument, especially for singing straight linear 3-part harmony. If the melody is in the middle, then the voicings might center around 5-1-3, with the lower harmony always a 4th below the melody. If the melody is high, then the inversion would be 3-5-1.

Bill M is right about inverting the high 3rd to a low 6th. Straight linear 2-part harmony would sound a bit stiff with a 4th always below the melody (5-1, 6-2, etc.), so it might sound better at least occasionally deviating from the straight line and mixing a 6th into it, depending on the singer’s range. The Beatles, the Everly Bros, and the Louvin’s were the early masters of 2-part harmony vox, and always did stuff like that.

Regarding “easier said than done”, True. If it was easy anyone could do it. Practice singing or humming 3rds, 5ths (4ths), and 6ths harmony above and below while playing a single note melody on your instrument. You’ll get it.

Frank Freniere · Post by **Frank Freniere** » 12 Oct 2023 8:28 am

Fred Treece wrote: The Beatles, the Everly Bros, and the Louvin’s were the early masters of 2-part harmony vox, and always did stuff like that.

The Beatles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vq78BDwCujs

Fred Treece · Post by **Fred Treece** » 12 Oct 2023 8:43 am

Time for you to go, Grasshopper.

Raybob Bowman · Post by **Raybob Bowman** » 12 Oct 2023 9:00 am

Basic harmony singing parts form major or minor chords. Chords are formed from stack of major 3rd, minor 3rd, and perfect 4th. C major is major 3rd (C-E), minor 3rd (E-G) and 5th (G-C). C minor is minor 34d, major 3rd, and 4th.

Harmony below the melody will be the major 3rd, minor 3rd, or 4th interval below, just as the upper part is above. As the melody progresses through, the harmony will change from being a major 3rd to a minor 3rd or 4th as chords progress. Occasionally a 5th or 6th interval fits and can be added as 4th part or interchanged with one of the 3 main parts.

Dave Magram · Post by **Dave Magram** » 15 Oct 2023 1:54 pm

Here is a short explanatory video...

Adding Harmony To Melody On The Piano
https://www.pianote.com/blog/adding-harmony/

and a longer one...
Piano Harmonization 10: Harmonize under RH melody with 3rds/6ths.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sr6kD1FoNDA

- Dave

Leon Grizzard · Post by **Leon Grizzard** » 4 Nov 2023 6:39 am

When I started playing in a female singer’s band I put some Patsy Cline CDs in the truck and sang along with those. I knew the tunes real well and was a decent third above singer; I got the hang of it pretty quickly. As has been said - same as third above down an octave.

Frank Freniere · Post by **Frank Freniere** » 4 Nov 2023 9:38 am

Helpful way to think of it - thanks, Leon!