Parallel Fifths

I just thought I would share something I discovered from the barbershop singers I follow on youtube. If you take a song and double it a fifth above, it expands the chord in an interesting way.

Here is a simple example I made with my dad "Mary Had a Little Lamb":


Here is a more complex example I did. Audio only, eight part barbershop multitrack:
http://blog.classicalcode.com/2009/11/eight-part-barbershop-tag-in-parallel-fifths/

Give it a try the next time you are jamming with someone and let me know what you think. Here is an example chord progression:

Player one: C Am F G7
Player two: G Em C D7

Wow. That is a really awesome sound. It's totally dissonant, but not at the same time. Thanks for sharing. And kudos on the 8 part track. It would take me forever to find the right harmony line.

captbaritone said:

I just thought I would share something I discovered from the barbershop singers I follow on youtube. If you take a song and double it a fifth above, it expands the chord in an interesting way.

Here is a simple example I made with my dad "Mary Had a Little Lamb":


Here is a more complex example I did. Audio only, eight part barbershop multitrack:
http://blog.classicalcode.com/2009/11/eight-part-barbershop-tag-in-parallel-fifths/

Give it a try the next time you are jamming with someone and let me know what you think. Here is an example chord progression:

Player one: C Am F G7
Player two: G Em C D7

Click to expand...

In music school, we were always scolded over parallel fifths! Very interesting sound, thanks!

In music geek language, what you're creating are 9th chords, though not always diatonic 9ths (that is, they don't use the same scale notes).

Your chord sequence could be written:

Cmaj9: C E G B D
Am9: A C E G B
Fmaj9: F A C E G
G9 add maj7: G B D F F# A

It's that last chord that makes the dissonance so extreme. What you're doing is something jazz players do quite a lot. In a less extreme way, you can do it at 3rds. C with Em, Am with C, F with Am, G with Bdim. That makes everything a 7th chord, but gives each player the freedom to create individual rhythms.

Sorry, you woke up my theory brain.

pulelehua said:

In music geek language, what you're creating are 9th chords, though not always diatonic 9ths (that is, they don't use the same scale notes).

Your chord sequence could be written:

Cmaj9: C E G B D
Am9: A C E G B
Fmaj9: F A C E G
G9 add maj7: G B D F F# A

Sorry, you woke up my theory brain.

Click to expand...

Oh, gads, I'm having a flashback to my theory classes and my palms are getting sweaty!

You guys have me lost when it comes to the theory but it sounds great.