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The Practical Piano Harmony System

£14.99

Understand chords, voicings and progressions so you can play more freely, without relying on memorised shapes or fully written arrangements.

A practical 52-page piano harmony PDF for complete beginners through experienced pianists, covering inversions, fingering, left-hand voicings, ii-V-I movement, extensions, substitutions, reharmonisation, playing by ear, songwriting and all 12 major keys.

Written by professional pianist and Leeds Conservatoire graduate Dan Williams.

Instant digital download.

Understand chords, voicings and progressions so you can play more freely, without relying on memorised shapes or fully written arrangements.

A practical 52-page piano harmony PDF for complete beginners through experienced pianists, covering inversions, fingering, left-hand voicings, ii-V-I movement, extensions, substitutions, reharmonisation, playing by ear, songwriting and all 12 major keys.

Written by professional pianist and Leeds Conservatoire graduate Dan Williams.

Instant digital download.

Practical piano harmony

Stop memorising isolated chords. Start understanding how they fit together.

Piano harmony becomes much easier once you understand the relationships underneath the notes. The Practical Piano Harmony System shows you what chords are doing, how to move between them, and how to turn that understanding into something you can actually play.

Understand

Learn why chords work, how they relate to the key and where they naturally want to move.

Play

Use inversions, voicings, bass movement and practical fingering instead of relying on one fixed chord shape.

Create

Apply the same ideas to accompaniment, playing by ear, songwriting, arranging and reharmonisation.

Inside the handbook

From your first chords to richer harmony.

Complete beginners can start with the Quick Start. More experienced players can move straight into the main harmony system.

Major and minor chords
Practical fingering
Chord inversions
Roman numerals and chord function
The seven chords of a key
Major and minor harmony
Voice leading
Bass movement and slash chords
Left-hand voicings
Shell voicings
Seventh chords
9ths, 11ths and 13ths
ii–V–I movement
Upper structures
Secondary dominants
Borrowed chords
Diminished passing chords
Chromatic movement and line clichés
Chord substitutions
Reharmonisation
Playing by ear
Songwriting and arranging
All 12 major keys
Chord symbol reference
The practical difference

Not just what the chord is. What your hands can actually play.

Knowing that a chord is Cmaj7 is useful. Knowing several practical ways to play it, connect it to the next chord and alter its colour is much more useful.

The handbook shows you how to choose between roots, inversions, shells, compact voicings, altered bass notes and extensions depending on what the music needs.

One idea, several possibilities
Chord → Movement → Colour
Understand the chord's job, find the smoothest movement, then decide how much harmonic colour you actually want.
Who it is for

For players who want to understand what they are playing.

01
Complete beginners who want a direct introduction to practical chords and harmony.
02
Pianists who already know chords but keep returning to the same shapes and progressions.
03
Classically trained players who want to become more comfortable playing without every note written out.
04
Jazz, pop and contemporary players who want a stronger understanding of the harmony underneath the music.
05
Singers, songwriters and composers who use the piano to develop musical ideas.
06
Teachers who want a concise practical harmony reference beside the piano.
Questions

Frequently asked questions

Is it suitable for a complete beginner?
Yes. The handbook begins with a concise Quick Start covering notes, chord construction, major and minor chords, inversions and basic fingering. More experienced players can skip ahead.
Do I need to read sheet music?
No. The system is designed to be useful without depending on sheet music. The same harmonic understanding can also help you make more sense of music you do read.
Does it teach chord inversions and voicings?
Yes. Inversions, practical fingering, left-hand shapes, shells, compact voicings and richer extended voicings are all covered.
Does it cover ii–V–I progressions?
Yes. The handbook includes practical ii–V–I movement, including left-hand voicings and smooth voice leading.
Does it include all 12 keys?
Yes. The reference section includes diatonic triads and seventh chords across all twelve major keys.
Can I use it for songwriting and composition?
Yes. The same ideas can be used to build progressions, alter bass movement, add extensions, borrow chords, arrange and reharmonise.
What format is the handbook?
It is a 52-page PDF supplied as an instant digital download after purchase.
About

Dan Williams

Dan Williams is a professional pianist and piano teacher and a Leeds Conservatoire graduate.

He teaches at Yorkshire Music School, The Music Bank and privately, with a particular focus on harmony, chords, improvisation, playing by ear and practical piano playing.

The Practical Piano Harmony System brings those ideas together into one concise reference designed to be used at the piano.

The Practical Piano Harmony System

Understand the harmony. Then make it your own.

A concise practical system for chords, voicings, progressions, playing by ear, arranging, songwriting and reharmonisation.

£14.99

52-page PDF. One-time purchase. Instant digital download.

Get the handbook