Michaël Andrieu

Les Essentiels de la Musique

The first part of the book, Harmonize, deals with the fundamental notions concerning chords, their sequence, as well as the writing rules governing the tonal system and which allow for effective harmonization:
• degrees and functions of chords,
• chord substitutions,
• secondary dominants,
• modulation
• chord reversals and voice conduct.

The second part, Arranger, gives the practical keys to arrange, adapt, and orchestrate methodically and effectively, thanks in particular to a table of instrumental and vocal tessitura, as well as to valuable pages on the principles of transposition.

The whole book is enriched with memo sheets dealing with many useful subjects both for voicing and arrangement. It deals with the following:
• the harmonic world (keys, modulations, degrees, cadences, etc.),
• the field of chords (composition, costing, etc.),
• the melodic framework (modes, intervals, ornaments, foreign notes, etc.).