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Main => Ministry, M.O.M, Praise Teams and Choirs => Topic started by: adzidzor on April 09, 2006, 05:29:51 AM

Title: BUILDING PARTS FROM MELODY
Post by: adzidzor on April 09, 2006, 05:29:51 AM
Hi,
Is there a short cut in building singing parts(tenor, alto, bass etc..) from a melody?
Title: Re: BUILDING PARTS FROM MELODY
Post by: 4hisglory on April 14, 2006, 09:31:11 AM
I don't think there is a short cut to anything if you are serious about it.
Title: Re: BUILDING PARTS FROM MELODY
Post by: SoundofJoy on April 14, 2006, 10:09:40 AM
Yes, if your ear can haer the harmony. Heres my example:

In C : melody......C, E, G, G......, F, E......D. D, E, F, E, D
This is the tune my faith looks up to thee, thou lamb of calvary.

Now is the basic choir chording to support the melody
soprano......C, E, G, G......, F, E......D, D, E,.. F, E, D
alto............G, C, E, D......, C, C......A, A, Db, D, C, B
tenor..........E, G, C, B......, A, G.....F, F, G,....A, A, G   

Now this voicing is complete in sound but lacks the bass so lets add the fourth part.

soprano......C, E, G, G......, F, E......D, D, E,.. F, E, D
alto............G, C, E, D......, C, C......A, A, Db, D, C, B
tenor..........E, G, C, B......, A, G.....F, F, G,....A, A, G   
bass...........C,  A, E, G....., G, C.....D, D, Db,..D, D, G

Now we have complete four part harmony supporting the melody.

Of course this is a known tune so it was easy to place the parts in harmony. It's when you're writing an oringal tune is when your 'trained" ear tells you what sounds correct. Maybe we'll post a arranging excercise where a melody is posted and we'll see what harmony(s) we can come up with.

Sam