This text investigates the core question of how students can achieve mastery over the complex harmonic shifts occurring between the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The authors, Dr. Paul O. Harder and Greg A. Steinke, utilize a structured, programmed instruction methodology designed to facilitate self-paced learning. By integrating immediate feedback loops and specific musical examples, the book provides a systematic framework for understanding the transition from traditional tonality to the evolving harmonic structures of the modern era.

The subject matter points to a specialized, pedagogical text intended for students and instructors of music theory who require a structured approach to modern harmonic evolution. The framing suggests a highly focused, technical resource that prioritizes incremental skill acquisition through a self-correcting study format.