Course Syllabus

Course description

This is a self-paced class. The main purpose of the course is to explore basic music theory so thoroughly that the interested student will then be able to easily pick up whatever further theory is wanted. 

 This theory course assume all students are already familiar with reading notes in both treble and bass clefs. Adults who have already had some music instruction should be able to work through this course with or without a teacher; simply use the overview sections to review any concepts that are unclear or half-forgotten. Younger students and beginning musicians can choose to go through the course by themselves or  with a teacher, in either a classroom or private lesson setting.

Course Goals

1. Students will be able to accurately identify and distinguish between whole steps and half steps, sharps and flats.
2. Upon listening and reading different music examples, students will be able to identify, distinguish and apply wholes and half steps to form major or minor scales.
3. Students will able to identify and distinguish between major and three different types of minor scales: natural, harmonic and melodic minor.  
4. Students will be able to accurately identify, and apply notes and rests in music math, following the time signature.
5. Students will be able to distinguish between rhythm, time signatures and meters.
6. Students will be able to use correct note and rest to form rhythms that correspond to its time signature.
7. Given the music example, students will be able to use circle of 5th to Identify the key signatures, and write the key signature with correct order.
8. Students will be able to do music analysis by identifying key, time signature, rhythms and notes or rest found in the music chosen.  
9. Using the course content, students will be able to create an original 8 to 16 measures long melody.