University of South Carolina
School of Music

MUSC 115
Music Theory I

Faculty Coordinator: Dr. Reginald Bain, R227, 7-8183, rbain@mozart.sc.edu

Instructors: Mr. Scott Dirkse, Dr. Adam Estes, Dr. Michael Parker-Harley, Ms. Suzanna Pavlovsky, and Mr. David Schroeder

News

October 7: Lesson Plan 21 was out of date. It has been updated. Lesson Plans 24-25 are now available.

Media Resources

  1. Online Course Listening from the Naxos Music Library
  2. Grove/Oxford Music Dictionary Online

Online Drill and Practice

  1. Musictheory.net by Ricci Adams
  2. Teoría by José Rodríguez Alvira
  3. K/P 5/e Online Learning Center Student Edition

Course Documents

  1. Instructor Startup Guide (pdf)
  2. Syllabus (pdf)
  3. Daily Schedule (pdf) - Updated 9/23/2008
  4. CD Track Lists
    • MUSC 115 CD (pdf)
    • Meter-Type Identification CD (pdf)

Lesson Plans and Materials for Instructors

  1. Fri., Aug. 22: Course Introduction; Undergraduate Theory Diagnostic Exam (pdf)
    Ch. 1 Elements of Pitch
  2. Mon., Aug. 25: Course Intro. (cont.); Pitch and Staff Notation (pdf)
  3. Wed., Aug. 27: Major Scales and Key Signatures (pdf)
    Materials: Straus, 115-117 & 163-6 (reading for instructors only)
  4. Fri., Aug. 29: Minor Scales and Key Signatures (pdf)
  5. Wed., Sept. 3: Scale Degree Names; Scale Review (pdf)
    Materials: After Straus, Lesson 14-1, 123 (pdf)
  6. Fri., Sept. 5: Intervals 1 - Harmonic & Melodic; Generic & Specific; Simple & Compound; P, M, & m Intervals (pdf)
  7. Mon., Sept. 8: Intervals 2 - A & d Intervals; The Tritone (A4/d5); Inversion of Intervals (pdf)
  8. Wed., Sept. 10: Intervals 3 - Analyzing Two-Voice Counterpoint (pdf)
    • Bain Worksheet 1-1 (pdf); Answer Key (pdf); Listen (mov) {MUSC 115 CD, Track 1}
    ANALYSIS 1: Laitz, Analysis 3.10, Beethoven, String Quartet no. 14 in C# minor, op. 131, I {MUSC 115 CD, Track 2} ~ Answer Key (pdf)
    Ch. 2 Elements of Rhythm
  9. Fri. Sept. 12: Durational Symbols; Beat and Tempo; Meter and Hypermeter
  10. Mon., Sept. 15: Meter Types & Time Signatures
  11. Wed., Sept. 17: Other Aspects of Rhythmic Notation
    ANALYSIS 2 : Laitz, Exercise 3.48, Mozart, String Quartet ("Dissonance"), K. 465, II {MUSC 115 CD, Track 3}
  12. Fri., Sept. 19: Review for Test 1 (pdf)
  13. Mon., Sept. 22: Test 1 (Ch. 1-2) (pdf)
    Ch. 3 Introduction to Triads and Seventh Chords
  14. Wed., Sept. 24: Harmony in Western Music; Tonal Harmony Defined; Introduction to Triads: M, m, A, & d (pdf)
    Materials    :
  15. Fri., Sept. 26: Seventh Chord Types: MM, Mm, mm, dm, & dd (pdf)
  16. Mon., Sept. 29: Inversions of Chords (pdf)
    Materials:
    • Inversions of Chords (pdf)
  17. Wed., Oct. 1: Figured-Bass Symbols (pdf)
    Materials    :
    • Bach, Recitative (Bass), "Wir sind erfreut," from Easter Oratorio {MUSC 115 CD, Track 5}
    • Terms and concepts: Recitative ~ Continuo ~ Figured Bass
    • Figured-Bass Symbols (pdf)
  18. Fri., Oct. 3: Lead-Sheet Notation (pdf)
    Materials:
  19. Mon., Oct. 6 Recognizing Chords in Various Textures (pdf)
    ANALYSIS 3: K/P Workbook, Ex. 3-4 B 1-2 ~ Answer Key (pdf)
    Bach, Chorale, "Wer weiss, wie nahe mir mein Ende," BWV 166
    Schumann, No. 5 "Ich will meine Seele tauchen," from Dichterliebe, op. 48
    Ch. 4 Diatonic Triads and Seventh Chords
  20. Wed., Oct. 8: Diatonic Triads in Major (pdf)
  21. Mon., Oct. 13: The Minor Scale; Diatonic Triads in Minor (pdf)
  22. Wed., Oct. 15: Diatonic Seventh Chords in Major and Minor (pdf)

    ANALYSIS 4: Self-Test 4-1C
    Brahms, Chorale, "Ach lieber Herre Jesu Christ" (mov) {MUSC 115 CD, Track 7}
  23. Fri., Oct. 17: Roman Numeral Analysis (pdf)
    Materials:
    • Bain Worksheet 4-1 (pdf, mov)
    • Chord Types (pdf)
    • Diatonic Chords (pdf)
  24. Mon., Oct. 20: Review for Test 2 (pdf)
  25. Wed., Oct 22: Test 2 (Ch. 1-4) (pdf)
    Ch. 5 Principles of Voice Leading
  26. Fri., Oct. 24: Species Counterpoint (A Brief Introduction)
    Materials    :
    • Species Counterpoint (A Brief Introduction)
  27. Mon., Oct. 27: cont.
  28. Wed., Oct. 29: The SATB (4-voice) Texture
    ANALYSIS 5 : Bach, Chorale No. 1, from St. Matthew Passion {MUSC 115 CD, Track 8}
  29. Fri., Oct. 31: The Melodic Line; Melodic Figuration (P and N Motion)
  30. Mon., Nov. 3: Relative Voice Motion & Objectionable Parallels
  31. Wed., Nov. 5: Voice-Leading Error Detection
  32. Fri., Nov. 7: Review for Test 3
  33. Mon., Nov. 10: Test 3 (Covers Ch. 3-5)
    Ch. 6 Introduction to Part Writing
  34. Wed, Nov. 12: Transcription Project; Instrumental Ranges and Transpositions
  35. Fri., Nov. 14 Connectng Chords 1: Repeated Roots
  36. Mon., Nov. 17 Connecting Chords 2: Root Motion by 4th(5th)
  37. Wed., Nov. 19: Connecting Chords 3: Root Motion by 6th(3rd)
  38. Fri., Nov. 21: Connecting Chords 4: Root Motion by 2nd (7th)
  39. Mon., Nov. 24: Transcription Project Q & A
  40. Mon., Dec. 3: Review for Comprehensive Final Exam
  41. Wed., Dec. 5: Selected Project Performances
  42. Fri., Dec. 7: Course Evaluations and Review for Final Exam

2-Hour Comprehensive Final Exam
at the university-scheduled final exam time

Speed Drills (.mus files are available upon request)

  1. Note Identification (pdf)
  2. Key Signatures: Major (pdf) ~ Minor (pdf) ~ Relative (pdf)
  3. Scale Degree Identification: Major (pdf) ~ Minor (pdf)
  4. Interval Identification (pdf)
  5. Interval Inversion (pdf)

Bibliography

Bamberger, Jeanne. Developing Musical Intuitions: A Project-Based Introduction to Making and Understanding Music. New York: Oxford, 1999.

Clendinning, Jane Piper and Elizabeth West Marvin. The Musician's Guide to Theory and Analysis. New York: Norton, 2004.

Laitz, Steven. The Complete Musician: An Integrated Approach to Tonal Theory, Analysis, and Listening, 2nd ed. New York: Oxford, 2008.

Levine, Mark. The Jazz Theory Book. Petaluma, CA: Sher Music Co., 1995.

Straus, Joseph. Elements of Music, 2nd ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2008.

Turek, Ralph. The Elements of Music: Concepts and Applications, 2nd ed. New York: McGraw Hill, 1996

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Updated: October 7, 2008

Reginald Bain | University of South Carolina | School of Music | Theory Program
http://www.music.sc.edu/fs/bain/vc/musc115/

Copyright © 2008 Reginald Bain. All rights reserved.