A second part

You can sing a tune alone. Harmony is a second pitch with a job. From do, stack thirds and you get a chord; put chords in order and you get a progression; sing one note while another part holds the rest and you feel it in the body. The chords on Western singing are the vocabulary. Choir blend is the next page, Ensemble.

Theory diagrams: Chords, Roman numerals. Choir blend and fixed parts: Ensemble.

Harmony starts when one line is not enough — you keep a syllable while the chord implies others.

Movable do keeps the same names when you change key; Roman numerals keep the same jobs when the key changes.

Sing triads alone until the check names every stack note before you hold one note against a progression.

Step 1 — Stack a triad

From do, skip a syllable to mi, skip again to sol. Those three are the I chord (one chord built on do). Major third + minor third on top. Change mi to me and the stack is minor.

A triad is two stacked thirds. Skip one scale step, skip again — do lands on mi lands on sol.

Major is do–mi–sol; minor swaps mi for me. Your ear should hear the color change immediately.

Arpeggios teach the chord one note at a time before you sustain against a backing track.

Minor stack: do · me · sol on the main path. The check names mi vs me on the middle note.

Step 2 — Three chords in the key

In major, the chords on do, fa, and sol are the usual home base (I, IV, V). Build each one by stacking thirds on that root syllable:

I, IV, and V are home, subdominant, and dominant in major keys — most beginner songs live there.

Each chord starts on its root syllable: do, fa, sol for I, IV, V in major.

Progressions are habits of the ear: I–V–I feels like a question answered.

Build each chord slowly before you sing the progression drills.

1. Your turn. The check should name every syllable in order — no wandering into re between do and mi.
2. Leave Play on the major chord and hum the root while you hear the other two notes in the stack.

Step 3 — One harmony note over the drone

The drone is do. While it sounds, you sing another chord tone and hold until the check names it. That is the simplest harmony: two notes, one relationship.

Intervals are the distance between roots and harmony notes — thirds and fifths stack into chords.

Singing a third above do is mi; a third below is la in this movable-do stack (soprano/alto thinking).

Lock intervals on the hub before you hold one note while another line moves.

Moving line above do: mi · sol · mi · do from Western singing · Harmony.

Step 4 — Harmony under a simple melody

When the melody moves up the scale, a harmony part can move down through chord tones (parallel thirds in the key). Play is the melody do re mi fa sol; the lit line after the breath is the partner line mi re do mi sol (thirds where they fit).

Melody is the line people hum; harmony supports it without stealing the lyric.

When you harmonize, you choose a syllable that fits the chord under the tune — not any note that sounds pretty alone.

These drills keep the melody in Play while you practice a held harmony note.

If you lose the tune, simplify: hum the melody once, then add your harmony note.

1. Sing the first five syllables with Play. Then Your turn on the whole drill — second half is your harmony practice.
2. Rule of thumb: if the melody is on do, mi, or sol, the third above is often mi, sol, or ti; start by ear, then check.

Step 5 — Sing while the other part sounds

The large syllable is yours. The small one after the slash is the part the model keeps. Play sounds both, so you hear how they fit. Your turn keeps only the small syllable. You sing the large one against it. The check names your note, not the one in the speaker.

Counterpoint is two melodies at once — harder than holding one harmony note.

Start with a moving line a third below the tune before you try freer lines.

The check names your syllable, not the melody’s — stay on your job.

Counterpoint is two melodies at once — harder than holding one harmony note.

A third over a held do

Do keeps pulsing. You sing mi · sol · mi · do. On the last note you meet the model on do.

Hold do while mi moves above — your do must stay steady while the upper line pulls the ear.

This is the inverse of singing mi while do is implied in the bass.

If the check leaves do, the upper line dragged you upward.

Practice with Play loud enough to hear the moving part, soft enough to hear yourself.

Thirds above a moving melody

The model sings do · re · mi · fa · sol. You sing a third above each one: mi · fa · sol · la · ti. If the check names the small syllable, you copied the melody. Step up.

Each melody note gets a third above in parallel motion — classic hymn and folk harmony.

Move when the melody moves; do not lag a beat behind unless style asks for it.

Parallel thirds train the ear for choir alto and tenor parts.

When mi should be me for minor harmony, lower the third — the check will say me.

1. Play once. Hear both.
2. Your turn. Headphones help: the model stays in your ear and out of the mic.
3. Hold the last note until the check names it.

Switch the note you hold

The model stays on do. You move: mi, then sol, then do. Three holds. The check names yours.

Press Play once and listen before you sing. Your turn is for testing, not for guessing.

The check names the pitch you actually sang — adjust until it matches the lit syllable in tune.

If anything pinches, stop and reset on SOVT or a lower do in the practice bar.

Short daily reps here beat one long session on the weekend.

1. Play once. Hear do under each hold.
2. Your turn. mi must read mi, sol must read sol. If it reads do the whole way, you copied the model.

Step 5b — Harmony on a tune

In major, a third above the melody is often the next solfege name up the scale: melody do → you mi; melody sol → you ti; melody la → you high dȯ. The small syllable after the slash is Twinkle’s melody; the large one is your harmony.

Twinkle is a real tune with a real I–V–I shape in the harmony underneath.

Learn melody on the hub first; this section adds a second part you can sing with a friend.

If harmony feels easy here, try ensemble blend drills next.

Transpose do if the melody sits too high for your range today.

1. Learn the melody on Repertoire · Twinkle first.
2. Your turn on “lit-”: the check must say doh (high do), not la — you copied the melody.
3. On “star” (melody sol), you hold ti for two beats.

Step 6 — Hear chords change

The backing band moves I–IV–V–I under your do. Hold one syllable and listen to the harmony shift. The ear-training tool quizzes chord qualities. Chord ID shows guitar shapes on the same roots.

Also watch: Guy Michelmore — how chords work (beginner).

Press Play once and listen before you sing. Your turn is for testing, not for guessing.

The check names the pitch you actually sang — adjust until it matches the lit syllable in tune.

If anything pinches, stop and reset on SOVT or a lower do in the practice bar.

Short daily reps here beat one long session on the weekend.