Chords
I hope this isn't going to sound like too much of a really stupid question. I am trying to recreate the music of my old school song which was a hymn. However I have identified the hymn and the tunes suggested do not tie in with my memory of the tune that was used. I have done my best at "re creating" the melody line of the tune but now I am stuck as to how to go to the next stage by selecting what chords would be appropriate for the bass clef. Is there a recognised or simple system for a starting point/chord to be allocated to the respective notes on the melody line? Any help would be much appreciated.
Comments
Often the first note of the melody is the root note for the chord that you will start with. Since it is a hymn, it is not out of the question that the song is in the minor key. A good indication, though not difinitive, will be accidentals you wrote (assuming you started with a staff in C).
If this is correct, then your lowest note would be the same note several octave lower in a bass instrument. You can then build a chord based upon that root. Try both major and minor to see which sounds right. From there, you will need to just imagine what the chord procession sounded like. Did it go up or down? a little or a lot?
The final chord will probably be the same as the first one and the chord prior to that will probably be based upon the 5th note of the scale (the bottom note could be in any octave).
If there are pauses (or ends of phrases) in the songs, the final chord in a phrase is as likely to be based upon the fifth note of the scale as the first.
Key spots in the song like this will help to build the accompaniment, but all the chords in between follow some rules, but all rules are at times broken. You might want to download "Harmony" by a gentleman whose last name is Piston. (Google piston harmony, it will leas to free downloads). It will help you learn what to expect, such as a II chord will probably not precede a I chord and so forth.
Post the melody, please.
One way to decide chords is to break the bass line down into single notes and then build up from there.
In reply to Post the melody, please. One by underquark
There is a small typo in the example: third page is B minor not F.
(Or I'm not awake?)
In reply to There is a small typo in the by frfancha
I think I was not awake; it is B minor.
A starting point would be to identify the key and modality - eg. C major, A minor.
For a simple hymn you might begin with using simple chords, so for a tune in C major you might use C, F, G(7) chords. For a tune in A minor you might simply use Am, Dm, E(7).
See:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonic_(music)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subdominant
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominant_(music)
Very simply put: The above chords comprise the notes of the scale and can harmonize a melody based on that scale.
Regards.
In reply to A starting point would be to by Jm6stringer
Thank you all very much for your helpful suggestions - they have certainly given me food for thought. I have to say that it is over 60 years since I took a few piano and violin lessons before professional exams and a career in a completely different field took over and I am a very later returner to trying to make music - albeit mainly computer based. I have to say I find music theory absolutely impenetrable despite casting around all sorts of resources but your suggestions have given me a fresh impetus.