Harmonizing Your Leads

OK! First thing, harmonizing is when one guitar player plays something, and at the same time, another person plays the same thing, just on different frets.


Note: if you have the G1-FX pedal from ZOOM, you can do this by your self. If you don't know how e-mail me and I will tell you how.

Here is a lick you and some one else can practice.



Guitar 1
e|---------10-----------10-----------10-----------10---------------|
B|------------13p10--------13p10--------13p10--------13p10---------|
G|-----12b----------12b----------12b----------12b------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------|

Guitar 2
e|---------13-----------13-----------13-----------13---------------|
B|------------16p13--------16p13--------16p13--------16p13---------|
G|-----15b----------15b----------15b----------15b------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------|

If you didn't know, it's the opening to the first solo in Mr. Crowley Randy!
Now, if you want to harmonize some thing of your own, all you have to do is play it 3 steps higher or lower, or 5 steps higher or lower. If you are more advanced you can try this on different octaves, or just experiment with it.

Just as a note for all of the more advanced players, I always thought that harmonization always sounded good in the phrygian mode.

The songs "Blackened", and "Master of Puppets", by Metallica use harmonization, as well as "The Ripper", by Judas Priest, and "Dawn of the Angry", by Morbid Angel.

If no one will play with you, or you just a one guitar guy, here are some ways to harmonize you leads.

Note: this is the harmonized part from "Blackened" I'll just post the whole intro.

Tabbed by: Sief


e|---------------------------3--3-5-3--3-5-6-5-3-7-----3--3-5-3--3-5-6-5-3-2--|
B|--5--5-7-5--5-7-8-7-5-4-----5--5-7-5--5-7-8-7-5-4-----5--5-7-5--5-7-8-7-5-4-|
G|-------------------------------------------------------------------------4--|
D|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|

e|--15--15-17-15--15-17-18-17-15-14....|
B|--17--17-19-17--17-19-20-19-17-12....| fade out
G|-------------------------------------|
D|-------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------|

e--...14-15-17-18-17-15--15-17-15--15--|
B--...12-17-19-20-19-17--17-19-17--17--|
G--------------------------------------|
D--------------------------------------|
A--------------------------------------|
E--------------------------------------|

e----2-3-5-6-5-3--3-5-3--3-----7-3-5-6-5-3--3-5-3--3----------------------------|
B--4-4-5-7-8-7-5--5-7-5--5-----4-5-7-8-7-5--5-7-5--5-----4-5-7-8-7-5--5-7-5--5--|
G--4---------------------------------------------------4------------------------|
D-------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A-------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E-------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

The most common form of harmonization, is in many songs, where the guitar plays one thing and the bass mirrors it.
Also, you can go by thirds to harmonize. So if something is in the key of E, you can play it in either, G, or B!

So, that's that! Enjoy!