Summary of "How I wish HARMONY was explained to me as a student"

Summary of “How I wish HARMONY was explained to me as a student”

This video, presented by Nari Sol—a pianist and composer—aims to demystify the concept of musical harmony in a simple, practical way. Nari emphasizes breaking free from the overwhelming rules and complexities often taught in music schools and textbooks, focusing instead on understanding harmony as a natural, flexible phenomenon shaped by culture, context, and personal preference.

Main Ideas and Concepts

Harmony Defined Simply Harmony is about how sounds vibrate together. There are no absolute rules; what sounds good depends on cultural context and personal taste.
Scales and Notes The major scale (seven notes) is a common scale in Western music, represented by the white keys on a piano. Different scales break up the octave in various ways, creating unique identities through note spacing.
Chords as “Bouquets of Notes” Single notes are like a rose; chords are like bouquets of roses—multiple notes played together. Chords support melodies by adding harmonic depth.
Chord Roots and Progressions The root is the strongest note in a chord, serving as its foundation. Changing roots in sequence creates chord progressions, which are groups of chords played one after another.
Three-Dimensional Thinking About Chords Instead of viewing chords as a linear sequence, imagine them orbiting each other with varying “gravity.” Some chords feel more stable or tense, creating a push-pull effect similar to breathing in and out.
Tension and Release in Music Chord progressions create tension and release, giving music emotional shape, like the ups and downs of a good story.
Size and Complexity of Chords Chords can be as simple or complex as desired, allowing flexibility in sound.
Overtone Series and Single Notes Even a single note contains multiple pitches vibrating together (the overtone series), contributing to its harmonic richness. While often introduced early in theory, the overtone series can overcomplicate initial understanding.
Tools for Understanding Harmony The Circle of Fifths is a key tool that shows relationships between key centers and helps visualize harmonic relationships, similar to a color wheel.
Harmony as Contrast and Blending Like colors, some harmonies blend smoothly (consonant), while others contrast sharply (dissonant). What sounds consonant or dissonant depends on the musical context and listener’s frame of reference.
Rules as Guidelines, Not Laws Harmony rules exist as flexible guidelines, not strict laws. Musicians can choose to follow or break these rules creatively, similar to fashion choices.
Encouragement for Practical Use The goal is to provide context and understanding that supports music-making without fear of rigid rules.

Methodology / Instructional Points

Understand harmony as the interaction of vibrating sounds, not just memorized rules.
Recognize the major scale as a foundational concept but explore other scales and note spacings.
Think of chords as collections of notes supporting melodies, with roots as their base.
Visualize chord progressions as dynamic, three-dimensional relationships with varying tension.
Use tension and release to shape music emotionally.
Appreciate the overtone series as part of a note’s harmonic richness but avoid overcomplicating early learning.
Utilize the Circle of Fifths to understand key relationships and harmonic contrast.
Embrace consonance and dissonance as subjective and context-dependent.
Treat harmony rules as flexible guidelines, encouraging experimentation and personal expression.

Special Notes

Nari Sol has published a book titled Narisol’s Elements of Music designed to provide practical music theory knowledge for both beginners and experienced musicians.
A special discount for the book is available (details in the video description).
Gratitude is expressed to patrons on Patreon.
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