71.101 Music Theory 1
Course Information and Standards

Class meeting time/place: MWF 10AM, DR 306
Instructor: Stuart Smith
Office: Durgin 422
Office Hours: MWF 11AM
Telephone: (978) 934-3616
E-mail: stu@cs.uml.edu

Course Description

A review of music fundamentals (scales, keys, intervals, and triads), followed by seventh chords, chord symbols, figured bass, harmonic function, cadences, embellishing tones, harmonization, and principles of four-part writing. Study also includes score analysis and and brief composition projects. Music majors only. 3 credit hours.

Required Texts and Course Materials

Ralph Turek. The Elements of Music, Concepts and Applications. Vol. 1, 2nd edition. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1996.
Ralph Turek. Workbook for the Elements of Music, Concepts and Applications. Vol. 1, 2nd edition. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1996.
Jeffrey Evans. Practica Musica. Ars Nova Software (Macintosh).
12-staff music paper
No. 2 pencils
eraser
notebook and binder

Expected Course Outcomes

The acquisition of knowledge and the development of related skills will involve written exercises in the Turek Workbook for the Elements of Music, compositional "projects", and score analysis, both aural and visual, of musical examples in the Turek textbook, vol. 1, and the accompanying CD.

Successful completion of the course will result in the following outcomes:

knowledge of music fundamentals, including the staff, clefs, intervals, chromatic alteration, enharmonic equivalents, accidentals, and enharmonic intervals.
knowledge of simple and compound meter signatures, asymmetric meter, borrowed divisions, syncopation, cross rhythms, and hemiola.
knowledge of scales and key signatures, transposition, circle of fifths, relative major and minor scales, natural minor, harmonic minor, melodic minor, and parallel minor.
knowledge of interval measurement and quality; intervals in the major scale; chromatic alteration; enharmonic intervals; inversion of intervals; simple and compound intervals; diatonic vs. chromatic intervals; consonant and dissonant intervals
knowledge of triads and seventh chords; inversion; chord symbols and figured bass
knowledge of diatonic triads im major and minor keys; functional tonal principles
knowledge of harmonic cadences; embellishing tones; and principles of harmonization
knowledge of the melodic principles in four-part writing; voicing chords; principles of chord connection; and connecting chords in root position.
knowledge of elementary compositional processes

NOTE:

Acquisition of knowledge and skills for this course requires MUCH drill work during class involving "spelling", musical notation, aural and visual analysis of musical examples, and singing. Written assignments in the Workbook, quizzes, and individual work in the Music Technology Lab area required.

Assignments

Unless specifically indicated otherwise, all written assignments are due at the beginning of the following class period. Written assignments are graded. Incomplete and late assignments are not accepted--they automatically earn a grade of zero. It is the class member's responsibility to see that assignments are handed in on time.

Grades in this course are determined primarily by attendance and by the level of participation in the ensemble's activities. Regular attendance is essential to the success of the ensemble. Each unexcused absence will result in the loss of a full letter grade from the final grade.

Completion of the Proficiency (Fundamentals) Exam

Students in all sections of Music Theory 1 must successfully complete a written proficiency test in the Fundamentals of Music. Those who are unsuccessful in doing so will not be permitted to continue in Music Theory 1 and Aural Skills 1.

Options for those students to assist them include: 1) student tutors, 2) the software Practica Musica in the Music Technology Lab, and/or 3) Auditing Basic Music Theory.

Class Attendance Policy

Due to the importance of being in class for the "drill" work and analysis involving class interaction and listening, attendance and participation are essential to acquiring the expected course outcomes above. The following policy is intended to emphasize the importance of being in class.

You are permitted three absences from class. After three, the final course grade will be lowered one-half letter grade for each additional absence.
Make-up assignments, late assignments, and/or make-up quizzes, tests, and exams, including the final exam, will NOT be accepted or provided.