Parallel harmony is harmony that generally follows the melody, going up when the melody goes up and down when the melody goes down. Because parallel harmonies are not independent of the melody, they do not follow the rules of well-written counterpoint and are generally not considered to be as interesting as independent harmony parts. However, parallel harmonies are easier to play for many instruments (keyboard instruments, guitar, dobro guitar, violin, and cello, to name just a few). Parallel harmonies are Continue
Songwriting thought of the Day
What is your lyric’s focal point?
Songs have focal points, they take the form of choruses, refrains, or hooks. As a lyricist, a question to ask yourself is - 'what is my lyric's focal point?' Many professional lyricists consider the focal point to be the most important part of their lyric, i.e., they've thought about the one or two repeating words or phrases intended to stay 'in the head' of the listener! Some lyricists write entire lyrics around a focal point (or chorus). The focal point is written first, the rest outwards from that. Here's a great article on this very subject >>
