Dual Guitar Harmony

[AlexSF]

Hi there..
I haven't posted here before, but I've been finding this site very helpful and I was wondering if any of the great musicians on this site could help me with something, even if it doesn't make much sense...

Okay, say I want to have two guitars in a piece and yet avoid either having one switch to doing a lead melody, or having one just double up the chord on the other (or do an arpeggio or something). I know its possible and it works, because I've been listening to several bands that use the technique... the problem is, they're mostly wacky prog rock/shoegaze bands and they use so many effects pedals its hard to pick out exactly what they're playing.

Uhm, so does anyone have any suggestions? I was thinking of just using eleventh chords and splitting up the notes between the two guitars, but that's not really giving me the effect I wanted. If I knew Piano, well, I've seen jazz piano players play triads with each hand and alternating through different progressions on each.. that's what I'm trying to get at, but I have no idea what the hell they're doing. Should I just try combining inversions of triads and see what works? That seems pretty, well, lazy. I want somebody to show me species counterpoint for chords, or something..

By the way, I apologise. I don't think what I'm saying makes any sense.. but the first post on a forum by a person is often their stupidest... I'll clarify if I can when it's not two am..

[gersdal]

Welcome to IBM Alex,
I think there is another thread on dual guitar harmony going at the moment. You may want to check that.

Edit:
Some months ago there was also this short discussion on an example for harmonizing:
http://www.ibreathemusic.com/forums/...ead.php?t=9776

[Cadel672]

Harmonize in fifths

[Malcolm]

Uhm, so does anyone have any suggestions? I was thinking of just using eleventh chords and splitting up the notes between the two guitars, but that's not really giving me the effect I wanted. If I knew Piano, well, I've seen jazz piano players play triads with each hand and alternating through different progressions on each.. that's what I'm trying to get at, but I have no idea what the hell they're doing. Should I just try combining inversions of triads and see what works? That seems pretty, well, lazy. I want somebody to show me species counterpoint for chords, or something..

Couple of thoughts. I play chord accompaniment on the keyboard, like you mentioned. My basic 4/4 pattern is:
Left hand Root - 5 note for beat 1 and 2 followed with a block chord in the right hand on the 3rd beat and then follow this up with a 5 note on the left hand for beat 4. Left hand is providing what the bass guitar normally would play. That may give you something to think about. Here is an article on how to strum your piano -- I think you might get some ideas and work up something having one guitar do the "left hand" while the other provides the "right hand".
http://ezinearticles.com/?Piano-Acco...ongs&id=477933

Look at the left hand perhaps this will give you some ideas:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYF_G...eature=related

Another basic chord accompaniment on keyboard does use inversions - which by the way are a lot easier on keyboard than on guitar.
Left hand Root or Root - octave followed with a right hand block chord, followed with the first inversion and end the measure back with the block chord. Left hand again doing note work and right hand doing chord work.

As has been mentioned we on some songs have one guitar plays 6th (G6, C6, D6) while the other provides the normal progression (G, C, D).

We also capo to give another voice. Song in A one guitar capos on the 5th and plays in E while everyone else stays in A. Gives a nice mandolin voice to the mix. Here is how I figure that out. Song is in A, decide what you would like to play in - you pick E. Make an E chord and move it up the neck till you get to A --- E, F, F#, G, G#, A. OK you are now making an E chord starting at the 6th fret --- where would the nut be? On the 5th fret. Capo on the 5th fret and play in E (E, A, B7). What you decide to play in is governed by you do not want to be capoing above the 5th fret -- gets too much mandolin sound if you go higher.

Good luck. Let us know what you decided on.

[ragasaraswati]

Originally Posted by Cadel672

Harmonize in fifths

Bends in fifths for the win!

[All_¥our_Bass]

Harmonizing in thirds or fifths seems like an interesting, fairly "normal" sounding way to go about it.

You could use 6ths, 7ths or 9ths if you wanted something a bit more unusual.

[ragasaraswati]

Harmonizing pentatonics in 4ths/5ths = China

[gold3828]

This is awesome, Cool. A Blue Quoted me.. world of warcraft gold buy world of warcraft gold buy cheap world of warcraft gold buying world of warcraft gold cheapest world of warcraft gold