Course Description and Goals

This course covers the the fundamentals of music notation, elementary note reading, basic concepts of rhythm and pitch, and the early stages of ear training. It is intended for those with little formal study in music.

The goals of the class are:

1. to learn to read and write music
   
   
2. to understand and be able to work with key signatures
   
   
3. to understand major and minor scales, both in the abstract as well as in practice
   
   
4. to learn how to structure triad chords

Evaluation and Grading Policy

Music perception and performance is an accumulative skill and your regular participation in class will be important for your progress. You should get a message to the instructor by phone or email the day of your absence if you wish to be excused.

See the schedule below for assignments and quizzes. Grades will be based on a midterm (25%), final exam (25%), five quizzes (25%) and daily homework assignments (25%). There will be no make-up tests. In case of illness or other approved emergency points for missed quizzes will be made up by increasing the value of subsequent tests.

Assignments

Written assignments will be collected weekly. Students will work individually with the TAP machine in order to improve rhythm reading. All students are required to have access to the world wide web and an Internet email account in order to receive supplemental information and to do some of the exercises and quizzes. Worksheets will be turned in from the textbook. No late work will be accepted.

Materials

Bring the following materials to each class meeting:

1. Textbook: Theodore A. Lynn, Introductory Musicianship, 5th edition, Harcourt Brace, 1997.
2. Supplies: music staff paper, pencil, eraser

Schedule

Page numbers from the text are indicated in red:

date	rhythm	pitch	score	theory	activity
Jan. 19 - 21	whole, and half notes	pitch and the keyboard		counting	start using TAP machine tapes 1-3
Jan. 24 - 28	quarter notes	treble clef I	stems, the staff lines of treble clef: Every Good Boy Does Fine rests	counting, how to practice	rhythm piece worksheets 1-1 and 1-2 (the notes we know so far) TAP machine tapes 4 - 7 quiz up through TAP tape 7
Jan. 31 - Feb. 4	dotted half notes and tied quarter notes	treble clef II	spaces of treble clef: F-A-C-E	rhythmic dictation: the "duck system" ô	finish treble, alto, and tenor clef notes on worksheets 1-1 and 1-2 treble clef piece quiz in two parts: 1) performed (identified in time): treble clef pitches 2) written: dotted rhythms, ties, and rests
Feb. 7 - 11	eighth notes (p78)	bass clef I	The Great Staff (p3), lines of bass clef: Good Boys Do Fine Always		4a) Finish worksheets 1-1 and 1-2, study pitches on lines of bass clef 4b) bass clef piece (pp. 39-44) TAP tapes 13 - 22 quiz on bass clef pitches and rhythm TAP tapes 8 - 12. Do your best where you see sixteenth notes (i.e. part C of each exercise).
Feb. 14 - 18	dotted quarters and eighths	bass clef II	spaces of bass clef: All Cows Eat Grass	(pp93-4) Half steps and whole steps (p16)	5a) Create an exercise to practice bass clef notes for your partner 5b) Create an exercise to practice bass clef notes for yourself 5c) Do the exercise that your partner made for you from 5a) 5d) Do your own exercise 5b) Work on TAP tapes 9 - 22. Do your best where you see sixteenth notes (i.e. part C of each exercise).
Feb. 21 - 25	sixteenth notes: flags and beams	accidentals (pp14-7): sharps, flats, and naturals; enharmonics (p17)	flags, beams, key signatures	major scale, major triad (pp 39, 191-2, 194) Key signatures (pp91, 107-8) circle of fifths (p90)	(pp25-7, 45-8) TAP tapes 23 - 30 6a) For each of the 12 keys going around the circle of fifths, write out the major scale, major triad (with chord symbol above), and key signature. 6b) sixteenth note piece
March 6 - 10	review	review melodic dictation (p64, 70)	review	review	MIDTERM (March 10): pitches on the grand staff, rhythm, circle of fifths, key signatures, major scales
March 13 - 17	dotted eighth notes and sixteenths, dictation			natural minor scale, minor triad (pp95-7)	8a) worksheet 3-5 8b) TAP tapes 31 - 35
March 20 - 24			relative major and minor keys (pp97, 109-10)	major and perfect intervals (pp119-20, 122, 129, 133-4)	9a) worksheet 3-4 9b) I / vi harmony piece with melody TAP tapes 36 - 37
March 27 - 31	triplets (pp155-6)			harmonic minor scale minor, augmented and diminshed intervals (pp120-1, 123,130,135)	10a) and 10b) worksheets TAP tapes 38 - 39 quiz on TAP tapes 31-39, natural and harmonic minor scales
April 3 - 7	compound rhythm (pp141-7)			melodic minor scale (p111) inverted and compound intervals (pp124-5) chord inversions	11) melodic minor piece
April 10 - 14			dynamics	chromatic scale (pp103-5) whole tone scale (p102)	12a) tone row piece 12b) whole tone piece quiz on minor scales and intervals
April 26 - 28			repeats, barlines (p18)	pentatonic scale (p102)	pentatonic piece
May 1 - 5			articulation, form (pp166)	tempo	form analysis assignment
May 8 - 10	review	review	review	review	study!
final exam	Monday May 15, 2:00 - 4:30 pm

©2000 Robert Willey

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