Balancing harmony lines in songs
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Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can hold a harmony part in a song, controlling my voice to create a balance between both independent sung lines.
Key learning points
- We can read music notation by following the melodic shape of the melody.
- When two or more harmony parts have distinct melodies that move at different times, this creates a polyphonic texture.
- Listening carefully to the other part when singing in harmony helps us to balance our parts together.
- We can apply the character building blocks to help us to stage a scene.
Keywords
Harmony - the combination of two or more notes played or sung together, creating a pleasing sound
Sequence - a melodic phrase which is repeated at a higher or lower pitch
Polyphonic texture - each layer of harmony has a distinct melody that moves at different times
Staging (verb) - making decisions about creating a performance of our version of a story
Common misconception
When singing harmony parts, we should sing loudly to block out the other parts so that we can sing our own part correctly.
When singing together, it's important to listen to the other parts so that we hear how they fit together. We need to balance the sound, so that the audience can hear both parts clearly.
Teacher tip
The lower harmony line may suit being sung by more confident singers. When staging the start of the song, you could choose one or two pupils to play the Sandman, a number to play Hansel and Gretel, and even some to represent parts of the woodland to create a forest-like setting.
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