Explorations of Secundal Harmony

A summary of my recent research of, and experimentation with, secundal harmony.

Basics of Secundal Harmony

"Secundal" Harmonies are structured by stacking seconds. The most fundamental type of secundal harmonies exist in the form of trichords:

Arranged in order of most Consonant (left) to most Dissonant (right).

Each trichord has two inversions and a 7th- and 9th-based spacing:

Doubling specific pitches will create different effects. Doubling the root creates "stability," doubling the more consonant Interval creates a "mild" feeling, and doubling the more dissonant interval creates a "harsh" or "piercing" feeling. In the below example, doublings (in brackets) are demonstrated for the 5 inversions/spacings of the type 1 trichord, with doublings presented in order of root, consonant, and dissonant. [1]

Composing With Secundal Harmony

Secundal harmony can be used as a way to add variety and interest to an otherwise normal triadic chord progression.

Secundal harmonic planing (parallel motion) can be used to harmonize a melody.

Secundal clusters can exist in many cardinalities (number of notes). These clusters can be used to create tone sets of scales, melodies, or other harmonic frameworks.

References Cited

1. Richard Millington Music. “Composing Lab: Secundal Harmony.” YouTube, January 2, 2026. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVvxbNBHddc.

About The Author

I am Ethan Toavs, and my music is all about exploring new worlds! I specialize in combining cinematic styles with influences from a variety of cultures, and employing unorthodox methods of composing. I have a master's degree in Contemporary Media & Film Composition from the Eastman School of Music, and a bachelor's degree in Music from Coastal Carolina University. If you are an author, artist, or other creator who wants music that breathes life into the worlds of your characters and stories, then please reach out to me.

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