What exactly should I have to learn to understand why certain combination of chords are harmonic when played in a sequence?

Question

I am an intuitive music composer trying to move to a technical music composer. As a dummy, I see music as a composition of 'pieces' (my word). Each piece is a set of notes that are melodical when played in a particular sequence and in particular intervals. As the music would be very boring if it was composed of a single piece repeating over and over, you are required to compose several pieces and glue them together to produce a pleasant song. As an intuitive composer I do manage to arrange several melodic pieces, but I lack the ability to compose other pieces that are melodical/harmonic with the first so that the whole forms a song.I'm pretty sure that there's a lot of theory in finding combinations that are melodical/harmonical. There must be a way to say that 3 different chords are likely to form music. That given 2 chords, the third must be X and so forth.The question is: What do I have to learn?I'm pretty sure it has something to do with harmony, but I'd really be happy to know what exactly in harmony would answer my questions.Thank you

Answer 1

It's not like a mathematical formula. It really just comes down to what sounds pleasing to the ear. The moment one chord changes to another chord you have harmonic movement. The effect of the harmonic movement depends on the quality of the chords you are moving to and from. For example, moving from a C major chord to and F# major chord would be striking due to the fact that there are no common notes and they both belong to different keys. Moving from C major to E minor, on the other hand, would be a very weak chord progression, for opposite reasons as the first example. The solution for you is to build a language based on your own listening experience. Find some music that sounds good to you, figure out by ear what is going on (or analyze the sheet music). Do this for a few years and eventually you will learn from others what your ear finds pleasing harmonically.

Answer 2

Hello! How are you today? I hope you're staying safe at home!

It's a pretty large base to study, but we could summarize it this way:

Some things you can take into account are:

a.) Harmonic Functions of the diatonic chords in your key (Tonic, Subdominant, Dominant, etc.)

b.) A satisfactory voice-leading (considering chords as groups of voices moving from one chord to the next). Good voice-leading techniques include: inversions that prevent use of parallel fifths or octaves, movement of any voice by intervals longer than 2 tones from a chord to the next and others).

c.) Use of tensions and tense chords with their respective voice-leading.

d.) Modal music. Modal principles are not essentially difficult. Modes simply change the "tonal center" of a chord progression or entire song by using a degree other than the I. (first level), not keeping the harmonic function of what will become the I degree now and other elements. It's a really satisfying new world for composers.

e.) Use of upper structures: Mixing chord tones with tensions at different levels.

... and LOTS of other things.

I am available for harmony lessons of you are interested! I created an educational standard called Polaris Education, which provides students with great resources that helps a lot to develop new notions and ways to understand all this...

If you're interested in taking lessons with us please let me know! I'd be glad to assist you!

Have a great week

Carlos