Harmony Guitar Parts

[Steve]

There's a thread in the vocal section on working out harmony backing vocals. I thought it might be interesting to see how you work out any harmony guitar parts you might play?So, do you use any harmony guitar? How do you work out the parts? Do you write them out in notation or tab? Or do you just play it by ear?

[FinnArild]

I tend to use a lot of both voice and e-bowed guitar in the background. E-bowed guitar is cool, since it sounds a bit like a synth, but it really isn't - giving it an organic feel. I also like swell effects - whether it's done by pedal or automatic. There's usually much less synths than people thinks on my tracks - a lot of it is just harmonized voice or guitar. I always do stuff like that directly in recording - running one track, then another that fits until I have 4-5 tracks that sound cool.

[roxhythe]

I was trying to describe that to a fellow today. He wanted me to play lead to a song he'd written. I told him what I needed to do is (1) know what key he's in, and (2) either watch his hands or know what the chord progression is. Since I am largely tone-deaf, I can't tell by listening what notes he's making--but once he tells me (or I can see it), I can do the same thing, only in a different place on the guitar (I may be tone-deaf, but I know where all the notes are on the "grid").

And then it's just a matter of embellishments. I have some bluegrass riffs I can throw in, and some rock 'n' roll ones, and I can do the transitions between all the chords, and generally play about twice as many notes as he is--and I'll make sure at strategic points to play exactly the same notes he is (though still in a different place on the neck) at exactly the same time, so the audience knows we really do know what we're doing. I don't think it's actually harmony, but it sounds like it.

We practiced the thing about 3 or 4 times this morning, and we're ready to go on stage with it.

This help?

Joe

[thelevellers]

I usually go for very simple and obvious stuff, as I don't have the knowledge to play around much... You'll find (if I ever post my work on here :S) that my 'solos' tend to be based around the exact chord progression I'm using, maybe an octave up (or as i always think of it - 12 frets up!)

I believe this is a bad habit I should really break, but as I haven't trained my ear properly, it seems the safest way to ensure I don't slide out of key by accident (I have been known to do this before...)

Anyone got some tips for me?

[Rudi]

Understanding harmony is basic to lead playing, whether you hit more than one note at a time or not. If anything, I try to expand the harmonic potential of a solo by using passing tones, (including chromatic runs) and allude to changes not actually present in the music. Diminished chords are useful for this.