Harmony for Computer Musicians: Second Edition

Harmony for Computer Musicians: Second Edition is the definitive deep dive for the computer musician who is ready to get serious. Building on the foundations of theory and composition, this book focuses on the single most important element for adding depth, colour, and emotional power to your music: harmony.

This is your masterclass in the why and how of harmonic movement:

• Perfect the foundations of functional harmony: Instead of working by trial and error, establish a thorough understanding of the traditional tonal system -building logical chord progressions that give your tracks a clear sense of direction.
• Master voice leading and chord writing: Learn the principles of connecting one chord to another smoothly, discovering how to properly voice chords using inversions, spacing, and doubling - making your arrangements sound clean, intentional, and massive.
• Bring progressions to life with melodic decoration: Move beyond plain chords by introducing mobility and tension to your harmonic textures. Master the use of passing notes, suspensions, auxiliaries, anticipations, and arpeggiations to breathe life into your arrangements and move beyond gridlocked MIDI chords.
• Expand your vocabulary with extended chords: Go beyond basic triads to construct, voice, and resolve seventh, ninth, eleventh, and complex thirteenth chords. Unlock both the traditional resolutions and modern jazz approaches used by top-tier producers.
• Create journeys through modulation: Break out of four-bar loops by mastering the art of travelling between keys. Learn to navigate key changes confidently using diatonic pivot chords, chromatic alterations, and more - creating song sections that develop and evolve.
• Discover advanced chromatic and modal textures: Stand out from producers using the same old harmonic textures by introducing new colours to your tracks using secondary dominants, tritone substitutions, and augmented sixth chords.

For the computer musician who is ready to write with clarity, purpose, and originality, the Second Edition of Harmony for Computer Musicians is your blueprint for better tracks.