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If you're trying to learn a song by ear for example, how do you find the backing note to go along whith what you are playing?

For example, when playing canon in D, you first start with the D string then progress down, next you pluck the A string and do the same, etc...

So, I wanted to know how do you find it out? What are the "rules" or something like that? Like scales? But how do I know which?

Also, I have played songs when the same note may have different backing notes...

EDIT: as it was commented, I believe what I meant was Harmony, that is what I would like to know.

EDIT2: I want to know how do I find the bass note on a song, I know that in Pachelbel's the bass note is usually the root note of the chord, but I have also played some other notes where the bass not is different from the other note you are playing at the same time

Madcowe
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    You mean you want to learn harmony? – Raskolnikov May 28 '11 at 10:26
  • @raskolnikov yes, I think that's what I meant – Madcowe May 28 '11 at 12:19
  • I'm not sure this is harmony. In Canon in D, the D in the bass is the main note of the chord. The following A in the bass is the main note of the next chord. Figuring out what note is being played is simply learning to recognize notes by ear (and we already have questions on this). If you're trying to *compose* something like this, and figure out a progression that sounds great like Pachelbel's D-A-B-F#-G-D-G-A, that's a different question (and I still don't think it's harmony, though it can involve harmony). Can you clarify what you mean? –  May 28 '11 at 15:15
  • @matthew I want to know how do I find the bass note on a song, I know that in Pachelbel's the bass note is usually the root note of the chord, but I have also played som other notes where the bass not is different from the other note you are playing at the same time – Madcowe May 29 '11 at 09:36
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    What do you mean, you want to know what the bassnote is? Is this question around recognising a note by ear? Or identifying a chord by ear? Or something else? Can you clarify. – Doktor Mayhem May 29 '11 at 12:19
  • @drmayhem I try to explain it the better I can... let me try another way, when playing in fingerstyle there are parts on the song where you pluck 2 strings at the same time right? for exemple, both E strings on the 5th fret, the low pitched note (the 6th string, the thickest, the E) will create the harmony for the next few notes on the highest pitched notes. So, how do you make them harmonize with each other? Specially because the same E string on the 5th fret can harmonize with many more other notes, and I wanted to know techniques or ways to find them.. – Madcowe May 29 '11 at 13:51

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I'm not sure this is a real question - from your comments I think there are some fundamental concepts you need.

A theory of harmony is a huge topic - I could say that playing at the 5th fret on the low E can harmonize with almost anything - it depends what key you are in, what mode you are in, what chord progression. Have a look at

and ALL the related questions on each of those for a view of how complex this topic is.

That might help you come back with some specific questions that we can help with.

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Doktor Mayhem
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  • thank you, I understand it's some fundamentals that I need, and that I what I wanted to know, thank you – Madcowe May 29 '11 at 22:22