Harmony is one of the basic building blocks of music. Chords and chord progression have a profound emotional impact on the way we experience music and the tendencies of chords have been well studied.
But what happens when we flip harmony on its head? Enter negative harmony, a concept that’s been creating a buzz among musicians and theorists alike.
In this article, we’ll dive into the world of negative harmony, exploring its origins, how it works, and why it might be the secret ingredient you’re looking for in your compositions.
Understanding harmony
Before we delve into the intriguing world of negative harmony, let’s first refresh our understanding of harmony.
In music, harmony basically refers to the study of chords and chord progressions. At its core, harmony is built upon intervals, chords, and chord progressions.
The building blocks: Intervals and chords
An interval is the distance between two notes. They are the foundation of harmony.
Traditionally, we form chords by stacking combinations of intervals. Chords come in various flavors, like major, minor, diminished, and augmented, each with its unique sound and emotional impact. Learning these chords is a basic part of learning how to play piano.
Chord progressions: The color and shade of music
Chord progressions are simply sequences of chords played over time. They guide the listener through a piece, creating tension and release, expectation and surprise. These progressions are the backbone of a song’s structure and can evoke a wide range of emotions.
Why harmony matters?
Harmony is crucial in music composition and performance because it adds depth and dimension to melodies. Harmony is like the color and shade of a piece, while rhythm provides the motion, and melody provides the skeleton or lines.
Harmony can dramatically alter the mood of a piece, reinforce the rhythm, and enhance the overall musical experience. Whether you’re a composer, performer, or listener, understanding harmony is key to appreciating the full richness of music.
Introduction to negative harmony
Now that we have refreshed our understanding of traditional harmony, let’s venture into the intriguing realm of negative harmony—a concept that challenges the very foundations of musical theory.
Negative harmony offers a fresh perspective on composition, turning conventional harmonic principles upside down and inviting musicians to explore uncharted musical territory.
The underlying concept is that every chord has a polar opposite, both in pitch and mood. By using the Circle of Fifths, we can determine the polar opposites of all tones inside a particular chord and flip them around a pitch axis to create a “negative” in the same way we can invert light in photography. The axis is always formed between the root note and its perfect fifth.
Negative harmony chart
According to the Circle of Fifths, the polarities for the key of C are as follows:
| C | G |
| F | D |
| B♭ | A |
| E♭ | E |
| A♭ | B |
| C♯ | F♯ |
Using this chart, we can create the negative harmonies of any chord or melody. For example, let’s look at some piano chords in the key of C major like G major, D minor, and A minor.
- The G major chord is spelled G – B – D. All we need to do is find the opposite pitches. That means our negative chord is C – A♭ – F, or in root position, F – A♭ – C, an F minor chord.
- The D minor chord is spelled D – F – A. That means the negative chord is F – B♭ – D, or in root position, a B♭ major chord.
- The A minor chord is spelled A – C – E. That means the negative chord is B♭ – G – E♭, or an E♭ major chord.
Therefore, a chord progression that normally would go G major – D minor – A minor would be transformed into a chord progression of F minor – B♭ major – E♭ major using negative harmony.
We can apply this same concept to piano scales as well. Let’s think about the C major scale and then create its negative counterpart.
- The C major scale is spelled C – D – E – F – G – A – B – C. Using the chart, let’s build the negative scale to C major. The result literally will be G – F – E♭ – D – C – B♭ – A♭ – G. What scale is this?
- This is the E♭ major scale. E♭ – F – G – A♭ – B♭ – C – D – E♭. Pretty crazy!
How did negative harmony in music come to be?
Negative harmony is rooted in the principle of inversion. Negative harmony is a compositional process where chords and notes are flipped around a central axis, creating their polar opposites. This concept was first detailed by Swiss composer and theorist Ernst Levy in his book A Theory of Harmony.
Although published in 1985, Levy’s ideas on negative harmony remained relatively obscure until the multi-instrumentalist and singer Jacob Collier brought them into the limelight. Collier’s vivid explanations and practical demonstrations during interviews and masterclasses have sparked renewed interest and curiosity.
The video below visually explains what negative harmony is:
Key proponents and influencers of negative harmony
Aside from Ernst Levy and Jacob Collier, other notable figures have contributed to the development and popularization of negative harmony.
Jazz saxophonist Steve Coleman has been instrumental in applying the concept to improvisational music, coining the term and exploring its practical implications. His work has paved the way for other musicians and theorists to explore and utilize negative harmony in various genres, from jazz to contemporary classical music and other piano styles.
The conversation around negative harmony continues to evolve, with new voices joining the discourse and expanding its reach.
As musicians and composers experiment with this concept, the landscape of music is enriched, offering listeners and creators alike a new dimension of harmonic exploration.
Principles of negative harmony
Now that we’ve laid the groundwork for understanding negative harmony, let’s delve deeper into its underlying principles.
Contrast with traditional harmony
While traditional harmony emphasizes consonance and resolution, negative harmony introduces a sense of tension and ambiguity by flipping traditional chord progressions inside out.
This inversion of harmonic norms creates a dynamic interplay between tension and release, injecting compositions with unpredictability and intrigue.
Concept of axis and axis transformation
At the heart of negative harmony is the concept of an axis—a central point around which notes and chords are reflected to find their negative counterparts. By flipping notes across this axis, one can create a negative harmony chart.
If you are interested, you should use the example in the previous sections to build negative harmony charts for every key.
Relationship between negative harmony and traditional harmony
While negative harmony may seem like a departure from traditional harmonic principles, it is, in fact, deeply intertwined with them.
Negative harmony operates within the same harmonic framework as traditional harmony, utilizing familiar chord structures and progressions. However, by applying the principles of axis transformation, composers can recontextualize these harmonic elements, creating unexpected results and more interesting and open-ended sounds.
Applications and implications of negative harmony
Negative harmony provides a fresh palette of sounds and possibilities. Let’s explore some applications in music composition, production, and education.
In music composition
In composition, we have seen how negative harmony can be used to create chord progressions and melodies that are the mirror image of traditional ones.
This technique can add a novel twist to a piece, offering listeners an unexpected journey through familiar yet transformed soundscapes. It’s particularly popular in jazz, where improvisation and innovation are key elements of the genre.
According to this Quora thread, a user asked,
There were many responses, but one that stood out was from a musician/ music teacher. They emphasize that negative harmony, which is essentially a mirror inversion of traditional harmony, is a valid technique in music composition if it sounds good within the piece’s context.
The respondent criticizes the notion of blindly accepting every outcome of mechanical transformations in 20th-century composition.
They compare it to selecting wood from a sawmill for furniture making; just as one would choose only the best planks and not feel compelled to use every flawed piece, musicians should selectively use the results of negative harmony that best suit their work and musical feeling, even incorporating elements from other sources for contrast if needed.
The key takeaway is that musical composition should be guided by aesthetic judgment rather than rigid adherence to systematic processes.
Influence on music production
The influence of negative harmony extends into contemporary music production, where producers and arrangers seek unique sounds to stand out. It has been used to reharmonize melodies, giving new life to classic tunes or creating distinctive versions of popular songs.
This approach can lead to innovative tracks that capture the listener’s attention in a saturated music market.
As musicians experiment with negative harmony, resources like Skoove can be incredibly helpful. Skoove offers interactive piano lessons that cater to all levels, from beginners to advanced players.
It’s an excellent tool for those looking to apply concepts like negative harmony on the piano, providing real-time feedback and a vast selection of lessons that integrate music theory naturally into the learning process.
Impact on music education and pedagogy
Negative harmony also has implications for music education. It challenges students to think about harmony in a non-linear way, promoting a deeper understanding of the relationships between notes and chords.
As educators incorporate negative harmony into their curriculum, students gain a broader perspective on music theory and composition. Try experimenting yourself with negative harmony on some easy piano songs!
Reflections on the future
Looking ahead, negative harmony may continue to shape the way we understand and create music. As more musicians explore its potential, it could lead to new genres and styles, further enriching the world of music.
Its mathematical nature also suggests potential applications in music technology and algorithmic composition.
The debate around negative harmony
Negative harmony has sparked a lively debate within the music community. Some view it as a groundbreaking tool that opens up new avenues for creativity, while others question its practicality and usefulness.
- Proponents argue that negative harmony provides a symmetrical balance to traditional harmony, offering a yin to the yang of conventional chord progressions.
- Critics, however, point out that music is inherently emotional and subjective, and the mechanical application of negative harmony may not always result in musically satisfying outcomes.
- One criticism is that negative harmony can sometimes produce dissonant and unpleasing results, which may not be suitable for all musical contexts. Additionally, the concept can be complex to grasp, potentially limiting its accessibility to those with a deep understanding of music theory.
Despite these debates, negative harmony remains a fascinating concept that continues to inspire and challenge musicians and theorists. Whether it becomes a staple of music theory or remains a niche interest, its exploration contributes to the ever-evolving landscape of music.
Conclusion
Negative harmony is a fascinating concept, worthy of time and exploration. By creating an axis around the root note – perfect fifth relationship, we can invert melodies, chords, and chord progressions and create interesting and unexpected outcomes.
Working with negative harmony is a more advanced concept, so it is important to make sure you have a strong foundation of the concept of traditional functional harmony, chord spellings, and the Circle of Fifths.
By using tools like Skoove, you can make great progress on your piano and music theory journey and deepen your understanding of harmony, melody, and rhythm!
Author of this blog post:
Susana Pérez Posada
With over seven years in piano education and a deep passion for music therapy, Susana brings a unique blend of expertise to Skoove. A graduate in Music Therapy from SRH Hochschule Heidelberg and an experienced classical pianist from Universidad EAFIT, she infuses her teaching with a holistic approach that transcends traditional piano lessons. In her writings for Skoove, Susana combines her rich musical knowledge with engaging storytelling, enriching the learning experience for pianists of all levels. Away from the piano, she loves exploring new places and immersing herself in a good book, believing these diverse experiences enhance her creative teaching style.
Published by Lydia Hovan from the Skoove team
