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How to Make Music: 9 Steps for Every Beginner

Creating music is akin to painting on an audio canvas. For beginners, understanding the principles of harmony is crucial, as it forms the backbone of musical composition. Harmony refers to the combination of different musical notes played or sung simultaneously to produce a pleasing sound. By understanding its nuances, one can create melodies that resonate deeply with listeners. This blog post will explore the principles of harmony in music, taking you through historical shifts, from the rise of the intervals of the third and the sixth to new uses of dissonance.

Rise of the Intervals of the Third and the Sixth

In the context of Western music, the intervals of the third and sixth have played a significant role in shaping harmony. Historically, medieval and Renaissance music emphasized perfect intervals like fourths and fifths. As music evolved during the late Renaissance and early Baroque periods, the significance of thirds and sixths began to rise. These intervals provided a richer harmonic palette and allowed for more emotional expression. The transition wasn’t instantaneous but gradual. Composers began incorporating more thirds and sixths into their pieces, realizing these intervals enriched the harmonic structure, making it more complex and expressive. The consonance of these intervals contrasted with the starkness of perfect fourths and fifths, appealing to the auditory senses more soothingly and emotionally. This shift marked the first steps toward the lush harmonies of later classical and romantic music. The significance of this change can’t be overstated. By integrating thirds and sixths, composers could explore new harmonic progressions and chord structures. This development laid the groundwork for many harmonic techniques still in use today. Understanding the importance of these intervals provides a historical perspective that informs modern music composition and analysis.

The Weakening of the Modes

Modes were the bedrock of early Western music, providing a framework for melody and harmony. Each mode could be thought of as a different scale, with its own unique mood and emotional effect. However, as Western music evolved, the strict adherence to modal frameworks began to weaken. This evolution was driven by the need for more flexible and expressive harmonic language. The weakening of the modes can be directly associated with the rise of tonal harmony and the major-minor system that dominates Western music today. Composers began to favor the dynamic and flexible nature of this system over the modal construct. The major and minor scales allowed for more nuanced harmonic progressions and a broader range of emotional expression. This shift didn’t mean the modes disappeared altogether; rather, they became another tool in a composer’s toolkit. By understanding and diverging from modal restrictions, composers were able to innovate, creating pieces that could evoke more complex and varied emotions. This movement towards a more free-form harmonic language was essential for the development of Western music.

New Uses of Dissonance

Dissonance refers to the combination of tones that clash, creating a sense of tension in music. For centuries, dissonance was carefully controlled and resolved to consonance, adhering to strict compositional rules. In more recent history, however, dissonance has taken on new roles, becoming an essential component of modern harmony. The dramatic use of dissonance helped composers express tension, conflict, and emotional depth in their music. Composers like Igor Stravinsky and Arnold Schoenberg pushed the boundaries of dissonance, exploring its potential as a primary harmonic force rather than a resolved tension. This approach allowed for greater emotional versatility and complexity in musical compositions. Modern styles such as jazz, rock, and experimental music also incorporate dissonance innovatively. Jazz musicians, for instance, often use dissonant chords and progressions as a fundamental part of their sound, creating a rich tapestry of tension and resolution. This modern use of dissonance has expanded the harmonic possibilities available to composers, allowing them to explore uncharted emotional and sonic territories.