96.153Apply it to “Happy Birthday”

This is our perfect test because the melody is public domain and already familiar.

First play melody in C with:

tonic C only.

Then:

C and G7 only.

Then:

C-F-G7.

Then:

C-Am-Dm-F-G7.

Then add:

C♯°7 passing

secondary dominants

Fm borrowed iv

D♭7 approach

but only after the basic versions flow without hesitation.

The goal is not the fanciest harmonization.

The goal is:

if somebody starts singing it in an unexpected key, you can immediately follow them.