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Nadia Boulanger's Harmony Method. Five Views. One Systematic Approach.

The systematic principles of tonal harmony as taught by Nadia Boulanger — organized into five interactive views: Principles, Doubling Table, Exercises, Practice, and Sing & Play. From consonance through chromaticism and enharmonicism.

Harmonic Standards — Principles view

gradusmusic.com/harmonic-standards
Principles
Doubling Table
Exercises
Practice
Sing & Play
Category:
All Categories
DoublingVoice LeadingVoice CrossingResolution
Doubling
In root position triads, double the root. The root is the strongest tone and reinforces the harmonic foundation.
Doubling
In first inversion, double the soprano note unless it creates parallel octaves with another voice.
Voice Leading
Move each voice to the nearest available chord tone. Conjunct motion is preferred over disjunct motion.
Voice Leading
Parallel fifths and parallel octaves between any two voices are forbidden.
Voice Crossing
No voice should cross above the voice assigned above it, or below the voice assigned below it.
Resolution
The leading tone must resolve upward by step to the tonic, except when it descends to the fifth in an inner voice.
Showing 6 of 24 principles

Four Dimensions of Harmonic Mastery

Harmonic Principles

The foundational rules of tonal harmony organized by category: doubling, voice leading, voice crossing, resolution, and more.

Doubling Table

Which chord members to double in every inversion and chord quality. The reference every harmony student needs open while writing.

Seventeen Graded Exercises

From consonance and basic motion through dissonance, harmonic function, chromaticism, and enharmonicism. Each with difficulty rating and quality feedback.

Sing & Play Practice

Exercises designed to be sung and played simultaneously — building the inner ear that connects theory to sound.

The principles that shaped a century of composers.

Boulanger's systematic approach to harmony — now an interactive study companion.