Harmony question

L

Layla Nahar

New member
Hi all,

-question for people who like this sort of thing-

Would you agree with this harmonization of 'Happy Birthday' ?
Are there any other I, IV, V, (&V7) progressions that would work?


I ------------- V ------- I ------------- V7
Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday to you


I-------------- IV ------------ I -------- V I
Happy Birthday Mr President. Happy Birthday to you!



thanks :)

ps - I see there are 32 views and no answer - wojuld anybody know a good place to ask a question like this?

thanks!
 
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I'm not entirely sure how the V7 works with this...

Is this a vocal harmony or an alternate chord progression?

Could you record this so that we can listen?
 
This is for an exercise 'Play Happy Birthday with I IV V (or V7) harmony on a piano in all 12 Keys' - I have a hard time harmonizing existing melodies, so I am looking for peepls skilled in harmony to look over my work & tell me how close I am.
 
Layla Nahar said:
Hi all,

-question for people who like this sort of thing-

Would you agree with this harmonization of 'Happy Birthday' ?
Are there any other I, IV, V, (&V7) progressions that would work?

V I
I ------------- V ------- I ------------- V7
Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday to you

I7 (Vof IV)
I-------------- IV ------------ I -------- V I
Happy Birthday Mr President. Happy Birthday to you!



thanks :)

ps - I see there are 32 views and no answer - wojuld anybody know a good place to ask a question like this?

thanks!
Click to expand...


corrections above... and dont get me started on reharmonizations....



sorry it moves my #'s around on me...
the second happy birthday should be V-I .... the I7 (Vof IV) should go beat2 of that measure...
 
Happy Birthday to you, Happy birthday to you
I..........................V................................I
Happy Birthday mr president, Happy birthday to you
V .........................................IV ...................V...I

Something like that. Or maybe it starts on the dominant?
 
dementedchord said:
geeeeezzzzuuussss.... what are they teaching in harmony classes????
Click to expand...
Care to enlighten me? The exercise, by the way was to harmonize it using only I, IV, V, and V7..... you had to get fancy with your secondary dominants:)

Should probably start on V though, my bad.
 
dementedchord said:
geeeeezzzzuuussss.... what are they teaching in harmony classes????
Click to expand...

I don't understand your comment - are those chords bad choices? what would you suggest? I'm doing a review to get through an incomplete - I've forgotten most of my harmony 1 - and I always found harmonizing an existing melody quite difficult to do (unless I'm allowed to be really creative) - so that's why I'm asking for help

thanks
 
dementedchord said:
corrections above... and dont get me started on reharmonizations....



sorry it moves my #'s around on me...
the second happy birthday should be V-I .... the I7 (Vof IV) should go beat2 of that measure...
Click to expand...

The only 7 I can use is V7. If I don't use I7, is I the good chord here?
 
Why don't you post something to listen to. I could write about four or five different harmonies to Happy Birthday. Yes, the 4th and perfect 5th will always work, to a point, but it all depends on how it sounds.

Post something for us to listen to and then we can tell you whether or not it works.:p
 
Layla Nahar said:
Do you know the 'real' harmony for happy birthday? or - can you share with me what harmony you use?
Click to expand...

I was really meaning to ask for clarification on how to read this. I can read guitar tabs and sheet music, but I'm not sure how to interpret the format being used in this thread. :confused:
 
I'm not sure if you're meaning the chords to simply refer to a harmony note above the melody or the chords.
But if it's chords .... then the standard chords for this would be:
I........................ V ............... V7 .......... I
Happy Birthday to you .... Happy Birthday to you
..........I 7 ........... IV ........................ I........... V .. I
Happy Birthday Mr. President ...... Happy birthday to you ...
 
Thanks LtBob for getting it right...I can't believe that these guys couldn't hear it in their heads. My advice to the rest of you...keep your day jobs.


chazba
 
chazba said:
Thanks LtBob for getting it right...I can't believe that these guys couldn't hear it in their heads. My advice to the rest of you...keep your day jobs.


chazba
Click to expand...
LOL
I kept looking at them trying to figure out some way the tune could fit into those chords and had to go lay down!

:D
 
Layla Nahar said:
I don't understand your comment - are those chords bad choices? what would you suggest? I'm doing a review to get through an incomplete - I've forgotten most of my harmony 1 - and I always found harmonizing an existing melody quite difficult to do (unless I'm allowed to be really creative) - so that's why I'm asking for help

thanks
Click to expand...

sorry if it didnt make sense to you...

what i was commenting on really has more to do with recognizing the function of the chords and where they want to resolve to.... and the seeming lack of ability to feel those resolutions from within the context of a known tune... at the risk of offending.... if you cant feel this you might be a lyricist...
 
dementedchord said:
recognizing the function of the chords and where they want to resolve to.... and the seeming lack of ability to feel those resolutions from within the context of a known tune... at the risk of offending.... if you cant feel this you might be a lyricist...
Click to expand...

How would you recommend I learn these things? They are exactly the kind of things that I'm trying to learn. I'm a percussionist
 
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