A lot of singers are interested in singing harmony and wonder why they have trouble when they attempt singing with other vocalists. Finding and fitting their part into the overall sound of the group can be frustrating and some singers give up before they even start. Contributing to the group by singing harmony correctly is one of the most enjoyable experiences of making music with other people. Here are a few things to think about that are important when you practice harmony singing.
If you are singing a harmony part try not to hit any of the notes that are in the melody part. In other words find a pitch that is in harmony with the melody and change your notes to fit the chords in the tune. This can be done either by feel or by having enough knowledge of music theory to know what the notes are in the chord that you can sing and that will fit with what is going on in the harmonic structure. This sounds more complicated than it is however a little knowledge about the language of music is very beneficial in your development as a harmony singer.
Try to sing either a note above the melody or a note below the melody. Try and hear what part sounds the best and with the least strain in your voice to hit the notes. Hearing and singing other parts other than own can be beneficial in understanding the entirety of the piece and help you become a better harmony singer in general. Hearing and singing all the parts will make you more comfortable with your own part as it develops and becomes integrated into your knowledge of the music.
When you are singing with other singers, try and find a good balance or dynamic (loud or soft) in your blend with the other vocalists. Your voice has to fit in and not be too loud or too soft. Try and sing with the group as often as possible but also practice your harmony part at home alone. Getting to know your part is one of the most important things that you can do as a harmony singer. If you follow some of these important tips on singing harmony, you will improve over time and be able to contribute to the beauty and effect of the music and will be ultimately very rewarding.
If you're a complete beginner and you haven't sung harmony even once in your life because you just have no idea how to start, don't worry - I've got the right solution for you. There is an excellent program called Mastering Harmony by Brett Manning and some of his coaches with Singing Success. I totally recommend it for the newbie or even advanced singer that would like to know how to sing harmony.
The main idea though is to add as much value to your group as you can and if that means learning how to sing harmony the proper way then you should devote the time and effort into being the best harmony singer that you can be.
My name is David Glowa and I have been a professional musician for many years playing with some great people that have taught me a lot about leveraging your worth as a band member. As an instrumentalist primarily I've found that to be a decent harmony singer is very valuable to the band and can really increase your marketability when looking to make music a career. Hope you enjoy this article and implement some of the tips in your musical growth.
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