# Learning harmony



## Aurelian (Sep 9, 2011)

I would like to learn some basic harmony, but I quickly learned that reading about it is unproductive. What helped you learn harmony?


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## Guest (Nov 28, 2014)

Time, a good teacher, a good method (treatise) and access to a keyboard. That's about it.


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

Is there anything specifically about harmony that you want to know that one of us could answer? Or maybe something you read that you didn't understand that we could explain?


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

Jazz standards have been the most helpful to me when it comes to understanding tonal harmony. 

For a neat "all-in-one" package, the prelude in C major from Bach's 1st Well Tempered Clavier.


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## rbarata (Nov 3, 2014)

Like TalkingHead said, time, a good teacher and a good book.

I've found that the most important is not spending lots of time each day studying harmony. Rather, spend some time each day and everyday, continuously. It is not so important the amount of time you spend but the continuity...every day, every day, even if it's only haf an hour.

I don't have a teacher but I've found that these (and other) forums have people who understands about the issue and are always willing to help.

A good book... to me that's the most difficult part...I have lots of books, downloaded from the internet, and I use them all (or almost). This is because not all books, although they might be good books, present each subject is ways that are clear and easy for beginners. In some cases, some subjects are presented clearly in one book and the next subject is clearer in abother book.


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## Ian Moore (Jun 28, 2014)

Why did you start reading about harmony? What were you going to do with it?


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## Aurelian (Sep 9, 2011)

Thanks for this helpful thread. I would a like a better understanding of the harmony when I follow a score, instead of concentrating on the main melody. My own attempts at composition would improve with some knowledge of harmony.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

Aurelian said:


> Thanks for this helpful thread. I would a like a better understanding of the harmony when I follow a score, instead of concentrating on the main melody. My own attempts at composition would improve with some knowledge of harmony.


You really should analyse the harmony of the Bach prelude I mentioned earlier. Work out what ever chord used is and _how_ they are used and you'll probably gain a lot from doing that.


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## Lunasong (Mar 15, 2011)

Also, as ComposerofAvantGarde suggested, if you have any opportunity to study or play with a jazz group, it's really illuminating and helps one to get out of the standard major/minor chord triads and progressions.


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## Aurelian (Sep 9, 2011)

I did look at the prelude, thanks. I will wait to study the harmony of the C#-Minor fugue .

I finished watching this video, and I learned more in 10 minutes than anything else I studied before:


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## Chordalrock (Jan 21, 2014)

I no longer remember where I found it - I think it was in some book about harmony - but here's a list of recommended chord progressions (in common practice period tonal music), which can be handy:

1 --> 4, 5 ... 6
2 --> 5 ... 6
3 --> 6 ... 4
4 --> 5 ... 1, 2
5 --> 1 ... 6, 4
6 --> 2, 5 ... 3, 4
7 --> 3

To explain the first line: from chord I, the most recommended progression is to IV or V, sometimes you can use VI. I think the recommendations are conceived as being part of the major mode, since there's no VII but there's II twice.

I usually think of chromatic harmony in terms of modulation (modulating from one key to another). If you see anything chromatic in Bach, it's usually something to do with a modulation or equivalent.

You should also pay attention to chord inversion. Depending on what kind of music you compose, this is where voice leading becomes the main topic, or else it's where you just have to use your ear.

You can also learn some interesting things if you read about counterpoint rules.


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