Notes and Reflections from our Thursday Night Sing

A group of women come together to sing each Thursday night at the Freight & Salvage in Berkeley, California. These are our notes and reflections.

Monday, September 27, 2010

Harmonizing

At our last circle, we began to work a bit more closely on creating harmonies. It was very interesting to be asked "How do you harmonize?". I have been considering this question all week and I am very curious to continue to explore how we can all learn to harmonize and feel comfortable doing it. Here are some thoughts:

* Harmonizing is a unique process for each individual. Some people hear harmonies automatically when listening to a melody line, some do not.

* Much like our singing styles, the intervals (or distances between notes) that we use commonly have a great deal to do with our culture and what we are used to hearing. Eastern music uses a lot of fourths, while western music leans towards thirds and fifths (generally speaking).

* It is easier to begin to harmonize if you understand your range. For some people, finding lower harmonies feels more natural, others are attracted to higher note relationships.

I am excited to continue this study together and I am bringing some new ideas and activities to try next Thursday night. If you have any other thoughts about the subject of harmony, please comment below!

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