Why You Need to Learn Traditional Harmony

Before we delve into the music theory study of four-part harmony and all the rules and restrictions that go with it, we first must step back and ask ourselves why it is important for a trained musician to understand these principles. In this post I will be offering various examples of the “rules” of four-part harmony that I will explain in detail in future lessons.

When you learn four-part harmony, you learn principles of voice leading, that is, how one voice of the harmony moves in relation to the rest of the voices. Within these principles you learn a right and a wrong way to do it. One of the most famous voice leading mistakes is parallel motion between certain perfect intervals. (i.e., parallel fifths and octaves). Another voice leading rule you learn is that  must always resolve to  except under specifically prescribed conditions. (If you click on the image to the right and zoom in to the musical example, you’ll see both of these rules being broken.)

Another concept you learn are procedures for doubling chord tones. Since triads have only three voices (root, third, and fifth), obviously one of its chord members has to be used in two different voices when four voices are present.

Then there are principles of how chords move from one to another. You learn, for example, the difference between a chord progression and chord retrogression, the retrogression being, for the most part, forbidden.

Students often get overwhelmed with the strict requirements of traditional harmony, and question its importance to their musical tastes and endeavors. These are fair questions. There are numerous arguments that can be made for learning a discipline that doesn’t seem to relate to your educational goals. And most of these arguments apply to any discipline, not just music theory. But I’m only going to touch on a few that pertain directly to music, and I believe are the most important.

I have been using the term “rule,” but prefer “principles” and “procedures.” Music is art, not science. But to say that these principles and procedures are required to make good music is nonsense. Nevertheless, the principles you learn in four-part harmony were not conjured up by out of touch music theory professors who have nothing better to do with their time than to make music students miserable. No, these principles have been developed over the past several centuries. When we look back at the myriad of music, we see them at work. Composers discovered methods to satisfy musical tendencies, produce acoustically optimal harmonies, and generate musical motion that creates drama through musical tension and resolution. And when the composers chose not to follow a certain principle, they were aware of, and had a reason for what they were doing.

So, when you learn the principles of traditional four-part harmony, you learn the normal tendencies of harmonic movement. And if you adhere to the principles, you are guaranteed to end up with a good-sounding result. Yes, you are learning a style of writing, but this style of writing music has endured for centuries and still is a valid way to produce beautiful, smooth, musical movement. It is a rewarding musical experience to take a melody, harmonize it in four voices, then listen to the result of your labor.

I always try to have my students sing their four-part exercises, because it brings even the simplest exercises to life. Why? Because when it’s done right, it’s not just an exercise; it’s music! I love to see the joy on their faces as they say, “I wrote that!” Then, when you move on to what might be your preferred way to create music (whether performing or composing), you do it with a perspective that you did not have previously. This perspective may or may not change the way you write, perform or listen to music. But it is a perspective that deepens your understanding of all musical styles.

Getting back to a few “rules” I mentioned earlier: I love the sound of parallel fifths in certain musical contexts; I love to hear an unresolved leading tone when it’s done tastefully, because it is a denied expectation that brings dramatic tension to the music. And I truly love the sound of a dominant chord going to a subdominant, which we’ll learn is a retrogression to be avoided most of the time. Furthermore, I can (and will) show you parallel fifths and unresolved leading tones in Bach, retrogressions in Mozart, and a whole list of famous composers breaking so called “rules.” Claude Debussy is famous for it. But he knew he was doing it. And his understanding of traditional harmonic procedures enabled him to step outside of those boundaries and create some of the most beautiful music ever written!

As a trained musician, being aware of what is happening in the music harmonically, is an excitement that is not easy to put into words. So, as you learn the music theory behind harmony, whether you follow me through these lessons, or you do it in a classroom, keep it in perspective. The reward is not an “A” at the end of the course, or a reputation for being a musical genius. The reward is profoundly intrinsic. If you’re serious about music, whether you’re a singer, guitarist, composer, or educator, you owe it to yourself to break into however much sweat is necessary to assimilate the principles of traditional four-part harmony.

Harmony Table of Contents

Lessons Table of Contents