Is the Songwriter’s Workshop: Harmony by Jimmy Kachulis the best book on harmony? Or do you need other resources as a songwriter? Let’s dive into what this music book has to offer!
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If you’re passionate about songwriting and music theory, you might have come across Jimmy Kachulis’s Songwriter’s Workshop series. Today, I’m excited to share my thoughts on the third book in this collection: The Songwriter’s Workshop: Harmony.
Book Review The Songwriter’s Workshop: Harmony
Having previously reviewed Kachulis’s other books, Hit Song Forms and The Songwriter’s Workshop: Melody, I can say that this book stood out for me. It felt more engaging and complete than the previous ones, making it my favourite in the series so far.
What Can You Learn?
If you’re like me, you’re probably wondering what kind of knowledge this book can offer and how deep it goes. Well, The Songwriter’s Workshop: Harmony contains 191 pages (excluding the appendix) of solid information. That’s more elaborate compared to the other books in the series. The content is neatly divided into nine sections, each focusing on a different aspect of songwriting:
- Generating a Groove
- Chord Colors and Lyric Stories
- Colors of Keys
- Power Progressions
- Rhythmic Variations of Progressions
- Pitch Variations of Progressions
- Harmony and Melody
- Home and Away
- Modulation
Each section contains concise lessons that break down these broader topics into actionable techniques. As you approach the end of a section, you’ll notice that several techniques come together, giving you a full understanding of songwriting and harmony.
What I Liked About This Book
One thing I appreciate about all the Songwriter’s Workshop books is how well-structured they are. The clear division into separate sections makes the information digestible, which is crucial when you’re learning complex topics like harmony. The first chapter, which explains how to generate a groove and apply it to chord progressions, is particularly interesting. I also loved how Kachulis encourages taking inspiration from popular songs and incorporating those grooves into your own work.
The section on Chord Colors was a highlight for me—it was clearly explained and well-organized. I also enjoyed how the book transitions from chord colours to key colours. From Chapter 7 onward, the book becomes especially rich with insights.
Another great touch is the “tooltip” sections sprinkled throughout the book. These small nuggets of information are extremely helpful for deepening your understanding of specific concepts.
Points of Critique
However, like Kachulis’s other books, Harmony isn’t perfect. One of the main drawbacks is that it’s not entirely beginner-friendly. If you don’t know how to read sheet music, this book might be a bit challenging. Also, I would have appreciated more explanation in certain areas, like why the subdominant and dominant chords are less stable, or why specific power progressions are so effective.
I also found the chapter on Repetition and Contrast somewhat lacking.
Who Is This Book For?
In my opinion, The Songwriter’s Workshop: Harmony is best suited for intermediate and advanced songwriters. If you’re already comfortable with music theory but need some fresh inspiration or a deeper dive into harmony, this book is for you. Personally, I took plenty of notes and discovered techniques that I want to try out.
For beginners, though, I’d recommend caution. The book may cause some confusion if you’re new to music theory. However, if you’re determined to explore it as a beginner, I suggest working with a teacher or pairing it with a simpler harmony book, like Music Theory Note by Note by Michael Miller.
Final Thoughts
Is The Songwriter’s Workshop: Harmony the only music theory book you’ll ever need as a songwriter? Probably not. It’s an excellent resource, but beginners will benefit from supplementing it with other materials, while advanced songwriters might enjoy combining it with something like Great Songwriting Techniques by Jack Perricone. Together, these books offer a solid guide to songwriting.
Happy reading!