Music Theory Classes

Written workbook for piano students and in-person class for students ages 6-8.

Rhythm

• Note Values: Quarter, half, whole, dotted half
• Rests: Quarter, half, whole
• Time Signatures: 3/4, 4/4
• Other: ties, barlines, double barline, repeat sign

Pitch on Keyboard

• Identify white key pitches using black key groups
• Steps and skips on keyboard

Pitch on Staff

• Treble clef, bass clef, grand staff
• Guide notes: F3, C4, G4
• Treble and bass clef pitches between C3 and C5

Intervals

• Steps on the staff
• Skips on the staff
• Half steps
• Sharps and flats: F#, C#, G#, Bb, Eb
• Whole Steps

Scales

• Major pentascales: C, G, D, A, E
• Minor pentascales: C, G, D, A, E
• Functional scale degree names: 1, 5
• Lower third step for minor pentascales

Chords

• Major triads: C, G, D, A, E
• Minor triads: Cm, Gm, Dm, Am, Em
• Inversions: Root position
• Functional chords: tonic triad (root position)

Composition

• Compose melodies in given pentascale; quarter, half, and whole -note rhythms

Signs and Terms

• Dynamics: f, p, mf, cresc., dim.
• Tempo: rit.
• Other: 8va

Written workbook or classes (online and in-person)

Students 8+ and non-piano students may begin at this level.

Rhythm

• Note Values: Quarter, half, whole, dotted half
• Time Signatures: 3/4, 4/4
• Rests: Quarter, half, whole
• Ties
• Unit 1 Project – Compose a rhythm set to words

Pitch

• The staff, treble clef pitches between E4 and G5
• Bass pitches between G2 and A3
• Grand staff, notation rules
• Generic steps and skips
• Half steps, sharps and flats excluding B#/Cb, E#/Fb

Scales

• Half steps and whole steps, the major tetrachord
• Major scales: C, G, D, A, E
• Scale degrees, solfege syllables, functional scale names: 1, 5
• Minor scales: A minor, relative minor, natural and harmonic minor
• Ear Training: Hearing major vs. minor in short melodies

Key Signatures

• Order of sharps (up to four sharps)
• Major key signatures: C, G, D, A, E
• Identifying the key of a score

Intervals

• Intervals: unison, 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th, 5^th, 6^th, 7^th, 8va
• Ear Training: Interval comparison with generic intervals

Chords

• Major triads: C, G, D, A, E
• Minor triads: Cm, Gm, Dm, Am, Em
• Ear Training: Hearing major and minor triads
• Tonic and Dominant Triads in major Keys

Transposition and Composition

• Transpose a melody
• Adding tonic and dominant accompaniment to a melody
• Compose a melody over tonic and dominant notes, rhythm and scale given.

Signs and Terms

• Dynamics: f, p, mp, mf, cresc., dim.,
• Articulation: legato, staccato, accent
• Tempo: rit., fermata, metronome mark
• Other: repeat sign, 8va, 15ma

Classes (online and in person)

Rhythm

• Note values: quarter, half, whole, dotted half, time signatures: 2/4, 3/4, 4/4
• Note values: eighths
• Note values: dotted quarters
• Note values: Eighths, quarter, half, whole

Pitch

• Treble and bass clef pitches, up to two ledger lines above/below
• Notation rules, ledger lines
• The keyboard, grand staff, and steps
• Half steps, sharps and flats excluding B#/Cb, E#/Fb

Scales

• Major scales: C, G, D, A, E, B / F
• Scale degrees, functional scale degree names: 1, 4, 5, 7 (major only)
• Minor scales: A, E / D; Relative minor
• Minor Scales: G, C; Parallel minor, harmonic and natural
• Minor Scale Forms; Hearing the difference between major, harmonic, and natural minor

Key Signatures

• Order of sharps (up to five sharps), Order of flats (up to three flats)
• Major key signatures: C, G, D, A, E, B / F
• Minor Key signatures: A, E / D, G, C
• Identifying the key of a score, identifying major vs. minor in a score

Intervals

• Interval sizes: Unison through 8va
• Interval qualities: Major and perfect (intervals of C, G, D, F)
• Ear Training: Aural ID of P4, P5, and P8

Chords

• Major and minor triads: C, G, D, A, E, B, F, Cm, Gm, Dm, Am, Em, Bm, Fm
• Inversions: Root position, first inversion
• Functional chords: tonic, subdominant, dominant in root position
• Ear Training: Aural ID of major and minor triads in root position and first inversion

Transposition, Harmony, and Composition

• Transposition of melody
• Harmonizing melodies with tonic, subdominant, and dominant
• Unit 7 Project: Compose a melody over tonic, subdominant, and dominant triads

Signs and Terms

• Dynamics: pp, ff, sfz
• Articulation: tenuto, pedal mark
• Tempo: Allegro, Moderato, Andante, accel.
• Other: D.C. al Fine, D.C. al Coda

Classes (online and in person)

Rhythm

Review: note values: eighths, quarter, half, whole, dotted half, dotted quarters; time signatures: 2/4, 3/4, 4/4

• Rests: Eighths, quarter, half, whole
• Triplet eighths and rests
• Common/cut time, 6/8 time
• Unit 1 Project – Rhythm Composition

Pitch

• Treble and bass clef pitches; notation rules, up to three ledger lines above/below
• Sharps and flats, all pitches; enharmonic notes

Scales

• Major scales: C, G, D, A, E, B / F; functional scale degree names: 1, 2, 4, 5, 7
• Natural minor scales: A, E, B / D, G, C, F; relative (A, E, B, D) and parallel (D, G, C, F)
• Harmonic and melodic minor; concept of subtonic
• Ear Training: Aural ID of major, natural, harmonic, and melodic scales

Key Signatures

• Order of sharps (up to five sharps), Order of flats (up to four flats)
• Major key signatures: C, G, D, A, E, B / F
• Minor Key signatures: A, E, B / D, G, C, F
• Analysis: identifying major and minor keys in a score

Intervals

• Interval sizes and qualities: Perfect and Major Intervals (C, G, D, A, E, B/F)
• Interval qualities: Minor Intervals (above keys)
• Ear Training: Aural ID of M/m 2, 3; P 4, 5, 8

Chords

Major and minor triads: C, G, D, A, E, B, F

• Inversions: Root position, first Inversion, second inversion
• Functional chords: tonic, subdominant, dominant, dominant seventh
• Inversions of functional triads
• Ear Training: Aural ID of major and minor triads in root position, first inversion, and second inversion

Harmony, Form, Composition

• Transposition of a melody and chords
• Parallel periods; compose a parallel period, antecedent phrase given
• Cadences: authentic, half, and plagal (root position on single staff)

Signs and Terms, Music History

• Tempo: Allegro, Moderato, Andante, Adagio, Largo, Grave, Presto, Rall.; Coda, D.S. al Fine, D.S. al Coda
• Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Modern periods

Classes (online and in person)

Rhythm

• Review: note values: eighths, quarter, half, whole, triplet eighths; time signatures: 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, common/cut time, 6/8
• Sixteenth notes and rests
• Dotted note review, dotted-eighth notes
• Triplet sixteenths, notes and rests; 3/8 time

Pitch

• Treble and bass clef pitches, up to four ledger lines above/below; sharps and flats, all pitches; enharmonic notes

Scales

• Major scales: C, G, D, A, E, B / F, Bb, Eb; functional scale degree names (all)
• Natural minor scales: A, E, B / D, G, C, F; relative (A, E, B, D) and parallel (D, G, C, F)
• Review: natural, harmonic, and melodic minor; subtonic
• Ear Training: Aural ID of major, natural, harmonic, and melodic scales

Key Signatures

• Order of sharps (up to five sharps), order of flats (up to four flats)
• Major key signatures: C, G, D, A, E, B / F, Bb, Eb; minor Key signatures: A, E, B / D, G, C, F

Intervals

• Interval sizes: Unison through 10^th, perfect and major (C, G, D, A, E, B / F, Bb, Eb)
• Interval qualities: minor intervals (above keys)
• Ear Training: Aural ID of M/m 2, 3, 6, 7; P 4, 5, 8

Chords

• Major and minor triads: C, G, D, A, E, B, F, Bb, Eb
• Inversions of triads: Root position, first inversion, second inversion
• Functional chords: tonic, subdominant, dominant; inversions of functional triads
• Dominant seventh; Inversions of the dominant seventh
• Ear Training: Aural ID of major/minor triads in all inversions, the dominant seventh in root position

Harmony and Composition

• Stable and unstable scale degrees at phrase endings; parallel and contrasting periods
• Cadences review: authentic, half, plagal (root position)
• Smooth voice leading with primary chords (using inversions found in keyboard cadence figure)
• Harmonize a melody with primary chords using smooth voice leading
• Unit 7 Project: Compose a contrasting period; harmonize with chords in smooth voice leading

Music History, Form

• Modified tempo markings: allegretto, adagietto, andantino, larghetto, prestissimo, molto, assai, più/meno mosso, poco a poco, a tempo
• Italian expression markings: grazioso, cantabile, animato, maestoso, allargando, con moto, dolce, espressivo, agitato, con brio, risoluto
• Ornaments: grace note, trill, turn, mordent, appoggiatura, acciaccatura
• The Baroque Era: composers and examples
• Binary and ternary form

Classes (online and in person)

Rhythm

• Simple time signatures: 2/2, 2/4, 3/4, 3/8; note values: sixteenth, eighth, quarter, dotted quarter, half, dotted half, whole; writing rests
• Compound time signatures: 4/4, 6/8, 9/8, 12/8; writing rests
• Ear training: Aural meter identification
• Triplet review (eighth and sixteenth), swing rhythms, syncopation

Scales

• Major scales: C, G, D, A, E, B / F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db; Minor scales: A, E, B / D, G, C, F, Bb
• Pentatonic scales (major and minor); Blues scale
• Key Signatures
• Order of sharps (up to five sharps); order of flats (up to five flats); Major key signatures: C, G, D, A, E, B / F, Bb, Ab, Db; Minor Key signatures: A, E, B / D, G, C, F, Bb
• Intervals
• Interval sizes: Unison through 13^th; Interval qualities: perfect, major, minor
• Augmented and diminished intervals
• Ear Training: Aural ID of M/m 2, 3, 6, 7; P 4, 5, 8; tritone

Chords

• Major and minor triads: C, G, D, A, E, B, F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db
• Root position, first inversion, second inversion; figured bass symbols
• Augmented and diminished triads; root position, first inversion, second inversion
• Diatonic triads in major, plus inversions
• Diatonic triads in minor, plus inversions
• The dominant seventh chord and inversions
• Ear Training: Aural ID of major/minor/augmented/diminished triads in all inversions, the dominant seventh in root position

Texture and Harmony

• Monophonic, homophonic, and polyphonic texture; aural ID of textures
• Open position chords

Form

• Motives, thematic development
• Sonata form; Clementi’s Op. 32 No. 2

Music History

• The Classical Era: composers and examples
• Blues, Twelve Bar Blues
• Signs and Terms

Classes (online and in person)

Rhythm

• Simple time signatures: 2/2, 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 3/8, 4/8; note values: 32^nd, sixteenth, eighth, quarter, dotted quarter, half, dotted half, whole; writing rests
• Compound time signatures: 6/8, 9/8, 12/8; 6/4, 9/4, 12/4; writing rests

Scales and Key Signatures

• Major scales and Key Signatures: C, G, D, A, E, B / F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db; Minor scales: A, E, B, F#, C# / D, G, C, F, Bb
• Blues and Pentatonic review, whole-tone and octatonic scales
• Key Signatures: C, G, D, A, E, B / F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db; Minor scales: A, E, B, F#, C# / D, G, C, F, Bb
• Ear Training: Aural ID of major, natural, harmonic, melodic, pentatonic, blues scales, whole-tone, and octatonic scales

Intervals

• Interval sizes: Unison through 13^th; Interval qualities: perfect, major, minor, augmented, diminished
• Interval inversion
• Consonance and dissonance
• Interval ID – all diatonic intervals

Counterpoint

• Parallel 3rds and 6ths; perfect and imperfect cadences
• Alternating 3rds and 6ths
• Adding diminutions – passing tones and neighbor tone; leaps to a consonance
• Unit 4 composition – two-voice composition using 3rds and 6ths

Chords

• Major and minor triads: C, G, D, A, E, B, F#, C#, F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db; augmented and diminished triads; root position, first inversion, second inversion; figured bass symbols
• Diatonic Triads and the dominant seventh, and inversions with figured bass

Harmony

• Open position chords; keyboard style texture
• Cadences in keyboard-style texture: perfect/imperfect authentic, half, plagal, and deceptive
• Ear Training: Aural ID of cadences in keyboard texture

Musical Form and Analysis

• Other aspects of musical analysis; motives, repetitions, sequences, identifying modulations, passing and neighbor tones in harmony
• The compound ternary—Chopin Mazurka

Music History, Signs and Terms

• The Romantic Era: composers and examples
• Ragtime and Early Jazz
• Signs and Terms

Classes (online and in person)

Rhythm

• Simple and compound time signatures: 2/2, 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 3/8, 4/8; 6/8, 9/8, 12/8; 6/4, 9/4, 12/4; 6/16, 9/16, 12/16; note values: 32^nd, sixteenth, eighth, quarter, dotted quarter, half, dotted half, whole; writing rests
• Cross rhythms and hemiola: 3 against 2
• Asymmetrical meter: 5/4, 5/8, 7/4, 7/8; changing meters

Scales, and Key Signatures

• Major scales and Key Signatures: C, G, D, A, E, B, F# / F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb; Minor scales: A, E, B, F#, C# / D, G, C, F, Bb, Eb
• Recognizing the key of a musical excerpt without a key signature
• The diatonic modes
• Ear Training: Aural ID of scales and modes

Intervals

• Double sharps and flats, interval sizes: Unison through 13^th; Interval qualities: perfect, major, minor, augmented, diminished
• Interval inversion, writing intervals below a note
• Consonance and dissonance, interval ID – all diatonic intervals

Counterpoint

• Review of counterpoint with 3rds and 6ths, perfect and imperfect cadences, diminutions
• 7-6 and 2-3 suspensions
• Variants of suspensions, 7-3 and 2-6
• Embellishing suspensions
• Unit 4 composition – two-voice composition using suspensions

Chords

• Major and minor triads: C, G, D, A, E, B, F#, C#, F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb; augmented and diminished triads; root position, first inversion, second inversion; figured bass symbols; diatonic triads and inversion with figured bass
• The dominant seventh, minor seventh, fully and half-diminished seventh chords

Harmony

• Cadences in keyboard-style texture: perfect/imperfect authentic, half, plagal, and deceptive (in keyboard style texture)
• Compound cadences that involve suspensions, short chord progressions in keyboard-style texture; introduce ii7 and ii6/5
• Harmonic analysis of musical examples that include suspensions and seventh chords

Musical Form and Analysis

• The Early 20^th Century: Musical Impressionism
• Debussy’s “The Girl with the Flaxen Hair”

Music History, Signs and Terms

• Swing and Stride
• Bebop
• Signs and Terms

Classes (online and in person)

Rhythm

• Simple and compound time signatures: 2/2, 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 3/8, 4/8; 6/8, 9/8, 12/8; 6/4, 9/4, 12/4; 6/16, 9/16, 12/16; note values: 32^nd, sixteenth, eighth, quarter, dotted quarter, half, dotted half, whole; writing rests
• Asymmetrical meter with 5 and 7 beats per measure; asymmetrical meter with 9, 8, and 10 beats per measure
• Hemiola, cross rhythm, polyrhythm and polymeter

Scales and Key Signatures

• All Major and Minor Scales/Key Signatures
• The diatonic modes; pentatonic, blues, whole tone, hexatonic, and octatonic scales
• 20^th century applications of scales, pitch sets and collections

Music History

• Classical music 1920-present
• Polyrhythmic drumming from West Africa
• Minimalism

Intervals

• All intervals unison through 13^th; Interval qualities: perfect, major, minor, augmented, diminished; interval inversion; writing intervals below a note; consonance and dissonance
• Interval ID – all diatonic intervals ascending and descending

Chords

• All major, minor, augmented, and diminished triads; root position, first inversion, second inversion; figured bass symbols; diatonic triads and inversions with figured bass
• The dominant seventh, major seventh, minor seventh, fully and half-diminished seventh chords; diatonic seventh chords and inversions with figured bass

Harmony and Counterpoint

• Fauxbourdon (parallel 6/3 chords)
• 5-6 Monte and 7-6 Fauxbourdon sequences
• Circle of fifths Sequence (Root Position)
• Stepwise Romanesca
• Three-voice cadences
• Using sequences to modulate to closely related keys, partimento project

Signs and Terms

• Musical terminology in German

Classes (online and in person)

Pitch and Intervals

• Interval review: all interval qualities; interval inversion; writing intervals below a note
• Alto and tenor clef
• Bb, Eb, and F instrument transpositions
• Score reading; writing reductions

Scales and Key Signatures

• All Major and Minor Scales/Key Signatures
• Review of the diatonic modes, uses in Renaissance-era music

Music History

• The Renaissance Era

Rhythm

• Simple and compound time signatures: 2/2, 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 3/8, 4/8; 6/8, 9/8, 12/8; 6/4, 9/4, 12/4; 6/16, 9/16, 12/16; note values: 32^nd, sixteenth, eighth, quarter, dotted quarter, half, dotted half, whole; writing rests
• Afro-Cuban and Clave-based rhythms

Latin American Music

• Latin American Music: Habanera, Tango, Afro-Cuban rumba

Chords

• All triads and seventh chords review, functional triads and seventh chords in major and minor keys, figured bass symbols, open position

Harmony and Counterpoint

• Review of simple/compound cadences in three voices, double cadence
• Stepwise and Leaping Romanescas
• Circle of fifths: root position, alternating 4/2 and 6/3, alternating 6/5 and 5/3
• The prinner, circle of fifths prinner, the modulating prinner, connecting a Romanesca to a prinner
• The fonte, modulation with 4/2 chord, other modulations
• Unit 8 project: Minuet Composition

Classes (online and in person)

Rhythm

• Simple and compound time signatures: 2/2, 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 3/8, 4/8; 6/8, 9/8, 12/8; 6/4, 9/4, 12/4; 6/16, 9/16, 12/16; note values: 32^nd, sixteenth, eighth, quarter, dotted quarter, half, dotted half, whole; writing rests

Pitch and Intervals

• Interval review: all interval qualities; interval inversion; writing intervals below a note
• Alto and tenor clef review, soprano clef
• Bb, Eb, and F instrument transpositions review, other transpositions
• Creating arrangements for small ensembles including transposing instruments and C-clef instruments

Scales and Key Signatures

• All Major and Minor Scales/Key Signatures
• Medieval modes
• Scales and modes of South and East Asian music

Music History

• The Medieval Era: Gregorian Chant and Polyphony
• Indian Classical Music
• Koto

Chords

• All triads and seventh chords review, functional triads and seventh chords in major and minor keys, figured bass symbols, open position

Harmony and Counterpoint

• Review of simple/compound/ cadences in three voices, Galant and Neapolitan cadences
• Review of circle of fifths, Romanesca, fonte, and prinner schemata
• Rule of the Octave: The ascending pentachord
• Rule of the Octave: The descending pentachord
• Rule of the Octave: The ascending tetrachord
• Rule of the Octave: The descending tetrachord
• Unit 6 Project: Composing a sonatina movement

Classes (online and in person)

Basic Rhythms and Meter

• Basic note values (quarter, half, whole, dotted half)
• Counting
• Simple time signatures

The Staff and Clefs

• Treble and bass clef
• Identifying notes on the staff

The Keyboard, Grand Staff, and Steps

• Identifying notes on the keyboard
• The grand staff
• Steps on the keyboard and staff

More Rhythm and Meter

• Additional note values (eighth, sixteenth)
• Rest values
• Dotted rhythms
• Compound time signatures

Sharps and Flats, Half Steps and Whole Steps

• Identifying sharps and flats on the keyboard/staff
• Identifying whole steps and half steps on the keyboard/staff

The Major Scale

• The major tetrachord
• Writing major scales using whole steps and half steps
• Major scale concepts

Minor Scales

• Writing minor scales using whole steps and half steps
• Relative minor

Key Signatures

• The order of sharps and flats
• The circle of fifths
• Identifying major and minor key signatures

Classes (online and in person)

Major and Minor Scales

• Major scales
• Major scales concepts
• Relative and parallel minor
• Natural, harmonic and melodic minor

Key Signatures

• The order of sharps and flats
• The circle of fifths
• Identifying key signatures

Intervals I

• Interval size
• Perfect and major interval qualities

Intervals II

• Minor, diminished, and augmented interval qualities
• Hearing intervals

Rhythm and Meter

• Simple and compound meter
• Triplets
• Syncopation

Triads

• Major, minor, augmented, and diminished triads
• Lead sheet notation
• Hearing triads

Triad Inversion

• Inversion of triads
• Figured bass symbols

Harmony Basics

• Roman numerals and functional chords
• The tonic, subdominant, and dominant triads
• The dominant seventh and inversions
• Harmonizing a melody with chords

Classes (online and in person)

Triads and Seventh Chords

• Triads and their inversions
• Lead sheet symbols
• Figured Bass
• Seventh chords and their inversions
• Hearing triad and seventh chords

Roman Numerals and Functional Chords

• Using Roman numerals to identify functional chords
• Combing Roman numerals with figured bass

Musical Texture, SATB Texture

• Types of musical texture
• Chord voicing in SATB texture
• Close and open position chords

Root-Position Voice-Leading

• Harmonic progression
• General voice-leading rules
• Types of contrapuntal motion
• Methodology for root position part-writing

Tonic and Dominant, Cadences

• Part writing with the tonic and dominant
• The dominant seventh
• Types of cadences
• Hearing cadences

The Subdominant, Supertonic, and Submediant, Melody Harmonization

• Use of the subdominant and supertonic
• Predominant function
• Use of the submediant
• Melody harmonization
• Harmonic dictation with root-position triads

First-Inversion Triads

• Part-writing with first-inversion triads
• Harmonic dictation with first-inversion triads

Second-Inversion Triads

• Part-writing with second-inversion triads
• Harmonic dictation with second-inversion triads