70.97Apply the workflow to “Happy Birthday”

This is our perfect public-domain laboratory.

Step 1

melody alone.

Step 2

structural bass C/F/G.

Step 3

improve bass contour.

Step 4

guide-tone lines.

Step 5

phrase 3 gets richer texture because it is the climax.

Step 6

phrase 4 simplifies toward tonic.

Then add:

one secondary dominant

one minor-IV

one passing diminished

only if they serve specific lines.

This is much stronger than starting from our old list of 16 reharmonization tricks.