Melody and Harmony

MELODY AND HARMONY We humans are social creatures that count on each other for survival. To make that possible, we need a way to know what each other is thinking and feeling. The methods we use to communicate include sounds, gestures, pictures, symbols and language. Regardless of what means we use to communicate, if the result is of the highest quality, it is best described with one word. The word Art is an adjective that describes the degree of quality of communication. The art of arranging sounds into emotionally meaningful patterns is called Music. Those that communicate through music are called Musicians. Works of Musical Art are known as Songs, and their creators, Songwriters. Songs are written with a varying degree of complexity. Masters often write simple songs and newcomers are often known to write epic pieces. Songwriting possibilities are limited only by one’s own knowledge and effort towards learning. Most songs are founded upon a musical line, sentence, or phrase known as the melody. A primarily recognizable part of the song, which in many ways, is the song itself. As the notes of a melody pass through time in a sequence of sounds, they convey ideas, emotions, and experiences. The effect of hearing a melody pass through time gives a sensation that can be compared visually to a line growing from left to right. Examples: a "curve" of a sales chart, a profile of a mountain range, or a telephone line strung pole to pole off into the distance, etc... In that sense, a melody line ascends and descends along with the pitches of the notes within it.

Let your eyes follow along these visual examples closely, left to right, and they will convey a certain linear sense of motion. In that sense, each one of these shapes tell a sort of visual "story". Perhaps they remind us of familiar patterns in our own personal experiences. Perhaps the sonic shapes of a particular melody seems to parallel, though with subtlety, outlines of our own ups and downs, etc... Melodies have this mysterious capacity to trigger and/or release human emotions.

Melody is given depth and perspective with a supporting backdrop known as harmony. Harmony developed as a three-dimensional support behind the twodimensional melody. In visual art, depth is created on a two dimensional canvas by simulating the perspective of distance by objects becoming smaller as they get farther away. The effect of musical space behind a melody is created through the flanking of simultaneous notes that compliment the elicited emotive effect.

There are two types of guitarist. The lead guitarist plays the melody and solos of the song. The lead guitarists’ job is generally to play sequences of usually single notes over the strumming of the rhythm guitarist. With both the lead and rhythm guitarist playing together, the sound becomes fuller and conveys a sense of depth. Here is a visual representation of what a lead guitarist might play using a simple example of basic music notation. But don’t worry about playing it.

The rhythm guitarist provides the accompanying harmony behind the melody of the song. They do the background strumming. These groups of simultaneous notes are called chords. Below is the same melody as above (this time these same notes are lighter) with the addition of some chords played over it.

The guitar developed as a sort of portable piano to accompany singing. The guitars’ evolution owes to the necessity of needing a small, light instrument that can facilitate as closely as possible the complex harmonization possible on the piano. It’s hard to haul a piano up a mountain to a campfire. A guitar is a lot lighter.