How can singers develop the ability to improvise harmonies?

1 Listen and analyze

The first step to improvise harmonies is to listen to a lot of music that features harmonies, such as pop, gospel, jazz, folk, or classical. Pay attention to how the harmony parts relate to the melody, the chords, the rhythm, and the style of the song. Try to identify the intervals, scales, and patterns that are used to create harmonies. For example, you might notice that a common harmony technique is to sing a third above or below the melody note, or to use a pentatonic scale to create a bluesy feel. Analyzing the harmony parts can help you understand the logic and the rules behind them, and give you some ideas to apply to your own improvisations.

2 Sing along and experiment

The next step is to practice singing along with songs that have harmonies, and try to improvise your own harmony parts. You can use a karaoke app, a backing track, or a live instrument to play the melody and the chords of the song. Then, sing a harmony part that fits with the song, using your ear and your intuition. Don't be afraid to experiment with different notes, intervals, and rhythms, and see what sounds good and what doesn't. You can also record yourself and listen back to your improvisations, and evaluate what worked and what didn't. Singing along and experimenting can help you develop your ear, your creativity, and your confidence.

5 Use some tools

The fifth step is to use some tools that can help you improvise harmonies more easily and efficiently. There are some apps, websites, and software that can generate harmony parts for any song, based on the melody and the chords. You can use these tools to get some inspiration, to check your harmony parts, or to practice your improvisations. For example, you can use Harmonizer , a free online tool that can create up to four harmony parts for any melody that you input or record. You can also adjust the settings, such as the key, the mode, the interval, and the complexity of the harmony parts. Using some tools can help you save time, get feedback, and have fun.

6 Keep practicing

The sixth and final step is to keep practicing improvising harmonies, as much as you can and as often as you can. Improvising harmonies is a skill that requires constant practice and improvement, as there are always new songs, new genres, new situations, and new challenges to face. The more you practice, the more you will develop your ear, your voice, your creativity, and your style. You will also discover new ways to improvise harmonies, and new effects and emotions that you can create with your voice. Keep practicing improvising harmonies, and you will become a more versatile and expressive singer.