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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 20 2004 13:00:32

Jon Boyes

Posts: 1377
Joined: Jul. 10 2003

RE: Need hints for harmonizing sevil... (in reply to Guest)

quote:

ORIGINAL: AndyB
I'm trying to figure this whole harmonization thing out. It doesn't seem to work to always play 3rds or 5ths above or below. The best harmony parts seem to cross-over the main melody line frequently.
Can anyone give me some hints?

Hi Andy

I work a lot with harmonies like this, and I know exactly what you mean. Its very difficult to put a definite solution into words, as it depends precisely what you are playing. From a theoretical point of view, you can't simply follow a lead voice in a descending scale say in thirds, because at some point you will be playing harmonised notes that aren't in the scale - ouch.

The solution is to keep to the scale, and sometimes what I do is play the same note twice in the harmony, as the lead voice as ascending or descending. Use your ears to guide you on this - play one line while you sing the other.

If you give me a melody line as an example, I could tell you how I would harmonise it.

Apart from 3rds and fifths, an octave below the melody voice works nicely, too and is always safe.

HTH.

Jon

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 20 2004 13:53:29

Miguel de Maria

Posts: 3532
Joined: Oct. 20 2003
From: Phoenix, AZ

RE: Need hints for harmonizing sevil... (in reply to Guest)

Andy, do what Jon said, and let your ear guide you. "If it sounds good....it IS good!"

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 20 2004 15:00:15

Rob

Posts: 60
Joined: Apr. 26 2004

RE: Need hints for harmonizing sevil... (in reply to Miguel de Maria)

Manuel Granados has written a book called:

Musical Theory of Flamenco Guitar - Fundamentals of Harmony and Principles of Composition (Casa Beethoven Publications)

It is in both English and Spanish and comes in two volumes. It might stimulate some ideas for you. The examples are in TAB and standard notation.

Rob

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 20 2004 19:24:11

Guest

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Post has been moved to the Recycle Bin at Jul. 11 2004 12:21:51

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 20 2004 20:14:48

Rob

Posts: 60
Joined: Apr. 26 2004

RE: Need hints for harmonizing sevil... (in reply to Guest)

I have the second volume. The chapters are as follows:

Traditional Harmony (30 pages - most of it of no use to modern flamenco. It reminds me of the boring musical 'rules' I had to learn at music school - but I did learn it, and I don't think it has done me much harm)

Andalusian Cadence

Styles with set rhythms: Alegria, Tango, Buleria, Fandango

Styles in free time: Taranta, Granaina, Malaguena

Each of the Styles chapters is subdivided along the following lines, e.g. Bulerias:
Features of the Cante
Musical analysis
Key signature of the base tonality
Characteristic harmonic progression
Characteristic cadence resolution
Scale
Time signature
Cycle structure and variations
Traditional harmonic structures
Variations: basics of the traditional design
Recommended listening

That sounds a lot, but it doesn't really go into much depth and is all rather basic. I was a bit dissapointed with the book - a somewhat pseudo-intellectual approach, talking much but saying little. However, my knowledge of harmony, modes, etc, is quite advanced (I used to teach it at university level) so maybe others would get more out of this book than I did?

Rob

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 20 2004 21:27:34

Jon Boyes

Posts: 1377
Joined: Jul. 10 2003

RE: Need hints for harmonizing sevil... (in reply to Rob)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Rob

I have the second volume. The chapters are as follows:

Traditional Harmony (30 pages - most of it of no use to modern flamenco. It reminds me of the boring musical 'rules' I had to learn at music school - but I did learn it, and I don't think it has done me much harm)

Andalusian Cadence

Styles with set rhythms: Alegria, Tango, Buleria, Fandango

(list snipped).

Andy, if you are after a flamenco theory reference like this, there's a free one in PDF on the web somewhere that covers just about all of that material Rob lists. I don't have time to find it now, but it might be on flamenco Chuck's site.

(Come to think of it, I'm sure we've had this conversation before...deja vu!)

Jon

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 21 2004 9:23:23

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Post has been moved to the Recycle Bin at Jul. 11 2004 12:22:01

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 21 2004 11:45:50