Contents
3. Starting from the 3rd Class
The three classes have a significant difference in usability. Overwhelmingly, the 3rd class, which has “softness”, is notably more user-friendly.
There is a massive difference in usability. At the current stage, even without an in-depth understanding of chord theory, having a strategy such as “Always use 3rd class as the primary and shift to 4th only when issues arise with the odd/even shell relationship as previously mentioned” is a sufficient method to create a basic harmony. Let’s start by examining the system of harmonuzatuib using this “soft” forms.
Comparing Four Types of “Soft” forms
Firstly, let’s briefly listen to the four “soft arrangements.”
- No Harmony
- Harmony 3rd Below
- Harmony 3rd Above
- Harmony 6th Below
- Harmony 6th Above
You’ll find that “6th above” is sung significantly higher than the main melody, making it stand out, and the pitch range can be too high to sing as well, thus rarely used. It’s hard to argue that it works well in this example. However, in scenarios like duets between males and females, this pattern might be feasible.
Here is an actual example of a 6th harmony in a male-female duet. If we consider the male voice as the primary, it could be called the “6th above harmony,” but in a balanced duet, it’s difficult to say which is the main.
Therefore, in the “soft” forms in reality, only the “3rd below,” “3rd above,” and “6th below” serve as the main weapons.
About Above/Below
The positioning of harmony divides into four categories based on the values of upper/lower and near/far. As for above/below, each has the following characteristics:
| Upper | Gently supports the melody from below. Subtle and doesn’t interfere with the melody. |
|---|---|
| Lower | Adorns the melody from above. Brilliant but may potentially interfere with the melody. |
Generally, the lower harmony seems to be used more. While the upper harmony has its appeal in its elegance, it can potentially overshadow the main melody, so balancing the volume is necessary.
About Distance
Regarding “near/far”, it signifies how much of the range the “vocal team” occupies, so it affects the impression of how wide or dense the melody team is.
| Near Position | Gives density to the melody, making the line bold |
|---|---|
| Far Position | Provides expansion to the melody, making the line wide |
Both methods make the line “thick,” but there is a difference between “concentrated thickness” and “extended thickness.”
It’s a bit of a subjective expression, but it can’t be helped. Generally, the “near position” is often used to clearly hear the melody line, while the “far position” tends to be an unexpected choice.
Popularity of Positions
Summarizing the characteristics of the four “soft” positions we have, it looks like this:
| Interval | Placement | Characters | Ease of Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3rd Below | Lower and Closer | Subdued with density | ★★★ |
| 3rd Above | Upper and Closer | Glamorous with density | ★★ |
| 6th Below | Lower and Farther | Subdued with expansion | ★★ |
| 6th Above | Upper and Farther | Glamorous with expansion | ★ |
Using this as a guide, the adjustment is primarily carried out from the perspective of the kernel/shell.
Treatise on Tendency Tones
Also, the conditions change depending on kernels, especially drawing more attention when using strong tendency tones.
If the sub-melody placed 3rd above is do, it’s a stable tone so there are no problems. However, if the sub-melody is fa, it stands out due to its strong tendency. Doing this over the main melody, the strong emotional sense of fa could potentially become an interference.
This could be an actual pattern. While the melody is holding re long, fa overlaps. It has quite a strong emotional impact. When this becomes undesirable, the strategy is to shift to the 4th to avoid it, as mentioned earlier.
It becomes more soothing and easier to listen to without excessive emotion. In the re–so 4th harmony, I hope you to feel a sense of “firmness”, instead of the softness of 3rd.
Another Option
However, escaping to 4th broke its consistency of 3rd harmony so it’s not necessarily better. Then it might be thought that starting from the beginning with “lower harmony” could create a more consistent harmonization style.
That’s also an option. You have to view from multiple perspectives to see which harmony is most appropriate.
Octave Shift
Alternatively, as another strategy, by simply lowering by an octave an upper 3rd harmony, it quickly transforms into a lower 6th harmony. Let’s listen to the example of the 3rd harmony directly converted to the 6th harmony.
The “6th below” is a very octave lower version of the “3rd above”, and therefore the kernel/shell is totally preserved Therefore, in this case, even though the strong tendency note fa is still present and sustained long at the end, it’s not so noticeable as when it was in the 3rd above.
In essence, it’s good to remember the “6th below” as an alternative when you like the “3rd above” kernel/shell but find it too prominent and wonder what to do.
Real Example
“I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing” is a clear example of avoiding fa. Listen to the part just before the chorus (1:07- “treasure”) and the beginning of the chours (“don’t want to close my eyes”). In both parts the chord is V, and the main melody moves “mi–re“, while the sub moves “so–so“, not “so–fa“.
If the sub keeps the 3rd form, the harmony on re will be fa, 7th for the V chord. The 7th creates dissonance and the tendency of fa makes the music very unstable, which is not suitable during either just before chorus or the beginning of the chorus where we aim to elevate the music further. Keeping so is the perfect choice here in this powerful rock ballad.
