skylightron
What exactly are chords, melody and harmony? How do you distinguish one from another? What are some examples of these being used in a DAW like Sonar?
There are tons of videos on YT and I have found that I have been using things without knowing I used them - and harmony is something I am very comfortable with - too comfortable actually.
To Jeff's latter point:
I'll go even further and say that harmony is just melody lines at lower intervals. If you've taken theory course and have been exposed to part writing - that is the visual represetation of what I just said. Most don't think of harmony in that sense though. I know I didn't at first.
To add to the explanations though:
Melody is what people consider to be "the singer/vocalist's part. You've heard the term accompany (ment). The singer + another musician usually on a chordophone (ie: piano)
The pianist (and not limited to) plays the notes underneath the melody and often times plays the singer's part within the chord (to help guide him/her)
If this is in choral fashion (part-writing alluded to above) - the soprano sings the melody. However, this isn't limited to mid-high range instruments.
Commonly when faced with strings violins + violas play the melody, but cellos and bass viols can play it as well - it's just octaves lower unless they are flirting with the body of the instruments. Same goes for choral arrangements; Melody lines aren't limited to the Soprano.
There are cases where a compromised range is used. A bass guitar often will play melodies from the middle of the neck up, but not too far up (unless the performer wants to) It won't play too low because melodies don't work well if at all down there; however, they don't play too high unless something is being emphasized.
This brings us to harmony and chords which is walked into because on chordophones (not limited to piano/keyboard instruments), harmony/chords are often played and highly recommended to be played in the same range as the bass guitar for the very same reason. Too far to the left, chords sound thick and muddy; too far to the right, they sound thin & twinkly. When played at either extreme, it's done so to illicit some kind of effect.
The compromised range is the middle. You can reach in either direction, but be mindful of how far you go as things start to sound not-so-pleasant beyond a point.
When it comes to composition and arranging these rules have to be taken into consideration as well as others - the main one being said instrument's limitation.
An 88-key piano can only go from A (3 octaves below Middle A) to C (5 octaves above Middle C). Even a semitone/half step above or below is not possible.
The 47 string concert harp (strings only) go from C (3 octaves below Middle C) to G (3 octaves + Perfect 5th above.) There's a 48 string one as well - which is the same except the + Perfect 5th part is + Major sixth. (C-G ---> C-A) Intervals as Jeff mentioned earlier.
As to how these two relate in range: Compared to the harp (strings only), the piano has two more keys on the low end (three if you count the engaged pedal) while it has three more (two if 48 strings) on the high end. Six less notes on a 47 string harp and four less on a 48-string one.
It would be easier to see this on strings. The violin/violas lowest note is middle G (maybe F), but further down is cello territory. Anything bellow its range is bass viol territory - mind you that they can all play the violin's lowest note.
And there is such a thing as two-part harmony. That's reserved mostly for vocal harmonization. Not all songs consist of trios, quartets, quintets to a full ensemble. Duets (That's a show, no?)
I went off track, but the middle stuff about range is something to consider. Back to the QAH:
Harmony = Chords = Instrumentalist's part (provided it's polyphonic - though you can get this with multiple monophonic instruments. ie: Piano chord = three or four flutes playing the appropriate intervals)
Melody = the tune (on top of the harmony) =/= has to "sound high"
I hope this wasn't too much to absorb.