Best Harmony Books: Know the Basic Harmony and Composition Theory

best harmony books

Harmony is the combination of individual sounds or superposition of sounds with simultaneously occurring pitches, frequencies or chords. The study of Harmony refers to chords and their construction along with the chord progression and the principles of connections that govern them.

To learn about the basics of advanced things about Harmony there is no alternative than to read these books presented below. Here you will get some of the best harmony Books

The Berklee Book of Jazz Harmony
Author: Joe Mulholland,Tom Hojnacki
Published at: 01/08/2013
ISBN: 0876391420

If you are struggling to understand and learn the fundamentals of Jazz harmony music then The Berklee Book of Jazz Harmony will be the best option for you. This Harmony book presents similar lessons taught at Berklee College Of Music.

This book very informative and its progress through a step by step way from basic to advanced. This book also provides a wonderful insight into harmonic principles, core tonal theory, chord function, arranging, voice leading and practical demonstration of how they are used in Jazz contexts.

It also contains access to online audio tracks for streaming music for practicing and a multi-functional audio player which you can sync according to your choice.

Contents of this book:

  • Major Key Harmony
  • Different kinds of dominants and IIV progression
  • Minor key harmony
  • Blues in Jazz
  • Diminished Seventh Chord
  • Jazz voicing and many more


Workbook for Tonal Harmony
Author: Stefan Kostka Tonal Harmony
Published at: 01/03/2017
ISBN: 1259686760

WORKBOOK FOR TONAL HARMONY is a comprehensive practice book for learning Tonal Harmony. Each of these chapters is like a self-assessment test for you. This workbook makes complex elements of harmony much easier to understand.

The examples in the workbook are simple and it grows the difficulty in a way that challenges you and helps you learn more advanced things. You will definitely love the review pages too because they help you keep all that you are learning fresh in your mind.

It has quality exercises and answers. You don't even have to go to music school for theory once you finish this book.



The Jazz Harmony Book
Author: David Berkman
Published at: 31/12/2013
ISBN: 1883217792

THE JAZZ HARMONY BOOK is considered as a classic for learning Jazz Harmony. You will need the fundamental knowledge in Jazz Harmony to make the best use of this book.

Even if you don't have any prior knowledge of Jazz Harmony this book won't disappoint you. The Harmony book is piano focused, which is excellent for all jazz pianists. All the examples are written on grand staff and voiced using the piano in this book.

If you want to learn Jazz Harmony there is no alternative to this book. The book starts from a very basic I IV V cadence progressing to very advanced concepts covering all that you need to know. There are 2 CDs with this book also to learn practically.

Chapters of this book:

  • The Harmonic Universe Of a Key
  • I, IV and V& Chords
  • Diatonic Seventh Chord Substitutions for I, IV and V7
  • Understanding the Geography of Standard Tunes
  • The Harmony of Minor Tunes
  • Eleven Organizing Principles of Non-functional Chord Progressions
  • Incomplete chords and many more.


Tonal Harmony
Author: Stefan Kostka,Dorothy Payne,Byron Almen
Published at: 22/06/2012
ISBN: 0078025141

TONAL HARMONY is an invaluable resource for teachers and students alike as this book gives an excellent intro to the extraordinary network of harmonic relationships. This book has been in the leading position for the two-year theory curriculum for music majors for over two decades.

This book is taught in more than 800 schools. You will find the language and sequence of this book very easy to follow and understand, whether you are learning various concepts for the first time as a high school theory enthusiast, or reviewing the most salient points of form and functional harmony as a doctoral student preparing for qualifying exams.

This book explains all the essentials for music theory. It is highly recommended for anyone who is learning music theory and wants a textbook that includes challenging problems as a part of the application of each section of instruction.



The Elements of Music: Melody, Rhythm, and Harmony (Wooden Books)
Author: Jason Martineau
Published at: 15/11/2008
ISBN: 0802716822

THE ELEMENTS OF MUSIC pulls together all the constituents of music and finds fascinating ways of showing the deep connections between the elements Melody, Rhythm and Harmony.

This book consists of two main concepts. One is the deeper understanding of harmonic theory and the other one is an example of how all the elements work together. This book combines the novel graphics and symbols with the principles behind melody, rhythm, and harmony along with those of Western musical notation.

It is highly recommended for any musician looking to get a deeper understanding of music and harmony.

Chapters include:

  • Introductory analysis
  • Epigrams and Dialectics
  • Acoustics and Overtones
  • Understanding scales
  • Basic Rhythms, Melodies, and Harmonies
  • Chord progressions
  • Tonality and Modulation
  • The Three Minors
  • Advanced harmonies and Forms and many more.


Harmony and Theory: Essential Concepts Series (Essential Concepts (Musicians Institute).)
Author: Carl Schroeder,Keith Wyatt
Published at: 01/04/1998
ISBN: 0793579910

HARMONY & THEORY covers essential music theory in a very short space and in a well-organized manner. More importantly, it emphasizes the concepts that are most important to a musician who wants to develop their practical skills at chord substitution, improvisation, voicing chords, etc.

It includes complete lessons and analysis of intervals, rhythms, scales, chords, key signatures; transposition, chord inversions, key centers; harmonizing the major and minor scales; and more. Pick up your guitar and piano and play the chord progressions, chapter by chapter.

feel the sounds and then go read the "logic". This analytical understanding of its principles can be so much fun and will arm you with more tools to express your own artistry.

Contents of this book:

  • Pitch
  • Major scales, sharp keys, flat keys and accidentals
  • Interval, Triads and Note values
  • Minor and Pentatonic scales
  • Harmonizing the major and minor scales
  • Diatonic seventh chords
  • Modes
  • Variations in minor harmonies and melodies
  • Modal Interchange
  • Altered chords and scales and many more





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