Guitar harmony finder
for your next riff.

How do you find a harmony for a guitar riff?

Start with the notes in your melody and the musical context of your song. A harmony part uses another set of notes alongside that melody. Guitar Harmony Helper lets you enter fret numbers, explore scales that contain your notes, then create and audition a diatonic harmony above or below the lead.

The useful question is whether the second part sounds right with your riff and backing chords. Use the software to compare ideas, then keep the one that works for your music.

Try finding a third above this melody

In standard tuning, enter four quarter notes on the high E string: frets 8, 10, 12, 15. Those pitches are C, D, E and G.

Lead:        C   D   E   G
e|-----------8--10--12--15--|

With C major selected, a diatonic third above those notes gives E, F, G and B. One way to play those pitches on the high E string is shown below. The app may offer other fret/string locations.

Third above: E   F   G   B
e|----------12--13--15--19--|

1. Open the free guitar harmony finder demo. Start your riff, enable sound and choose Quarter notes.
2. Enter the four lead notes. Move right between notes. Four quarter notes fill the trial’s one bar.
3. Explore the scale matches. Click Detect Scale and select C major for this example.
4. Add the harmony. Click + Add Harmony, confirm C major, and choose 3rd Above.
5. Listen and compare. Hear the lead, the harmony, and both parts together. Try a different interval to compare its sound.
6. Find a fingering that suits you. Right-click a note to explore other fret/string positions. Check the result on your guitar.

Which harmony interval should you choose?

Thirds are a useful starting point for a melodic second part. Sixths offer another sound; octaves can reinforce a melody without adding the same kind of interval movement. Try a part above and below the lead, and listen to how it fits your accompaniment.

A diatonic third follows the selected scale. Its size in semitones can change from note to note, so it is different from shifting every note up by the same number of frets.

What if several scales fit?

A short riff often belongs to more than one scale. The matching-note percentage shows how many entered notes belong to that scale; it is not a confidence score for the song’s key. Consider the backing chords, the notes that feel settled, and how each harmony sounds. Our scale finder guide explains the matches in more detail.

Common questions

Hear what fits your own riff.

Start with a short melody, compare a second part, and find a playable location on the neck.