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6.3.2
Harmony vs Melody: The Tonic In Music
When it comes to harmony vs melody, melody wins. Here's why.
A chord has a unified sound and retains its identity even when inverted. However, the all-important root note of the chord (the lowest note of the chord in root position, not inverted) simultaneously wears another hat, namely, as a degree of a melodic scale. It's the tonic in music. When the scale degree of a key, the tonic note, coincides with the root of a major or minor triad—which only happens when scale degree 1 coincides with the triad built on scale degree 1 (for example, the C major triad in the key of C)—the chord has no dynamic quality, no motion. It’s merely a stable triad in root position.
But the moment the tune moves away from the tonic note, all accompanying chords, whatever they may be, take on a dynamic quality, a feeling of unrest. Even major and minor triads. Even the triad built on the tonic note.
How come?
Because all notes in a diatonic scale except scale degree 1 are unbalanced. And that's why, it comes to getting attention, the tune trumps the chord. Melody beats harmony.