What is the meaning of the word "harmony"?
Q: What is the meaning of the word "harmony"?
A: Harmony means playing several notes together to make “chords”. The word comes from the Greek harmonia meaning "to join things up".
Q: What is harmonization?
A: Harmonization is studying how to add an accompaniment of chords to a tune in order to create harmony.
Q: What type of music uses a tune with harmony underneath?
A: Music which is made of a tune with harmony underneath is called “homophonic”.
Q: How many notes are needed for harmony?
A: At least three notes are needed for harmony, but in most homophonic music there are four.
Q: What type of harmony uses just the notes of the key?
A: Harmony which uses just the notes of the key (e.g. just using white notes for C major) is called “tonal harmony”.
Q: What type of harmony adds lots of extra sharps and flats?
A: Harmony which adds lots of extra sharps and flats is called “chromatic harmony”.
Q: Is it possible for music to be atonal and still have harmonic elements?
A: Yes, if music is not in any key at all, like in some music by Arnold Schoenberg, it can be considered “atonal” yet still have harmonic elements present.
