# Harmony (vocal)



## fretzel (Aug 8, 2014)

I wasn’t sure where to start this thread so here it is. 

Are there any secrets to singing a harmony line in a band setting? I tend to follow the singer and I would like to add more harmonies. Starting off simple with the Sheepdogs song, “Who”. 

I reaaaallllyyy have to concentrate to hit the right note. For now I have even stopped playing guitar and given myself a quick reference note until I memorize my part. 

Is that all it is, memorization?

HELP!!!!

LOL


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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

I used to practice harmony by singing along with Steeleye Span records years ago to get a feel for how it works but I still can’t sing harmony worth a damn. There’s a good harmony lesson in Spinal Tap where they’re in front of Elvis’s grave ... lol


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## fretzel (Aug 8, 2014)

Well that is a good idea though. PRACTICE!!!! I have only been doing it when we jam.


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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

I think you kinda just have to fish for the harmony notes. There’s theory on it but who has time for that .. lol

Maybe record what it is you need to harmonize with and keep at it till you get something.


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## fretzel (Aug 8, 2014)

Wardo said:


> Maybe record what it is you need to harmonize with and keep at it till you get something.


That’s a good idea as well. It’s a pretty simple two part harmony. In C Minor the main line is 5-4-3-4-4-3 and the harmony is 3-2-1-2-2-1. My tendency to sing what the singer is singing is what I need to break. We have been doing this song for a couple of years so will need some work to break bad habit.


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## Guitar101 (Jan 19, 2011)

There's different ways to harmonize. If you can pick out the 3 or 4 part harmonies in many of The Eagles tunes, that would be a good place to start. Probably one of the best duo's of all times, The Everly Brothers, harmonized by one of the brothers simply singing an octave higher than the other. If these don't do it for you, pick songs you like and try to pick out the harmonies. It seems hard but gets easier with practice. Harmonizing with a buddy is also a good way to go. Good luck.

I also use this site. Sometimes the small part they allow you to hear has the lead and harmony parts that you can turn on and off. It can help you pick out the harmonies. I never buy the song though. Here's Take It Easy as an example.

Take It Easy - The Eagles (Vocal Backing Track MP3)


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## Guest (Feb 21, 2019)

fretzel said:


> In C Minor the main line is 5-4-3-4-4-3 and the harmony is *3-2-1-2-2-1*


Play the harmony part on the guitar and sing/hum along with it.
Once you're familiar with it, play the main line and sing/hum the harmony to it.


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## fretzel (Aug 8, 2014)

All good tips. Thank you. 

Last jam instead of playing my rhythm part I would hit the third for a reference. And then concentrated and hopefully not sing in unison. LOL.


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## DaddyDog (Apr 21, 2017)

When you find the secret, pass it along  I suck at it. But once I find it, I'm pretty good at keeping it.

I've been to a couple of song writer circles where a singer just jumped in and sang a harmony line with the person who was performing. Amazing to see/hear someone pull it off in person.


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## fretzel (Aug 8, 2014)

Definitely sounds great when done well. 

Funny I just picked up my guitar and sang the line I want with ease. Going to keep practicing and see how goes in band context.


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

Some people seem to be able to do it easily and for the rest of us, it takes a tonne of work. I've been working with my vocal coach on singing harmony for a while now. I'm getting better, but still sometimes struggle to get that first note. You really have to listen to everything else that's going on musically. She even has me trying to match the vowel sounds of the melody singer which is something that never would have occurred to me - now I hear mismatched vowel sounds all the time when I hear people singing harmony.


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## fretzel (Aug 8, 2014)

Mismatched vowel sounds? Please don’t take me down that rabbit hole. LOL 

Nice to know that we are not alone.


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## jb welder (Sep 14, 2010)

Don't know if this is correct or how to explain it exactly, but I've been told not to sing what I'll call the 'resultant' note, but sing the missing note needed to achieve that result. For me, it's tough to do this.
For a guitar analogy, imagine three guys wanting to play a 'G' chord. Each one is supposed to play just one note, my tendency would be to want to play the chord, rather than the particular note I'm supposed to play.
So in an effort to sing harmony, I'm incorrectly singing the original along with the harmony.


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## fretzel (Aug 8, 2014)

Reminds me of this......


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## Guncho (Jun 16, 2015)

My harmony cheat if I'm singing harmony to something I've never sung before is to find one note that works and sing the entire harmony part on that one note.

Better than nothing!


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

Guncho said:


> My harmony cheat if I'm singing harmony to something I've never sung before is to find one note that works and sing the entire harmony part on that one note.
> 
> Better than nothing!


Brilliant! The "Cinnamon Girl Method"


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## Guncho (Jun 16, 2015)

Another tip is don't always sing every word the lead singer is singing.

My friend and I recorded a cover of U2's Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For.

I tried singing the harmony on the first two words of the chorus, "But I" and it just sounded weird so my vocals don't kick in until the third word "Still".


__
https://soundcloud.com/https%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fguncho%2Fstill-havent-found-what-im-looking-for-sean-pedersen-chris-gunter


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

I learned (still working on it) by singing along to the harmonies on Blue Rodeo's 5 Days in July album, as well as CSNY.


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## Dorian2 (Jun 9, 2015)

You might not want to get all technical, but learning the Major scale in 3rds is a good start. If you can do that on the guitar, copy what you've just done vocally. The Intervals are another good way to get there. It takes a bit more work and practice initially, but it comes pretty quick if you've got a good sense of the sounds. Every interval in music probably starts a song that you're familiar with. Star Trek - Minor 6th, Here comes the Bride Perfect 4th, Happy B-day - Maj. 2nd ..... etc. Once you practice them and get really acquainted with the sound itself, you'll be able to pick em out of tunes at your disposal. If you aren't too into detail, definitely listen to the recommendations given. Along with Beatles, Simon and Garf....etc. Good luck.


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## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)

Our drummer appears to use the hounddog-howling-along-to-harmonica method. You can hear it even with no mic. No shutting him up. 

Ah-ooh, werewolves of London!


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## sambonee (Dec 20, 2007)

Sing the songs you know as the lead singer starting on another note in the first chord. 
Ex: 
Sing take it easy starting not on the tonic but on the third or fifth. Make sure that your Millatti fits with all of the cords without jumping around too much. Could be good to record it in order to practice it starts at some easy way to compose harmonies. And also a good way to practice


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## Guitar101 (Jan 19, 2011)

KapnKrunch said:


> Our drummer appears to use the hounddog-howling-along-to-harmonica method. You can hear it even with no mic. No shutting him up.
> 
> Ah-ooh, werewolves of London!


Who let the dogs out?


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