What is a Parallel Harmony?

Parallel harmony is a musical technique in which two or more voices move in the same direction while maintaining the same interval relationship between them. As the voices move together, the spacing between the notes remains constant, creating a series of chords or intervals that shift in parallel motion.

For example, if two notes form a third and both notes move upward together while keeping that third interval, the motion is parallel. Similarly, entire chords can move in parallel when the same chord shape shifts up or down while preserving the same spacing between the notes.

Parallel harmony is commonly used in modern classical music, jazz, film scoring, and impressionist music to create smooth and colorful harmonic textures. While strict parallel motion was often avoided in traditional classical harmony—especially parallel fifths and octaves—it is intentionally used in many modern styles to produce a flowing, atmospheric sound.