Tonal Harmony
Standard undergraduate text on common-practice tonal harmony
Ranked 3 of 9 in best music theory books
The standard undergraduate text on common-practice harmony, with workbook exercises sold separately. It covers harmony alone, so it ranks below The Complete Musician for a combined course.
Best for Undergraduate study of common-practice harmony
About Tonal Harmony
Tonal Harmony is a standard undergraduate textbook on common-practice harmony, the harmonic practice of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Stefan Kostka, Dorothy Payne and Byron Almén wrote it for McGraw Hill, and the first edition came out in 1984. The book is organized as a course, and its workbook exercises are available separately.
It suits students in a first or second harmony course and teachers who want a conventional reference. Its scope is limited to common-practice harmony, so jazz harmony is covered by The Jazz Theory Book instead. Compared with The Complete Musician, it covers harmony alone, and the workbook is a separate purchase.
Key features
- Common-practice harmony
- Workbook exercises
- Undergraduate course use
Strengths
- Standard undergraduate text on common-practice harmony
- Workbook exercises available separately
- Clear focus on common-practice harmony
Limits
- Covers common-practice harmony only
- Workbook is a separate purchase
Where Tonal Harmony ranks
| List | Rank | Score | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Music theory books | 3 of 9 | 88.0 | Undergraduate study of common-practice harmony |
Alternatives to Tonal Harmony
All 8 alternatives- Open Music TheoryHas a free option.
- The Complete MusicianUndergraduate theory text combining harmony, analysis and performance
- Harmony and Voice LeadingAnalysis-oriented textbook on tonal harmony and voice leading
- The Jazz Theory BookBook on jazz harmony, scales and chord-scale theory
- A Geometry of MusicAdvanced book on voice leading and scales across styles
- Berklee Music Theory Book 1Beginner-to-intermediate music theory fundamentals with exercises
Questions about Tonal Harmony
- Is Tonal Harmony free?
- Tonal Harmony is a paid product (paid). Sold as a print book; price varies by seller.
- Which formats is Tonal Harmony available in?
- Tonal Harmony is offered as Print.
- What is Tonal Harmony best for?
- Undergraduate study of common-practice harmony. In our ranking of music theory books it is number 3 of 9 with a score of 88.0.
- What are the best alternatives to Tonal Harmony?
- The highest-ranked alternatives on listme.name are Open Music Theory, The Complete Musician, Harmony and Voice Leading, The Jazz Theory Book.