Harmony

Harmony

1. is the process by which the composition of individual sounds, or superpositions of sounds, is analysed by hearing

2. Usually, this means simultaneously occurring frequencies, pitches (tones, notes), or chords.

3. Carl Dahlhaus (1990) distinguishes between coordinate and subordinate harmony

   • Subordinate harmony is the hierarchical tonality or tonal harmony well known today
   • Coordinate harmony is the older Medieval and Renaissance tonalité ancienne

4. Other types of harmony are based upon the intervals of the chords used in that harmony

   • Most chords in western music are based on "tertian" harmony or chords built with the interval of thirds
     • In the chord C Major7, C–E is a major third; E–G is a minor third; and G to B is a major third.
   • Other types of harmony consist of quartal and quintal harmony.

5. A unison is considered a harmonic interval

   • just like a fifth or a third, but is unique in that it is two identical notes produced together
   • The unison, as a component of harmony, is important, especially in orchestration

6. Interval In music theory, an interval is the difference in pitch between two sounds

   • An interval may be described as horizontal, linear, or melodic if it refers to successively sounding tones
     • such as two adjacent pitches in a melody, and vertical or harmonic if it pertains to simultaneously sounding tones, such as in a chord

7. Chords and tension

   • harmony is manipulated using chords, which are combinations of pitch classes
     • In tertian harmony, so named after the interval of a third
       • the members of chords are found and named by stacking intervals of the third, starting with the "root", then the "third" above the root, and the "fifth" above the root

8. Perception

   • Harmony is based on consonance
     • a concept whose definition has changed various times during the history of Western music
     • In a psychological approach, consonance is a continuous variable. Consonance can vary across a wide range