Arranging & Reharmonization
Learn how to cover songs like a pro.
arrangement (noun) : a musical adaptation of an existing composition.
reharmonize (verb) : to provide (something, such as a melody or musical passage) with a different harmony.
You will develop the skills to play the most ear-catching piano chords and harmonies! Learn how to transform your simple chord progressions into beautiful, next-level reharmonizations and textures.
One year ago, I published my first course on jazz improvisation, which hundreds of students are benefiting from. After fourteen months of brainstorming, strategizing, consulting and building, I’m proud to launch this second course as a masterclass on arranging piano music and reharmonization. I’ve leveraged my personal expertise as an arranger, and my experience transcribing hundreds of arrangements from pianists great and small, to peel back the cover on how great pianists reharmonize music and create amazing song arrangements.
No more plain, boring chords. You will develop the skills to play the most ear-catching piano chords and harmonies! Learn how to transform your simple chord progressions into beautiful, next-level reharmonizations and textures. 🔥
Join hundreds of students benefitting from Gondola Music courses.
Free example of one of the 40 lessons. This is lesson 6.5 on walkdown modulation.
Choose Your Learning Path
Customize the course to meet your learning needs.
🎓 “By The Book” for the traditional learners. This path is for those who just want to take it step by step, in order from beginning to the end.
🧠 “Music Theory Buff” for the braniacs: Are you really into the music theory? Chord symbols, scales, scale degrees, extensions... you name it. This learning path is for the cerebral learners amongst us.
👂🏽 “Play By Ear” for the creatives: OK, music theory is not your strength. If you would rather learn things by ear, wing it, and get a general rather than specific feel for music concepts, this learning path is for you.
(Click on the image below to download the Learning Paths PDF).
Browse Course Index
View the entirety of the course outline, including video lessons, lesson guides, exercises, homework, answer keys, and complementary transcriptions. Each element is marked by four levels of difficulty so you can create your own learning path, or easily see which materials match your level. The actual PDFs themselves are also color-coded.
🔴 = Very challenging
🟠 = Difficult
🟡 = Medium
🟢 = Easier
(Click on the image below to download the Course Index PDF).
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A fresh take on how keys (song keys) work on the piano.
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How To Practice Jazz Chords 🟠 🟡 🟢
A straightforward but demanding exercise to cement your familiarity with a key.
A straightforward but demanding exercise to cement your familiarity with a key.
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Key Familiarity Practice Exercises 🟠 🟡 🟢
Additional exercises to help you become a master navigator of keys.
Additional exercises to help you become a master navigator of keys.
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Walkdown Exercise Week 1 🔴 🟠 🟡 🟢
Our first weekly installment of the walkdown key familiarity exercise.
Our first weekly installment of the walkdown key familiarity exercise.
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Song Section Harmonies 🟢
Learn how songs are structured, and thus how to structure your arrangements.
Learn how songs are structured, and thus how to structure your arrangements.
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The Power Of Triads 🟡 🟢
Learn how to reharmonize and discover new harmonies with simple evolutions and departures from the standard triad.
Learn how to reharmonize and discover new harmonies with simple evolutions and departures from the standard triad.
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Reharmonize the Happy Birthday song with me step by step.
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10 Levels Of Jazz Harmony 🔴 🟠 🟡 🟢
10 progressively more complex reharmonizations of the jazz standard Giant Steps.
10 progressively more complex reharmonizations of the jazz standard Giant Steps.
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Chromatic Harmony 🟠 🟡
Use the chromatic scale to find new harmonic options and approach target chords.
Use the chromatic scale to find new harmonic options and approach target chords.
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The second installment of our weekly key familiarity exercise.
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3-Dimensional Chord Harmony 🟡
Parse chordal harmonies by their structural density, harmonic density and spacing.
Parse chordal harmonies by their structural density, harmonic density and spacing.
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The Shape of Chords 🟠 🟡 🟢
Become proficient in chord voicings based on hand shapes, and interval shapes.
Become proficient in chord voicings based on hand shapes, and interval shapes.
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What happens when you stack differing chords together?
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The third installment of our weekly key familiarity exercise.
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A basic way to reharmonize any chord.
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Diminished Chromaticism 🟠
Learn about functional vs. nonfunctional harmony, consonance vs. dissonance, Barry Harris diminished chord colorization, and reharmonization techniques.
Learn about functional vs. nonfunctional harmony, consonance vs. dissonance, Barry Harris diminished chord colorization, and reharmonization techniques.
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All about negative harmony and wholetone harmony.
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All about this enigmatic harmonic theory.
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Learn several go-to reharmonization chords.
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The fifth installment of our weekly key familiarity exercise.
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Jacob Collier Diminished Modulation 🟡
Jacob Collier’s method for modulating based off of diminished 7th chords.
Jacob Collier’s method for modulating based off of diminished 7th chords.
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Learn another modulation technique.
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Learn multiple methods to transpose to different keys.
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Modulate the melody to reharmonize your arrangement.
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The sixth installment of our weekly key familiarity exercise.
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Three Hands 🟡 🟢
We need three hands to play most effectively on the piano. Here’s how we solve this problem.
We need three hands to play most effectively on the piano. Here’s how we solve this problem.
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4-Dimensional Texture by Jethro Reeves 🟠 🟡 🟢
Learn Jethro Reeve’s 4-Dimensional conceptualization of music textures.
Learn Jethro Reeve’s 4-Dimensional conceptualization of music textures.
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Mozart's 12 Variations 🟡
Analysis of the Mozart’s texture transformation across his variations of “Ah vous dirai-je maman.”
Analysis of the Mozart’s texture transformation across his variations of “Ah vous dirai-je maman.”
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The use of suspended harmonies to create tension and blur harmonies.
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Texture Movement/Advanced Voice Leading 🟠
How to shift textures, advanced voice leading, and further analysis of Mozart’s 12 variations.
How to shift textures, advanced voice leading, and further analysis of Mozart’s 12 variations.
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The eighth installment of our weekly key familiarity exercise.
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Jimin Dorothy's Autumn Leaves (Classical thru Blues) 🟡
A study of Jimin Dorothy’s multi-genre arrangement of Autumn Leaves (Part 1).
A study of Jimin Dorothy’s multi-genre arrangement of Autumn Leaves (Part 1).
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Jimin Dorothy's Autumn Leaves (Jazz thru Lofi) 🟠 🟡 🟢
A study of Jimin Dorothy’s multi-genre arrangement of Autumn Leaves (Part 2).
A study of Jimin Dorothy’s multi-genre arrangement of Autumn Leaves (Part 2).
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The tenth installment of our weekly key familiarity exercise.
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Meet your instructor
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Meet your instructor ✳
TIMOTHY
Professional jazz pianist, transcriber, piano instructor and YouTuber.
Timothy Gondola , founder and CEO of Gondola Music, is a dedicated contributor to the global music community.
Born in Ithaca, NY, Timothy grew up and now resides in Indiana. He majored in geography and minored in music at Macalester College and holds a Master's in GIS from Indiana University.
Timothy began studying classical piano at age 4, and since then is self-taught in jazz, blues, gospel, and other styles.
Here’s a glimpse at what you’ll learn…
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Learn systematic methods to reharmonize your chord progressions from simple changes to highly jazzy ones!
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Learn how to change keys like a pro, with modulation techniques from straightforward to complex. Take your piano arrangements to a whole new level.
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Learn the tools and methods needed to arrange a song in any genre, from classical to jazz to latin.
Pro tip: gather these tools from the lessons on textures, transitions and genres.
Benefits.
$49
Intro To Arranging & Reharmonization
Get a taste of the full course experience with 8 of the 40 video lessons, along with their complementary transcriptions, exercises, homework assignments and lesson guides.
Course Signup
BRAND NEW!
$299
Arranging & Reharmonization
Learn the secrets of reharmonization and arranging, how to turn a simple melody and chord progression into a harmonic masterpiece in any genre!
This course is as a masterclass on arranging piano music and reharmonization. I’ve leveraged my personal expertise as an arranger, and my experience transcribing hundreds of arrangements to peel back the cover on how great pianists reharmonize music and create amazing song arrangements.
Learn more
Course FAQ
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This course will be most beneficial to intermediate to experienced pianists. However, each lesson is marked by difficulty, from beginner to advanced, so every level of student can get some value out of the course.
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No, access is indefinite.
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Although the course is structured in 10 weeks, you’re free to take as much time as you need to complete each week, or choose a personal learning path. Depending on your pace, you can get through your learning path or the full course anywhere from two weeks to several months.