Melody, Harmony or Rhythm?

A friend asked me last week, which do you prefer, melody, harmony or rhythm?

Thinking, a few seconds, worried he might be judging my answer, realising he was not trying to catch me out, I braved a thought which was not concluded and suggested 'harmony'. I'm a singer and sometimes feel overwhelmed in the middle of powerful harmonies. He is a drummer and did a grand job of not taking offence. The opposite, in fact. We played around with the idea for a while – individual notes combine to create something much bigger than their sum, a new thing created that didn't exist before. Something happens that you could not have predicted, effects beyond mechanics, resonance striking deep down.

Melody, harmony or rhythm – which of these three could I live without? And what about lyrics? (That was a whole other conversation.)

Rhythm has drive, melody has captivation, harmony is a superpower. Perhaps we are all one or other of the above – some a relentless, driving force to be reckoned with, some a captivating muse, some harmonising in collaboration to make something extraordinary, bigger, not of them but beyond them. In any case, if the conclusion was known before the thought—or sound—was ventured we would have neither rhythm, melody or harmony.

Maybe it doesn't matter which of these ways you make music, just so long as you brave making it. So long as you're in the right company, the thoughts don't need to be concluded before you voice them.


{Today's Soundtrack: Little Dragon - Twice}