Harmony Lessons, Book 2 (Note Speller 4): Piano

Schaum understood a real constraint of studio teaching: harmony instruction often competes with lesson time rather than deepening it. This book solves that by embedding harmonic concepts directly into the learning sequence, so a student's regular practice becomes their theory foundation. The emphasis on applying harmony through accompaniment patterns and original composition means students aren't memorizing rules in isolation but building genuine musicianship.

Practical and grounded. These pages assume a student can play but may never sit down with a formal harmony text. The progression from simple to varied accompaniment patterns creates a sense of expanding capability, while transposition exercises keep the mind active and alert.

Studio piano teachers who want to weave harmony into regular lessons without carving out dedicated theory class time. Instrumental and vocal teachers supporting students who read piano and need to understand accompaniment and harmonic structure. Piano students progressing through the Schaum Method who are ready to move beyond single-note melody into fuller musical textures.

• Start with blocked chords before moving to the accompaniment patterns. Students need to hear the harmonic function clearly before rhythm complicates the picture.
• Have students sing the melody while playing the harmonization. This strengthens ear training and prevents the accompaniment from overshadowing what matters most.
• Use transposition exercises as a quick warm-up across multiple lessons. Shifting keys repeatedly builds facility without feeling like extra work.
• Encourage students to compose short 8 or 16 bar melodies using the harmonic vocabulary they've learned. Composition cements ownership of the material in ways exercises alone cannot.

Integrate this across a full school year of studio instruction, working through one concept every one to two weeks during regular lesson time. The book pairs naturally with any ongoing repertoire study, enriching a student's understanding of the pieces they're performing. For group piano classes, the exercises in composition offer creative project opportunities that showcase individual student voices.

• Harmonizing melodies with I, IV, and V chords and their variations
• Playing multiple accompaniment textures (blocked, broken, alberti bass patterns)
• Transposing melodies and harmonic progressions into new keys
• Composing original melodies with chord progressions
• Understanding voice leading in basic harmonic progressions
• Building harmonic listening skills through ear training with accompaniment