Is this the difference between Melody and Harmony?

M

MarkySoliloquy

New member
I know many of you think this is a simple question but again I'm a noob lol.

So with that out of the way based on my understanding Melody is what is composed as the main part of the song with the main chords and that sort of thing. Harmony is the accompaniment to fill it out more.

Am I correct?
 
In simple terms:
Melody-Single notes (what the soloist is singing)

Harmony-Chords and chord progression (groupings of notes played simultaneously) (think of an acoustic guitar player strumming chords)
 
Melody is not chords.
Melody is one note at a time. could be any notes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtF6Jej8yb4
This song is a good example. There is a melody at 0.59 which is the same as the melody the singer is singing. The part which comes in at 1.13 is quite melody like but IMO too repetitive to count as a proper melody.
Melody is also not a riff, but it's harder to say how. A riff is shorter, more repetitive, and rhymically a bit more funky than a melody and could be either single notes or chords- I guess a bit like a bassline but not bass.

Tbh I would say 90% of electronic music and beats have no melody at all, just chords or riffs- but that doesn't stop people using the word 'melody' to describe basslines or riffs or chords.

It's quite hard to categorize all these things and they all blur into each other a bit if you have short melodies or long riffs or broken chords or whatever. A good rule of thumb is the part the singer is singing is 99% of the time a melody.
 
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mel·o·dy
ˈmelədē/
noun
[COLOR=#878787 !important][/COLOR]

  • a sequence of single notes that is musically satisfying.


    har·mo·ny
    ˈhärmənē/
    noun
    [COLOR=#878787 !important][/COLOR]

    • 1.
      the combination of simultaneously sounded musical notes to produce chords and chord progressions having a pleasing effect.








 
It's worth noting, also, that harmony can also be non-chordal in nature. It can even be simply the same line transposed up a 3rd (or any other interval) and played simultaneously.
 
I dont really read music theory
But here is how i understand

If you play a bass line on lots of different notes For example a song of dr. Dre, nothing but a g thang
Thats melody

If you play the bass more disciplined like arpegiator its harmony
 
Im not a expert too.....still need to go more deeply into music theory....

But from what I have gathered/experienced over the last few months in my music production....

MELODY = Single Notes or Keys played 'one at a time' progressively over time. (e.g. C - D - E - F - G - A - B - C etc.)

HARMONY = Chords and chord progressions played 'together/simultaneously' over time. (e.g. C - F - A all together etc.)

Hope I am somewhat correct. Others have already suggested what could be better answers.

Just make sure you start learning music theory and learn it from a reputable source that won't teach/steer you wrong. (this is my next goal in my music production career)

Also.....remember that music production is 'lifelong' so therefore....be prepared to be learning/talking/analyzing/comprehending music theory.....for as long as you see fit in your music production career/goals.
 
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Sorry to make the thread a little more convoluted and confusing.....

1. Can harmony also be applied to "instruments" or "people"...??? And not just chords/chord progressions on a piano...???

Basically...can harmony be expressed or applied to a 'greater context' outside of just music theory.

As in....

"oh...that bass guitar, piano and sax are really harmonizing well together..."

...or...

"wow...that quartet group are really harmonizing well together..."

Help...???
 
Chew_Bear said:
Sorry to make the thread a little more convoluted and confusing.....

1. Can harmony also be applied to "instruments" or "people"...??? And not just chords/chord progressions on a piano...???

Basically...can harmony be expressed or applied to a 'greater context' outside of just music theory.

As in....

"oh...that bass guitar, piano and sax are really harmonizing well together..."

...or...

"wow...that quartet group are really harmonizing well together..."

Help...???
Click to expand...
Definitely. If you have a chord which is C E and G then it's still the same chord if you play C on the bass, E on a synth and sing the G.
 
for the melody, you have the c major*scale which has the notes like: c, d, e, f, g, a, b, c thats the c major scale

so you can play all the notes which are in the scale with the chords and it is still in harmony because you are in the c major scale and c major chord

if you go with a c minor chord that changes the scale, you are now on c minor chord and scale that you focus on ,
 
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I think balls of metal covered it nicely with his dictionary definition. Why every one feels the need to cast what they think but are unsure, not an expert etc, is beyond me.

Do people actually read a thread or do they just feel the need to cast their own opinion after reading the OP.

Sorry if I sound a bit ratty here, I just find it funny. A good reply would be, +1 balls of metal. That's what I thought. Then expand if you had more to say.

So thank you balls of metal.

edit: and before I get slated for preaching, theirs a very good reason why, especially if a thread gets big, for those coming to it wishing to learn... Which yes, I'm also contributing to that problem, lol!!!
 
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Mitchimasha

I have comented because i did not see someone mentioning the scale

If you say you can only make melodies out from c, e, g thats too much limitation

I want to also mention you can make mrlodies from all notes of that scale if its c major, you can play cdefgabc so i am giving three more options,

If the answer doesnt impress you i dont know about that,
 
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My comment wasn't aimed at you, you took it further by bringing in scales. Limiting the series of notes to that key.

As the definition is a series of single notes, why would one presume that meant only c, e, and g?
 
Melody is simply the leading line of the music & harmony accompanies it. Harmony is technically multiple notes being played at the same time, hence the phrase "Harmonic Content" etc. However often there will just be one harmony track and one melody track and the harmony track will play the same line in 3rds for example.
 
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