Course Syllabus

Basic Music Theory 001

Syllabus

Instructor: Marques Graham

Course Description: An elementary study of melody, rhythm, and diatonic tonal harmony in four voices and in simple instrumental textures. Emphasis on rudiments of music, voice leading, harmonic progression, and elemental melodic forms. This course deals primarily with general practices in music from the Seventeenth through the Nineteenth Centuries.

Course Learning Objectives: Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

1. Identify and write all elements of the fundamentals of music, including pitches and rhythms, meters, 
major and minor scales, time and key signatures, intervals, inversions, and diatonic triads and seventh 
chords, in any inversion and in all four standard clefs, at a mastery level

2. Analyze diatonic root position part writing in chorale textures using Roman Numeral Analysis, and 
identify any errors in part writing, voice leading, or harmonic progression, at a proficient level

3. Create original diatonic root position part writing in chorale textures from a given bass line, provide 
Roman Numeral Analysis, and avoid any errors in part writing or voice leading, at a proficient level

4. Compose and perform an original 16-measure work utilizing the music mining technique the melody lyrics should explain what you have learned in this course. The harmonies should demonstrate your understanding of root position chord analysis and proper usage of western music cadences.

Assessment:
 Grade Weighting

Discussion Assignments 20%

Analysis Projects 
Quizzes 5% Participation 10% Composition Project 20% Chord Analysis Project 10% Rhythm Analysis Project 10% Cadence Analysis Project 10% Music Notation Project 10%

Grading Scale 90-100% A 80-100% B 70-100% C 60-100% D

Below 60% F