Harmonizing a Melody: From BEGINNER to ADVANCED

0:00 Introduction
0:29 Listening to the melody
0:45 Trivial harmonization
1:15 Example
1:37 Pentatonic melodies
2:58 Example
4:15 Relative minors
4:56 Before reharmonization
5:36 After reharmonization
6:11 Borrowing chords
6:56 Example
7:18 Adding dissonance
8:29 Example
8:52 Adding tensions
9:22 Example
9:44 Sus4 chords
11:12 Example
11:33 Conclusion
In this lesson we're going to take a simple vocal melody and harmonize it. This means we're going to add chords to it! We're going to start very very simple and slowly, slowly expand our repertoire and variety, until we get to advanced concepts like tensions, sus chords, borrowed chords and lots of other goodies.
As always, bonus points for any viewers who spot any cat cameos!

[@bronxkies]

There was a cat cameo right around the sus chord explanation lol. Cats dig theory, too 😸

[@jra3677]

Only Kool Kats

[@MangoldProject]

My cats in particular.

[@lewy7601]

I heard that too 🐈

[@DarkSideofSynth]

Not even 5 minutes in and I can already tell you've done a great job. Harmony is such a nice and tricky tool in the box of any composer/producer, it can make or break a tune. Thanks.

[@HuiyenManton]

I've been trying to understand the structure of harmonization for many years but with little success. You have taught me more in just under 14 minutes!! I will practise pentatonic scales more diligently from now on. Thank you very much.

[@MangoldProject]

This wasn't an advertisement for pentatonic scales - I in fact don't particularly like them (albeit appreciate their utility). However, they're an important tool and a great place to start, and you definitely won't go wrong practicing them. Good luck!

[@vincizara]

Amazing tutorial again sir

[@candormind3159]

Love your channel for many years now

[@MangoldProject]

Thanks man, or woman, or large snowy mountain! All are welcome here. :)

[@FlexBlur]

The example at 11:10 just blows my mind. Phew. I wish I could come to write music like that on purpose, by design. What you've explained does really help, maybe focusing on building a chord progression with such simple steps explained in the first half is the way to go. Thank you!

[@MangoldProject]

Try taking the concepts laid out here and applying them to another pentatonic melody. See how they sound to your ears. Only by trying out these ideas with different melodies in different contexts will you come to internalize them and learn what works for you and what doesn't.

[@kevinzhu1727]

the cat meow

[@googull271]

This is so cool! Thank you.

[@moy9022]

Dear sir, l like your idea of there is no right or wrong to harmonize a melody. Thank you very much.

[@MangoldProject]

You are most welcome.

[@OriginalRaveParty]

Super useful to come back to for ideas when my progression needs a new direction. Thank you Assaf.

[@MangoldProject]

Sure thing!

[@rameshwariar673]

Thank you for this amazing tutorial on harmonization. Over the years I’ve wondered how musicians come up with unique and interesting harmonizations of well-known melodies (eg, the happy birthday song) and this helps demystify the process. You are a great teacher!

[@charliehamilton6767]

Brilliant, thanks

[@seancambern1235]

This lesson is very helpful and you make the concepts easy to understand. Thank you!

[@seamanjive]

This is nicely done, the concept of moving the chords around the constant melody. Ive always been frightened of chord subs, parallel keys et c....seems ive been doing it all along! The extended voicings are sophisticated, i like to use the term "harmonic consistency". Thx

[@MangoldProject]

Never heard the term "harmonic consistency", but it's an interesting observation. Thanks for sharing.

[@seamanjive]

@MangoldProject For me it's efficiency, minimal voicing changes and subtle differences between chords. It's a term I took from Robben Ford.

[@billhasty5197]

Brilliant. Very well done. Thank You.

[@MangoldProject]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@thisisnotmyname4700]

I watch your videos on repeat to soak in every detail. Your videos are presented in a way which is easy to understand. Fantastic work!!

[@MangoldProject]

Thank you very much!

[@foaadfallah2143]

Very good thank you

[@stephenb4164]

One of your best videos.

[@MangoldProject]

Thanks! I would make more with vocals but they get (erroneously) copyright-claimed and it's just the most annoying thing I've encountered on this platform.

[@NinaSoyfer]

I love that you used a nice mellow sound. my students ask me about this all the time - this is a great resource for me to give them I love that you wrote out the scales - I can like literally used this in class

[@amj.composer]

I love this video and I'm glad you chose a pop-like melody!!! Cool tips and thanks.

[@MangoldProject]

Awesome. I have a personal soft spot for something you'd might call "progressive pop", which uses advanced harmonic and rhythmic idioms but pop-like melodies/arrangements.

[@amj.composer]

@@MangoldProject Oh wow I'm going to call it that too from now! I absolutely have a soft spot for that too. Kinda why I love J-pop, a lot of the music is obviously not necessarily "out there" but the composers are not afraid of putting some real spice in there once in a while.

[@PL-808]

Thank you so much for this video. It super interesting and inspiring 😊

[@osha1237]

Thank you very much. This video has clarified the topic for me

[@MangoldProject]

Great!

[@mrdjangofreeman5560]

Thx, great summary, very interesting 👍

[@MangoldProject]

Awesome.

[@HappinessKazimoto-in3er]

I can't wait

[@correametal]

Amazing video, thank you very much!!!

[@MangoldProject]

You are welcome!

[@lit96_photography]

I could watch this video over and over again.... As a matter of fact, I will

[@MangoldProject]

Awesome! Just leave it running in the background, that will make KZbin recommend it to others more often :)

[@gilbertpepin3587]

Thank you, very usefully, you are the best !

[@MangoldProject]

You're welcome!

[@lifeofmusic959]

Wow nice explain.i love it❤

[@komicsreviewer8505]

The Aai continues to amaze and astound. 😮

[@MangoldProject]

Aai?

[@underswappapyrus1029]

2:31 I really love when it go *GADAGADAGADA*

[@thisperson6146]

Love this. Thank you

[@MangoldProject]

Awesome!

[@MangoldProject]

Glad you enjoyed it.

[@danceofjimbeam]

you're simply one of the best

[@MangoldProject]

No, you are! :)

[@tonyrapa-tonyrapa]

Brilliant. Hope to see you in the Top 40 soon 🙂

[@MangoldProject]

Haha, not even in the Top 400 :)

[@miladsammouh4741]

I would love to learn this. Cant wait

[@MangoldProject]

Well, soon you won't have to!

[@Moppurple]

like you said, borrowing chords from the major mode can improve the progression al lot, but in 8:00 and 11:22 the Bm and D chords are a different case, I think that these two chords work well cuz they're from the dorian mode, that is a minor mode too. thanks for the video, it helped me a lot

[@MangoldProject]

Often, in music, there is more than one way to look at things. It's good that you're trying to find other ways.

[@telli6931]

Great video

[@poucasamiga]

nice!!!

[@MangoldProject]

Thanks!

[@Chaz406]

11:13 was a flex... and it was amazing.

[@MangoldProject]

Thanks - although I thought I had built towards that point quite methodically!

[@jeffreyklaproth7794]

good video!

[@MangoldProject]

Thanks!

[@ankurprakash10]

What is playing like that constant sound while every chord and every progression is being played

[@MangoldProject]

That might be the bass.

[@ankurprakash10]

@@MangoldProject what note is that bass in in ?and which bass you used?

[@Jasper12]

Very interesting sir

[@praveenbalaratnam5087]

Thanks

[@jcq2505]

Hi, the best teacher. Could you please teach us more on ear training？

[@MangoldProject]

What would you like to learn?

[@mochammadgilanglukmanulhak230]

Im waiting for this video

[@jimknopf0766]

maj9 sounds appealing. In my finding the quality of a song beside extension rafinesse is very much defined by the authentic feel of lyrics and harmony. so three or four fundamental chords can change a whole world. listen to duke Ellington and satin Doll. Few extensions great outcome of ground breaking ideas.

[@robertray2714]

I haven't watched the video yet (I'm going to don't worry), but how does the chord in the thumbnail make sense? An 11th is just a fourth displaced an octave, so wouldn't it be a D9sus4 or a D11 with the third omitted?

[@MangoldProject]

Either would make sense. Probably a D9sus4 would be a little more economic. A sus4 suffix simply means the 3rd is replaced by the 4th, so D11=D, F#, A, C, E, G, while D11sus4 = D G A C E G.

[@user-vf3bt5fm1e]

❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@ankurprakash10]

@MangoldProject what note is that bass in in ?and which bass you used?

[@MangoldProject]

I always use the root of the chord in this example.

[@Wolf-Spirit_Alpha-Sigma]

The example at 8:30 is something that sounds very good to me. I would listen to that record. 😄 Is my intuition right, when I think that the harmony comes first and then the melody is created and then you can redo the harmony to make it even more interesting? Melody alone feels disembodied. I play bass (the only instrument that I still posses) and it's fairly rough to decide what chord changes I want to fit to that bass line - too many choices. But if I decide on a harmony first, then I can easily adapt a decent melody and groove to it. I don't know. I don't want to sound like I undermine what you did here - that makes perfect sense. I just wonder.

[@MangoldProject]

There's no right way to do it. Michael Jackson would record himself singing, and then even harmonize his singing. The full harmonization would only come later while working with his producer. There are opposite approaches as well, and it's very personal and even changes between songs. Sometimes it even comes together at once, like some IKEA furniture where all the parts come together simultaneously. Writing good songs is hard because there are no clear rules for doing so :)

[@Wolf-Spirit_Alpha-Sigma]

@@MangoldProject Ahh MJ was a genius and one of my top 5 favorites. Thank you kindly for your answer. Have a good day or night!

[@Somanybeats]

What made you choose those "random" chords and voicings to harmonize with the melody? Some in root and some inversions. I understand you didn't want too much dissonance from the melody but was there any specific voice leading or feelings you had in mind?

[@MangoldProject]

There are two questions there. These aren't "random" chords - they're mostly from the key in question, and mostly follow the most basic functional harmony pattern: subdominant to dominant to root (4-5-1, or Dm-Em-Am). If you want to know more about functional harmony, try my jazz piano online harmony course here on KZbin (free, of course!): kzbin.info/www/bejne/nHukequVhZyBgbs&ab_channel=MangoldProject As for inversions, these are chosen to minimize motion between chord notes and allow for smooth voice leading. For F, G, Am, I could've started with any inversion for, say, F, and choose the subsequent inversions for G and Am to minimize motion between them. Results would not appreciably differ.

[@Lofi-Dreamscapes-Radio]

@MangoldProject is possible to make a video about the "clash" u always mention. I mean ...an inside on how to cleary see these moments. I think u dont have a video especific on this topic! would help a lotta people. thx btw amazing class that show me I was feared about try something different cause of nowadays style music.

[@MangoldProject]

Are you referring to the clash between the chord and the melody?

[@Lofi-Dreamscapes-Radio]

@@MangoldProject yes!!! u always mention.

[@zahidsalwanisofficial4958]

❤❤❤❤

[@PeterDec24]

But what I don’t understand is why the a minor pentatonic can play over the F major chord when the F note is not in the a minor pentatonic scale.

[@MangoldProject]

It's because the Fmaj9add13 chord (F,, A, C, E, G, D) contains the A minor pentatonic scale. In other words, you're playing over the notes of the (extended) F major chord.

[@PeterDec24]

@@MangoldProject ok thank you so much for your reply

[@masterkrapp007]

Hey, so isn’t an 11sus4 actually a 9sus4? (Because the 4 and 11 are the same scale degree that is)

[@MangoldProject]

Yep, pretty much.

[@masterkrapp007]

@@MangoldProject thanks! I’m at a point where I think I have understood the theoretical concepts to a good point but I’m hypervigilent to spot the errors in my understanding. I appreciate your response!

[@OlivvYeah]

That was pure mangold

[@MangoldProject]

Imitated, but never duplicated!

[@EE-yv7xg]

How did you know the magical Chords for a minor pentatonic scale that clash the least at 2:56

[@MangoldProject]

Are you asking *why* these chords work? I explain that briefly in the video. You can select from the magic chords in any order, you'll always sound good.

[@EE-yv7xg]

@@MangoldProjectthanks for the reply. I am asking how do I figure out magic chords for other keys for other pentatonic scales? How do I figure them out for major scale etc.

[@MangoldProject]

@@EE-yv7xg Ahhh ... You transpose! This entire example was in A minor pentatonic, and the chords were Am, C, F, G. Now transpose up, say, 3 semitones. A becomes C, C becomes Eb, F becomes Ab, G becomes Bb. So: For the C minor pentatonic, the magic chords are Cm, Eb, Ab, Bb. Another example (see if you can work it out): For D minor pentatonic, the chords are Dm, F, Bb, C. If you need help transposing stuff ... well KZbin is your friend again :) I don't have a video on this but I'm sure a quick search will get you there easily.

[@EE-yv7xg]

@@MangoldProject oo I get it now :) What would be the magic chords for Cmajor scale/ A minor scale (not pentatonic)?

[@MangoldProject]

@@EE-yv7xg Minor non-pentatonic scales fare similarly to penatonic ones. So for A minor (say Aeolian) it's the same chords as for A minor pentatonic.

[@emery1057]

11 is the same as 4

[@josdurkstraful]

Dsus4 = DGA. Dm11 = DFA---G. D11sus4 = DGA--G = Dsus4 with double sus4 which is not a good idea because of doubling a tension. Hence D11sus4 is in fact not a unique chord at all.

[@MangoldProject]

Define unique. Is a unique chord one in which you don't double tensions? Why would you avoid that? There are plenty of chords where you double tensions.

[@josdurkstraful]

@@MangoldProject I mean double tensions as twice the same one. Since more complex chords have enough notes in them already we have to distribute them logically under the fingers, especially on guitar. So, doubling a tension (I mean playing for example the b9 twice) will occupy another finger for a note that is already there. That's also the reason we mostly omit the 5 of a chord unless it's # or b. Then there is also the fact that doubling notes in a chord might not always sound that good. In classical harmony fot instance it is better not to double the third in a chord because it can lead to voice leading problems and result in uneanted parallel motion. AND there is also a tuning problem when you double notes between different instruments, therefor if a band has a piano player the guitarist needs to hold back on playing all the tensions in a chord because the pianist is assumedly playing them already.

[@josdurkstraful]

@@MangoldProject Define unique: D G A G is not a unique cord in itself with the name D11sus4. D11sus4 does not excist as a name to describe a chord because it is just Dsus4 with the sus four twice in it. A unique chord is in my book a chord with a non ambigiuos structure, like A major vs. a minor.

[@mikecipriani7792]

Love the theory, hate the melody.

[@MangoldProject]

Well, it's more about the concepts. Go forth and apply it to a melody you like!

[@geoffstockton]

The name D11sus4 is as silly and redundant as saying Cmaj7 w/major 3rd. You’re referring to one of the chord tones TWICE in the name. You can’t extend to an 11th when there’s already a suspended 4th. It’s a D9sus. You didn’t have to specify that it’s the 4th being suspended because the 2nd is already busy being a 9th as evidenced by the name.

[@MangoldProject]

Two simple questions. 1. Would a D11 include F#? 2. Would a D11sus4 include F#?

[@NugGarou]

What’s up with that angel? Is it doing devil horns or is that just AI nightmare fuel?

[@MangoldProject]

It's Bing Image Creator for the rescue!

[@nicholighkun]

I'm checking out right out after the lyrics for your fist sample. Be careful what you share because it acts as an endorsement, and endorsing sinful practices and lifestyles might get you likes and subs, but those things will be your noose in the end.

[@MangoldProject]

I have no idea what you're talking about, but sorry to see you go. I hope you'll come back.

[@nicholighkun]

@@MangoldProject Pay attention to the lyrics for the first sample you shared.

[@sika5908]

11sus4?????????????? wtf

[@gasparucciox9706]

really good, thanks

[@MangoldProject]

Thanks! I think this is the first time I use a vocal sample in my lessons. It really gets you thinking in a way instrumental music does not.

[@gasparucciox9706]

@@MangoldProject exactly! the sample actually it's not fantastic but you shows really well how to make sounds much better even a mediocre melody, really cool vid

[@MangoldProject]

@@gasparucciox9706 When it went live, the video got a copyright strike, because apparently the same (royalty-free) sample was used in another song as well. Welcome to KZbin, where effort is rewarded ... !

[@gasparucciox9706]

@@MangoldProject there are those huge sample data base now , producers buy any kind of samples there : chords, vocals, beats etc for a quite cheap price and they just assemble those samples togheter without playing a single note and..... believe it or not , sometimes they do hits out pf this!......it's quire sad , it's kind of death of music as we knew it....isn't?

[@MangoldProject]

@@gasparucciox9706 I don't care if some other producer made a hit out of it, all the more power to them. Just don't copyright strike my own video, which uses the same (royalty free!) sample ... Geez, some lawyers have too much free time on their hands.