Once you can play your instrument by ear you can think about adding harmony to a melody. Most western harmony is based on triads, groups of three notes such as C-E-G. These are the basis of arpeggios, which is why arpeggios form part of the classical learning process.
Chord Sequences
Wherever there are children and a piano you will probably hear Heart and soul being played (as well as chopsticks, the flea waltz and that tune that you play with your knuckles on the black keys). It’s based on a simple 4-chord progression:
- C-E-G (C major)
- A-C-E (A minor)
- F-A-C (F major)
- G-B-D (G major)
These four chord are repeated over and over (and over and over). Perhaps even simpler is the 12-bar blues, which uses only 3 chords. As you listen to music, listen out not just for the melody but for the underlying chords – work out which triad is being played in the accompaniment.
Simple chord sequences are a great way to learn how to harmonise and improvise. You know what’s coming next so you’re mentally prepared to find your next note. And the repetition means you get a chance to try out different ideas. If it doesn’t work then no worries, that chord will be back soon enough to try something else.
Don’t start this exercise with traditional hymns! They often change chord on every note, which is why nobody wants to play them on a guitar. If you pick any worship song from the 1970s on, they are generally built on very simple chord progressions which don’t change from one chord to the next too quickly. There was a trend for diminished 7ths and unusual chord sequences in the 1980s, but most current worship music is really very simple.
Taizé Worship
The Taizé community has produced several books over the years with counter melodies to their well-known songs. You can also listen to recordings of their music. The distinctive characteristic is that there is a simple tune, repeated over and over, and the instruments and voices play along either with the tune or with a counter melody. This is also a great way to experiment both with simple harmony and melody.
Listening
Learning to identify the chords is primarily about listening. Listen to a recording and try to pick out the notes. The bass line is a good place to start as it is often (but not always) playing the root of the chord – the bottom of the triad, the note for which the chord is named. This takes practice, but it’s a skill anyone can learn.
If you can identify the chord being played, you can sing or play any note in that chord and it will sound good. Play a note other than the melody and you’re playing your own harmony. Keep it simple, just play one note at first until the chord changes.
As you become more familiar with the notes of the chords you’ll find you can go from one chord to another with only a small jump, for example if you’re changing from a C chord (C-E-G) to a G chord (G-B-D) you might go from E to D, from C to B or C to D, or you might just stay on G. You can now produce a more natural sounding sequence, and you have the beginnings of a counter-melody.
Improv 101
For another approach to learning to improvise, there is a series of four videos by The Electric Violin Shop, starting with Improv 101
Learning by doing
Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, just keep going. Some things you try will work and others won’t. Reuse the ones that sound good and discard the ideas you don’t like when you hear them. You will quickly learn what works for you.
Sometimes you’ll land on the wrong note – or at least not the note you intended. This happens more often than you might think, even when you’re proficient. There are often variations on a song and the guitarist may play a different chord from the one you were expecting. Don’t panic, just use it as a passing note and move to a different one on the next beat. By moving with the beat it sounds as if that’s exactly what you intended. You might decide it actually sounds better that way.
Don’t be scared! Playing confidently with occasional mistakes usually sounds better than playing correctly but timidly.
The best way to learn is just to start doing it. Play along with a recording or with friends, but just play.
The last section concerns playing as part of a group.