Course Overview

Students will explore the nature of music, integrating the key concepts of rhythm and meter, written music notation, the structure of various scale types, interval qualities, melody and harmony, the building of chords, and transposition. Throughout the series of assignments, ear training exercises are interspersed with the bones of composition technique, building in students the ability not only to hear and appreciate music, but step-by-step, to create it in written form as well. This highly interactive course culminates in the students producing original compositions, which while based on standard notation, demonstrate facets of personal expression. As the students’ ability to perform increases in the future, they will better understand music and therefore better demonstrate its intrinsic communication of emotion and ideas.

  • Rhythm and Meter: Students will build a foundational understanding of the elements of musical rhythm and meter, including the measure of different notes, time signatures, and special rhythms; additionally, students will participate in ear training exercises to build their skill in this area.
  • Notation and Pitch: Students will identify musical symbols, intervals, and instrumentation, and will be able to use this knowledge to compose and original melody.
  • Scales and Key Signatures: Students will examine scaled and both major and minor keys; projects include ongoing ear training exercises, the transposition of a melody to a new key, and the composition of original, non-diatonic melodies.
  • Harmony: Students will construct an understanding of the key aspects of harmony including the various categories of intervals and triads, and participate in ongoing ear training exercises; this unit culminates in the independent composition of a simple accompaniment.
  • Making Music: Students will actively participate in the interpretation and composition of music, utilizing their knowledge of musical elements such as rhythm, pitch, key, harmony, and expression.
  • Course Review and Exam: Students will complete a full review of key course concepts, and demonstrate their mastery through a final examination.

Additional Resources

Below is a list of suggested resources which can be used in conjunction with these assignments.

 

Music Theory
Unit Assignment Title Supply List
All All Assignments
  • Printer

Using Noteflight

Some of the assignments in Music Theory make use of Noteflight, a Web-based music notation program designed to allow users to create, listen to, and share music scores. Below is a practice exercise designed to help you become familiar with how Noteflight works. You can come back to this practice area anytime if you need a “safe” (ungraded) area to get familiar with the program.

Learning to write music in Noteflight

In this practice exercise, you’ll take time to learn how to write a short music segment using Noteflight. To accomplish this, you’ll move back and forth between Noteflight, the Noteflight Orientation Guide, and this Music Theory exercise. Your goals for this practice session are the following:

  1. Get comfortable with using Noteflight.
  2. Write a short music segment in Noteflight. Your finished production should look like this:
    img/img_u2l4_rh23.gif

Click here to open the Noteflight practice exercise.

Click here to open the Noteflight Orientation Guide. 

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