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Guitar chord forum - chordie → Music theory → Harmony
I don't know if this is the right place for this, but here goes....
When a song is being played by 2 guitars is it possible for each guitar to play different chords in harmony. If so, how do you determine what the 2nd (harmony) chord should be?
Or is it best advised to have one play the chords and one play the lead?
New ground for me. Cheers.
When Two guitars are playing it helps to play different chord formations, either bar chords down the neck, or use a capo. For example if you do an open chord progresion in E, (E to A to B7), one guitar plays standard open chords, the other can capo on the 2nd fret and play D form open chords (D to G to A7) the key will still be in E because of the capo.
You can just have one play rhythm cords and the other play lead, but most lead guitars do some rhythm parts during a song.
It is, and when done well, it sounds really good.
To be harmonically correct, you wouldn't use a capo except for the IV and V of the key. That is, you could do it with a cappo at the 4th or 5th frets and the same chord shapes.
Here's why:
If you build triads on every note of the major scale, you get new chords made up of the same notes.
For the II, the chords are minor, as they are for the III and the VI. For the IV and V, the chords are major, which is why a cappo works there. You're still in be playing major chords for the harmony.
So for E major, as in the example,
You could play the following chords in perfect harmony.
E
F#minor
G#minor
Amajor
Bmajor
C#minor
D#dim
Head spinning...... must lie down...
It's not all that complex. I just got back in town and when I have myself sorted out, I'll put together a post on it.
Alvee,
Here's some very practical, useful information regarding harmony and the application thereof. You'll have to squint to see the notes on the wheel and I'm sure some computer savy people can figure out a way to enlarge the harmony wheel.
http://www.ducksdeluxe.com/harwheel.html
Alvee,
Here's some very practical, useful information regarding harmony and the application thereof. You'll have to squint to see the notes on the wheel and I'm sure some computer savy people can figure out a way to enlarge the harmony wheel.
That's a handy little device. It's a good visual representation of scales, and how they work. If you start at the outside of the ring, and work towards the center, you are looking at every note in that key's major scale.
That, applied with the scale patterns we all love so much, and you should be jamming in any key at any time, anywhere.
I like this wheel thing a lot.
I am not very good at doing sort of solo stuff, but I am sure this could help. Might ake a while but in my head I know this will help.
Ken
Thanks Southpaw. I need all the help I can get in understanding this stuff.
Like Ken says, it may take a while but it eventually comes into some kind of order after rattling around in my head for a while.
Searched and found this thread...what I want to figure out is how to do those songs that have a second guitar double with the lead. Down On The Corner in particular. There is one part where the two guitars play harmony I think. I can play the riffs and I have seen someone play the harmony on one guitar. How can I arrange it so that I can do this. Someone said you use the thirds or the fifths. What exactly does that mean? If the first note is G, do I use B to play harmony for that? Would that be the third? Then would the fifth be D? Whaqt happens to the sharps and flats? What I'm trying to do is play the riffs from Down On the Corner in harmony on a single guitar. Whew, sorry for the long post and I hope someone can help me.
alvee33,
Two guitars sound great playing lead solos in harmony as do the Allman Brothers Band.
One can use the "fair and foul" method of trial and error to see what works. Counting up from "G" as the first note to "B" as the third works until you run into accidentals due to key changes.
I used to work out this stuff by myself and then show it to other band members at rehearsal. It helps to record one guitar line and loop it in order to play the harmony line along with the recording.
Guitar chord forum - chordie → Music theory → Harmony
