COURSE SYLLABUS

MUSIC THEORY I—ONLINE CONTACT INFORMATION

COURSE MATERIALS

yy Identify intervals

yy Tonal Harmony: With an Introduction to TwentiethCentury Music (sixth edition), Stefan Kostka and Dorothy Payne, McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/ Languages

yy Identify and compose intervals within the major scale using Musition

Email: [email protected]

yy GarageBand, Auralia, Musition, Sibelius, and Spotify software

yy Identify and compose minor intervals using both Musition and Auralia

iChat: [email protected]

yy Novation Launchkey 25 MIDI keyboard

Catalog Course Code: MPR 1001 Three-Letter Course Abbreviation: MTH1-O Instructor: Shannon Kropf, MMus Telephone: 407.679.0100 ext. 6968

Hours: M, W, F 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Tu, Th 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. (EST)

COURSE DESCRIPTION Successful completion of the Music Theory I Course will create a solid basis for further musical understanding. The class focuses on essential topics while providing more advanced students an opportunity to review the rudiments of musical language. Topics to be covered include note identification, interval recognition, major scale construction, basic rhythmic notation and ear training. Music Theory I equips the student with the tools needed to effectively communicate fundamental musical concepts.

COURSE OBJECTIVES Students will accomplish these course objectives by completing the milestones specified: yy Recognize the notes on the keyboard and staff yy Understand how staff notation and sound work together by using Musition and Auralia yy Notate ranges of pitch on the staff yy Identify and read basic music notation yy Transcribe basic notation with Sibelius yy Transcribe written percussion rhythms with GarageBand yy Recognize and notate basic rhythmic notation

yy Aurally identify intervals within the major scale using Auralia

yy Build major scales yy Create a major scale starting on any note yy Understand the patterns of whole and half steps involved in major scales yy Identify major and minor triads yy Understand the intervallic patterns of major and minor triads yy Identify major and minor triads with relationship to parent scales yy Apply all Music Theory I concepts to the keyboard by utilizing custom keyboard trainer apps

COURSE OUTCOMES By the end of this course, students will be able to:

yy Transcribe basic rhythms with Sibelius

yy Read and write basic music notation

yy Examine and input different rhythmic values and patterns with GarageBand

yy Aurally and visually identify the intervals found in a major scale yy Identify and notate major scales yy Effectively communicate with other musicians

Music Theory I—Online    General Education Component

GENERAL EDUCATION COMPONENT Music Theory I will utilize communicative and technological skills learned in previous courses by giving students the opportunity to notate music in software. The exploration of musical content will strengthen students’ general understanding of art.

DEGREE CONNECTION A solid foundation in music theory is a crucial component of the MPBS graduate’s skill set. Music Theory I provides students with the basic building blocks required to successfully complete the MPBS program and begin learning the intricate language of music. Once they master the concepts presented in this class, students will be prepared to engage Music Theory II. All of the concepts covered in this class will be reinforced in future courses and developed in greater detail. This class helps students develop good disciplinary practices that will ensure success throughout their academic and professional careers. Technical skills include the understanding and utilization of Sibelius, Musition, Auralia, GarageBand, Mac OS X, iChat, word processing, computer storage, and Internet security.

INDUSTRY CONNECTION A composer/producer working in the music industry is expected to have a firm command of all the topics covered in Music Theory I and II, which essentially teach the common language of musicians, composers, engineers, directors, programmers, and producers. The theory courses provide graduates of the MPBS program with a solid understanding of the concepts and applications of music. This course

will prepare students with the knowledge and confidence for informed musical conversation with other music industry professionals. Ultimately, music theory will provide students with the ability to successfully express and communicate musical concepts.

RESEARCH COMPONENT Students are encouraged to take advantage of the research tools made available to them here at Full Sail University. The Journal of Music Theory, Grove Music Online, and Oxford Music Online from Alexander Street Press are just a few outstanding resources accessible via the Propeller student portal. Music theory is a subject that lends itself naturally to research, and a good musician will continue the quest for information long after graduating from school. Students should get into the habit of researching the profound world of music theory from the beginning of their studies.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES To develop a better understanding of music theory, be sure to take advantage of the many resources available to you. Learning and applying music theory can be an enjoyable, lifelong journey. Here are a couple of helpful suggestions for further research.

Texts yy Scales, Intervals, Keys, Triads, Rhythm, and Meter (revised and expanded edition), John Clough, Joyce Conley, and Claire Boge, W.W. Norton and Company

Music Theory I—Online   Additional Resources

Internet yy Music First! Online Learning Center: http://www.mhhe.com/musicfirst6

yy Software Introduction yy Rhythm and Pitch Identification

Music Reading—Weekly Practices and Quizzes

yy MPBS blog: http://www.fsoblogs.com/mpbs

LEARNING ACTIVITIES

Musition is a music-reading software package designed to provide a means by which students, regardless of level, can improve their music-notation recognition and reading skills and music-theory proficiency. In each week of Music Theory I, students will be required to attain a minimum level of music notation proficiency in Musition by completing two quizzes in the software.

yy Oxford Music Online: http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/public

Listening—Weekly Practice and Quiz

Virtual Class/Lab and Essentials Quizzes

Auralia is an ear-training software package designed to provide a means by which students, regardless of level, can improve their aural skills and music-theory proficiency. In each week of Music Theory I, students will be required to attain a minimum level of fundamental skills in aural identification and musical transcription in Auralia.

The virtual class and lab will be the most efficient way for students to understand the music-theory content for any particular lesson. The weekly sessions will give students an opportunity to interact with the subject matter along with the music theory instructors, online and in real time. There will be periodic quizzes on the material from the virtual class to ensure that students are absorbing the material and can articulate, read, or compose using the applicable concepts.

yy Intervals

yy eMusicTheory: http://www.emusictheory.com

yy Simple vs. Compound Meter Recognition

yy Ricci Adams’ Musictheory.net: http://www.musictheory.net

yy Major, Minor, Pentatonic, and Blues Scales

yy Musicards: http://www.musicards.net

TOPICS COVERED yy Notes on the Keyboard and Staff Accidentals yy Treble/Bass/Grand Staff yy Meter and Time Signatures yy Basic Rhythmic Notation

yy Major and Minor Triads

Music Theory I—Online    Learning Activities

Projects Project 1—GarageBand Transcription Before writing their own music, students must understand the basic concepts that allow music to be a coherent language and demonstrate an ability to understand written music. For this project, students will be given ten specific examples of written drum-set notation. They will sequence these examples into GarageBand by employing the piano roll and their music reading skills. Project 2—Introduction to Harmony Students will input pitch rhythm and other musical information into Sibelius by reproducing a simple score. Then, they will construct and notate major and minor triads as prescribed in chord symbols and octave designations to form the harmony for a popular-style piece of music. Students will export a MIDI file from Sibelius to incorporate into a digital audio workstation to produce a completed song.

the material presented each week. Since music theory builds upon itself, missing any one concept can hinder future understanding of the topic. Students must feel comfortable with the material on the study guide and in the essentials quizzes by the end of each week.

Discussions The discussion boards will serve as an outlet for students to develop their musical vocabulary by listening, analyzing, and describing music to their classmates. Interaction between students is an important part of these discussions, and students will introduce themselves to the class and the MPBS community.

GRADE WEIGHTS Projects (3 at 6% each)

18%

Musition Checkpoints (4 at 4% each)

16%

Auralia Checkpoints (4 at 4% each)

16%

Project 3—Composing in GarageBand

Essentials Quizzes (4 at 4% each)

16%

For the final project, students will employ their creativity to compose a piece of music according to their skills and tastes. This short piece will include rhythm, bass, harmony, and melody tracks.

Keyboard Trainer Apps (4 at 4% each)

16%

Keyboard Trainer Apps Students will increase competency on the piano keyboard by completing four keyboard training applications. Topics covered will include learning note names, building major scales, using scale degrees, and playing diatonic triads.

Study Guides and Essentials Quizzes Students will be provided with weekly curriculum-review activities. These activities will help students ensure that they have mastered

Discussions (2 at 3% each)

6%

Introduction to Music Notation Software

2%

Professionalism Total

10% 100%

Music Theory I—Online    Strategies For Successful Learning

STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESSFUL LEARNING

P R E S E N T YO U R S E L F P R O F E S S I O N A L LY

yy

M A K E T I M E F O R YO U R S T U D I E S

yy

M A K E YO U R D E A D L I N E S

Some tips to keep in mind when studying Music Theory I: yy

Using many methods of learning music theory will greatly increase your retention of the material. Here are some suggestions: U S E M U LT I P L E L E A R N I N G M E T H O D S

yy Use the practice sessions in Musition and Auralia to perfect your understanding before moving on to a quiz. yy Memorize your note names on the staff and keyboard. You can use Musition, Auralia, any of the Internet resources listed in the syllabus, or even online or homemade flashcards. yy Write out notes on the staff, scales, intervals, and triads by hand on staff paper. This will solidify your ownership of the new concepts. yy See the “Tips for Learning Music Theory” resource on FSO for even more resources. These are the best ways to get new information each week. You can also interact live with several Music Theory instructors and see each concept presented in an easy-to-understand format. If you can’t attend the class, watch the archives of the virtual class and the lab. You will quickly fall behind in the class without these important resources.

yy

AT T E N D V I R T UA L C L A S S A N D L A B

yy

C O M M U N I C AT E W I T H YO U R I N S T R U C TO R A N D C L A S S -

Find your instructor’s contact information in the Announcements section in FSO and stay in regular contact with him or her. This is especially important if you are having difficulty with a concept or feel that you are falling behind. Communicating with your classmates is important for networking and support. M AT E S R E G U L A R LY

This is an extremely important career habit to develop. Presenting yourself professionally in written and verbal communication, projects, discussions, assignments, and all interactions is a way of establishing your career and reputation within the music industry.

yy

Plan on working on your music studies two to three hours per day, seven days per week. Learning music is a progressive process and simply can’t be done all in one sitting. You must give it your time and attention every day if you want to truly “own” the material and exercise the concepts on a professional level. All assignments must be turned in by their specified deadlines. Late work is unacceptable in the professional world, and we hold you to those same standards. Communicate with your instructor regarding any issues that may affect your ability to meet the deadlines. As in the professional world, always communicate before the deadline, not after.

Music Theory I—Online    Course-Specific Rubrics

COURSE-SPECIFIC RUBRICS Quizzes Item All Quizzes

Professional 90–100 points

Average 70–89 points

The student correctly answers most or all questions The student correctly answers many questions, but and demonstrates mastery of the concept presented more work on the concept presented is needed

Discussions The Will to Succeed Item

Percentage

Video is uploaded to FSO

50%

Video is less than 1 minute in length

15%

Video is accessible to class (i.e., not set to “private”)

15%

Response is made to a colleague

20%

Unsatisfactory 0–69 points The student incorrectly answers several questions and demonstrates a clear lack of fluency in the concept presented

Music Theory I—Online    Course-Specific Rubrics

Discussions (Cont.) Song Form Item Song Choice

20 points Song Identification

Professional 90–100 points

Average 70–89 points

Unsatisfactory 0–69 points

Student prepares a song-form chart as directed for the assigned song

N/A

Student did not prepare a song form chart, or did not use the song assigned to him or her to create the song form chart.

20 points The student includes the performing artist, the title of the song, and a Spotify link to the song

10 points Time Signature

Beats Per Minute

The student includes one or two of the identification components (artist, title, and Spotify link) or misidentifies any of the above

9–10 points The student accurately assesses the time signature of the song and includes the time signature on the song chart

10 points

0 points Student does not include any of the song identification components or does not prepare a song-form chart

7–8 points N/A

0–6 points The student does not accurately assess the time signature of the song, or the time signature is not included on the song chart

10 points The student accurately assesses the BPM of the song within 5 BPM and includes the accurate BPM on the song chart

0 points The student assesses the BPM of the song within 10 BPM but shows a clear understanding of the concept of BPM

Student does not include BPM on the song form chart, is incorrect by more than 10 BPM on the tempo, or does not create the song-form chart

The student includes the BPM on the song chart 10 points Song-Form Sections

9–10 points The student accurately assesses all the sections of the assigned song in the correct order for the entire song and chart

7–8 points The student accurately assesses most of the sections of the assigned song The order of the song sections are mostly correct, and only slight modifications would be needed on the chart if used in the studio

0–6 points The student does not accurately assess many of the song sections, or the song sections are not in the correct order Many modifications would be necessary in order to use the chart in the studio The student does not create a form chart

20 points

18–20 points

13–17 points

0–12 points

Music Theory I—Online    Course-Specific Rubrics

Discussions (Cont.) Song Form (Cont.) Item Number of Bars Per Section

10 points Response to Colleague

Professional 90–100 points

Average 70–89 points

Unsatisfactory 0–69 points

The student accurately assesses all of the sections with the number of bars included in each section

The student accurately assesses most of the sections with the number of bars in each section

The student does not accurately assess the number of bars in each section

The bar numbers are correctly placed with their corresponding sections

The numbers are mostly placed correctly within each section

The numbers are not placed correctly within each section

No modifications would be necessary in order to use the chart in the studio

Minimal modifications would be needed in order to use the chart in the studio

Significant modifications would be needed in order to use the chart in the studio

9–10 points The student provides thoughtful and professional feedback to a colleague on the discussion board

The student provides feedback to a colleague on the discussion board

The student addresses, in musical terms, the accuracy of his or her colleague’s song form, time signature, and BPM

The student addresses, in musical terms, the accuracy of his or her colleague’s song form, time signature, and BPM, but has mistakes within the comment

The student demonstrates mastery of the musical concepts of popular song form 20 points

7–8 points

18–20 points

0–6 points The student does not provide feedback to a colleague on the discussion board, or the feedback provided is superfluous and does not address musical concepts The student shows no familiarity with the musical concepts of popular song form

The student demonstrates familiarity with the musical concepts of popular song form 13–19 points

0–12 points

Music Theory I—Online    Course-Specific Rubrics

Projects Project 1—GarageBand Transcription Item

Sequenced 7 points possible

Looped 2 points possible

Labeled 1 point possible

Points Given 10 points possible

Beat 1 (Rock Beat) Beat 2 (Dance Beat) Beat 3 (16th Beat-1) Beat 4 (Metal Beat) Beat 5 (HipHop-1) Beat 6 (HipHop 2) Beat 7 (16th-2) Beat 8 (Metal-2) Beat 9 (HipHop-3) Beat 10 (HipHop-4) Point Deductions

MP3 file is present; session is named correctly (up to 10 points deducted)

Additional Comments:

Total:

Comments

Music Theory I—Online    Course-Specific Rubrics

Projects (Cont.) Project 2—Sibelius Music Notation Software Item Title and Composer

Professional 90–100 points

Average 70–89 points

Unsatisfactory 0–69 points

The student places the title and composer of the piece appropriately as per music notation standards

The student includes the title and composer of the piece within the project

There are no misspellings in the title or composer

Some abnormality regarding placement and/or spelling

The student does not include the title and/ or composer of the piece, or there are several typographical errors or misspellings within the title and composer

10 points Tempo Indicator

9–10 points The student includes the tempo indicator appropriately as per music notation standards

10 points Correct Number of Measures

9–10 points

7–8 points The student includes the tempo indicator, but the placement shows some abnormality 7–8 points

The student notates the correct number of measures The student deletes all extra measures at the end as per the master document of the score, but there are minimal extra measures included within the piece The student deletes all extraneous measures and

0–6 points The student does not include the tempo indicator, or the placement is not standard 0–6 points The student does not delete extraneous measures and marks, and there are many extra measures throughout the piece

marks 10 points Instrument Markings

9–10 points The student accurately places the instrument indicator at the beginning of the first staff Subsequent staves are marked with the proper abbreviation for the instrument

10 points Score Input

60 points

9–10 points

7–8 points The student places the instrument indicator with some derivation from musical notation standards on one or more of the staves 7–8 points

0–6 points The student does not place the instrument indicators or places the indicators in a manner that is not compliant with musical notation standards 0–6 points

The student accurately places each note of the score with articulation, dynamic, and other musical markings included

The student places most notes of the score accurately with some slight errors in articulation, dynamic, and/or other musical markings

The student inaccurately places many notes of the score with multiple errors in articulation, dynamic, and/or other musical markings

The student shows fluency with the concepts of beginning music notation

The student shows familiarity with the concepts of beginning music notation

The student demonstrates a lack of fluency in the concepts of beginning music notation

54–60 points

43–53 points

0–42 points

Music Theory I—Online    Course-Specific Rubrics

Projects (Cont.) Project 3—Composing in GarageBand Item Sequenced Rhythm

Professional 90–100 points

Average 70–89 points

The student includes a rhythm track that meets all of the following criteria and demonstrates fluency with the concepts presented Music Theory 1:

The student includes a rhythm track that meets most The student does not include a rhythm track, or the of the criteria rhythm track is deficient in one or more of the criteria

The tempo is set between 60–180 BPM The instrument is a stock drum kit chosen from GarageBand

Unsatisfactory 0–69 points

There may be minor mistakes, but the student is clearly familiar with the concepts presented in Music Theory 1

There are many and/or major errors, demonstrating that the student is unfamiliar with the concepts presented in Music Theory 1

The drum loop is original The second bar is not identical to the first Drums are sequenced from bars 1 to 16 There is a drum attack on the downbeat of bar 17 The region is correctly labeled The instrument is nicely mixed 20 points Sequenced Bass

18–20 points The student includes a rhythm track that meets all of the following criteria and demonstrates fluency with the concepts presented Music Theory 1: The instrument is a stock bass instrument chosen from GarageBand

13–17 points

0–12 points

The student includes a bass track that meets most of The student does not include a bass track, or the the criteria bass track is deficient in one or more of the criteria There may be minor mistakes, but the student is clearly familiar with the concepts presented in Music Theory 1

There are many and/or major errors, demonstrating that the student is unfamiliar with the concepts presented in Music Theory 1

The bass track is sequenced from bars 5 to 16 The bass line is original, and the second bar is not identical to the first The region is correctly labeled The tonic (1) note is played sequenced on the downbeat of bar 17 The instrument is nicely mixed 20 points

18–20 points

13–17 points

0–12 points

Music Theory I—Online    Course-Specific Rubrics

Projects (Cont.) Project 3—Composing in GarageBand (Cont). Item Sequenced Harmony

Professional 90–100 points

Average 70–89 points

Unsatisfactory 0–69 points

The student includes a harmony track that meets all of the following criteria and demonstrates fluency with the concepts presented Music Theory 1:

The student includes a harmony track that meets most of the criteria

The student does not include a harmony track, or the harmony track is deficient in one or more of the criteria

The student chooses a major pentatonic or minor pentatonic scale

There may be minor mistakes, but the student is clearly familiar with the concepts presented in Music Theory 1

The student uses the tonic triad (I) for that key

There are many and/or major errors, demonstrating that the student is unfamiliar with the concepts presented in Music Theory 1

If the student includes other triads, they are properly used within the key The name of the tonic triad and the notes within the tonic triad are correctly written in the GarageBand notepad The student uses a stock sustaining instrument for the harmony The region is correctly labeled The harmony is original, and the second bar is not identical to the first The harmony is sequenced from bars 9 to 16 The tonic (I) chord is sequenced on the downbeat of bar 17 The instrument is nicely mixed 20 points

18–20 points

13–17 points

0–12 points

Music Theory I—Online    Course-Specific Rubrics

Projects (Cont.) Project 3—Composing in GarageBand (Cont). Item Sequenced Melody

Professional 90–100 points

Average 70–89 points

Unsatisfactory 0–69 points

The student includes a melody track that meets all of the following criteria and demonstrates fluency with the concepts presented Music Theory 1:

The student includes a melody track that meets most of the criteria

The student does not include a melody track, or the melody track is deficient in one or more of the criteria

The student chooses a major pentatonic or minor pentatonic scale

There may be minor mistakes, but the student is clearly familiar with the concepts presented in Music Theory 1

The name of the scale and the notes of the scale are correctly written in the GarageBand notepad

There are many and/or major errors, demonstrating that the student is unfamiliar with the concepts presented in Music Theory 1

All of the notes from the chosen major pentatonic or minor pentatonic are used within the melody The student uses a stock lead instrument for the melody The melody is sequenced from bars 13 to 16 The melody is original, and the second bar is not identical to the first The region is correctly labeled The tonic (1) note is sequenced on the downbeat of bar 17 The instrument is nicely mixed 20 points Creativity

18–20 points

13–17 points

0–12 points

The student creates an original piece of music that sounds pleasing to the ear

The student creates an original piece of music that sounds pleasing to the ear

The student does not create an original piece of music

The drum and bass tracks work well together

The drum and bass tracks work well together

The bass, melody, and harmony are all composed in the same key

The bass, melody, and harmony are all composed in the same key

Alternately, the original piece that is created is not pleasing to the ear for any or all of the following reasons:

There are no wrong notes

There may be a minimal amount of wrong notes

The drum and bass tracks do not work well together The bass, melody, and/or harmony are not all composed in the same key There are multiple wrong notes

20 points

18–20 points

13–17 points

0–12 points