Finding New Paths Through Harmony: Fresh Ways to Shape Your Songs

Tara Henton
Aug 31
4 min read

Songwriter with guitar and headphones reviewing sheet music, making creative decisions about harmony and chord progressions. — Photo Credit: DragonImages (iStock)

When you sit down to write a song, it’s easy to think of harmony as something that just fills in the background. But the truth is, harmony can be one of the most powerful tools you have for reshaping the feel of a melody, guiding the emotional flow, and sparking fresh ideas when you’re stuck.

This month at We Write Songs, our theme is Harmony. We’ll be exploring how experimenting with harmonies — whether that’s through chords, bass notes, or backing vocals — can give you a completely new perspective on your music.

Why Harmony Matters in Songwriting

Even the simplest melody can take on a new life depending on the harmony underneath it. A single note over a major chord can sound hopeful, while the very same note over a minor chord might feel haunting or uncertain.

The truth is, most of us have our go-to chord shapes and progressions — the musical comfort blankets we reach for without even thinking. They’re familiar, they work, and they feel safe under the fingers. But staying in that comfort zone can sometimes keep our songs sounding the same.

That’s where experimenting with harmony comes in. The smallest shift — a different chord choice, an inversion, or an unexpected bass note — can open up an entirely new direction and spark ideas you might never have found otherwise.

Reharmonise Your Melody

One of the most powerful ways to explore harmony is to look at your melody note and ask: what other chords could this note belong to?

For example, if your melody note is E, it might “live” comfortably in a C major chord (as the third), an A minor chord (as the fifth), or even an E major chord (as the root). Each choice casts the same melody in a different light — shifting the mood, colour, and direction of the song.

And if none of those quite spark the feeling you’re after, try treating the melody note as an extra colour on top of the chord (like a 7th, 9th, or similar). Even a small shift like that can add richness and surprise.

Play With Alternative Bass Notes

Another way to shake things up is to shift the bass note beneath your chords. You don’t need advanced theory to try this — just put a different note in the bass and see how it feels.

That bass note could come from within the chord, using one of the other chord notes in the bass (also known as an inversion). It might be a note from the key but outside the chord, or even a note from outside the key altogether. Each of these choices brings a new colour to the harmony and can create a sense of tension or forward motion.

Whichever path you take, changing the bass note doesn’t just alter the sound — it also affects how stable the harmony feels. A root-position chord feels solid and secure. Move the bass elsewhere and suddenly there’s a sense of lift, lean, or momentum — a subtle way to carry your melody somewhere new.

And remember: sometimes the most exciting harmonies happen by accident. If your fingers slip onto a different note, don’t throw it away — follow it and see where it leads.

Experiment With Vocal Harmonies

Adding vocal harmony isn’t just about singing a third above the melody. It’s about shaping the vibe of the whole track.

Close harmonies (notes stacked tightly together) can sound rich, intimate, and emotional.
Open harmonies (spread-out notes) feel airy, expansive, and often more relaxed.

And once you’ve chosen the notes, the way you sing them also matters. Harmonies can follow the same lyrics as the lead, float on an open “oooh” or “ahhh,” or hold a steady pedal tone underneath. These are arrangement choices as much as harmonic ones, but they play a big role in how the overall texture and emotion of the song comes across.

Borrow from Other Genres

Sometimes the quickest way to refresh your harmonic choices is to step outside your comfort zone. Gospel might inspire you to add unexpected chords. Folk traditions often lean into open intervals and drones. Jazz might tempt you to slip in a colourful passing chord.

You don’t need to know the theory — just play or sing along, and notice what catches your ear. Borrow what excites you, adapt it to your style, and see where it takes your song.

Harmony is a Playground

At the end of the day, harmony isn’t about rules — it’s about exploration. Each time you swap a chord, shift a bass note, or stack your harmonies differently, you’re opening a new door.

Sometimes the easiest way to do this is to start with something you know and add or change just one thing. That simple shift — one chord, one note, one small twist — might be all it takes to lead your song somewhere unexpected and exciting.

This month, we’ll be diving deeper into all things harmony in the We Write Songs community — with prompts, challenges, and live sessions designed to help you experiment. Start by trying one of the approaches above in your current song and see what happens.

💬 Over to you

Have you ever discovered a fresh direction for a song simply by changing the harmony? Share your thoughts in the comments — we’d love to hear how harmony shapes your songwriting.