My plan has five parts.
The first is to read or listen to everything I can get my hands on that explains harmony theory. This includes talking to musically minded friends, listening to the Pandora podcast on harmony, reading Wikipedia, etc.
Second, I will listen to music that has instrumental harmony. In vocal recordings, there is usually at least one instrument moving in harmony with the singer, off the melody line. It is usually very soft, almost drowned out. I will focus on picking it out and singing to it. Music that I am using to this purpose includes anything by Blackmore’s Night, Annie Lennox’s Into The West, and anything by Sing the Word. I am able to find the harmony because I’m actually in unison with the soft instrument.
Third, since I can take any note and then sing a major triad chord off of it, as the root or as the fifth, I will work on improvising harmony this way. I cannot, by ear, without singing the melody note, find and sing a harmonic note. I must sing the melody in unison for a space, wait for a long note, and then “slide” down the chord, like this:
“Hark, the herald angels sing, glory to the newborn ki- (so) ii- (me) ng- (do)...”
My brain understands unison. I cannot just sing me or do on king—Can’t find it without actually singing so, with the rest of the group! But I hope if I work this neural pathway as is, I’ll develop that ability.
Fourth thing to try is to buy one of those audio CD courses in vocal harmony.
And fifth, if none of this works, and if I have a lot of free time and some money, I will get voice lessons.
Altogether, that should do it, right?
