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Examples Of Harmonizing A Harmonic Melody

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How to Harmonize a Tonal Melody
Ultimately, harmonizing a melody is a matter of personal taste. Nevertheless, although you have some leeway in the selection of chords, a certain standard of musical communication, known as style, prevents you from exercising complete freedom.
Harmonizing a Chorale Phrase
The following general principles will guide our choice of chords for a Chorale harmonizations as much like those of Bach as possible:
1. You must use half (I–V, IV–V, or ii–V) or authentic (V–I) cadences for the final two notes of each phrase.
2. You should use circle progressions throughout in each phrase. Circle progressions are more often longer and more abundant near the cadence than at the beginning of the phrase.
3. Harmonize each melody note with one chord. It is possible to repeat chords occasionally, but adjacent repeated chords are usually in different …show more content…

A typical melody will have no more than one or two structural tones per measure. (The other notes are connecting or embellishing notes.) The chord you apply to a structural tone should include the structural tone as one of the three notes of the basic triad.

Now comes the work of fitting chords to these structural tones. We could apply one of three chords that include the structural tone in the triad. As we continue on in this fashion, we can come up with any number of interesting chord progressions. Once you've assigned the chords to the structural tones, return the melody to its expanded state. Note that when using the structural tone method, there is no right or wrong way to decide which chords to apply Other Tips for Harmonizing a Melody: There are other points you need to consider when fitting chords to a melody
- Try some common chord changes first. You'd be surprised how many melodies fit with the I-IV-V

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