open harmony

IPA/ˈəʊpən hˈɑːməni/
IPA/ˈoʊpən hˈɑːɹməni/

open harmony — phrase

1. In music, a way of arranging the notes of a chord so that the three highest voic

1.phraseC1
Definition

In music, a way of arranging the notes of a chord so that the three highest voices are spread across a range of an octave or wider, creating a more spaced-out and airy sound than close harmony does.

Example

The composer wrote open harmony for the final chord of the symphony.

open harmony as object of 'write' in music

In theory class, Nadia learned to voice chords in open harmony for her quartet assignment.

voice chords in open harmony — preposition pattern

Common collocations
  • in open harmony
  • open harmony passage
  • write in open harmony
  • open harmony voicing
Synonyms
  • spaced voicing

    A broader term that includes any chord voicing with wide intervals, not restricted to the octave-or-more rule in the upper voices.

Antonyms
  • close harmony

    The direct opposite — the three upper voices fit within an octave, producing a more compact, dense sound.

Grammar Patterns

open harmony + verb (describes chord quality)

Usage Note

Contrasts with close harmony, where the three upper voices all stay within an octave. A standard term in Western classical, choral, and jazz arranging.

Common Mistakes

This piece uses open harmony because the chords change quickly.
This piece uses open harmony because the notes in the upper voices span a wide range.
Open harmony is about the spacing of notes in a single chord, not the speed of harmonic change.

Etymology

Old EnglishLatinOld FrenchEnglish

The word 'open' comes from Old English 'open' (meaning 'not closed, exposed'), while 'harmony' comes from Latin 'harmonia' through Old French 'armonie', referring to the pleasing arrangement of musical sounds. The compound phrase 'open harmony' emerged in Western music theory to describe a chord voicing where the upper notes are spaced widely apart, contrasting with 'close harmony'.