Collegiate-Level Music Theory - Am I Prepared?
Graduation is just around the corner and high school seniors all over the country are feverishly awaiting the transition to learning and living in a whole new world: college. For many seniors, there is an added excitement that arises from the possibility of pursuing any number of careers in music: performance, composition, recording, technology, theory, therapy, arts administration, and - of course - music education. Each of these disciplines promises to every student a uniquely crafted and invigorating experience. What is not unique, what they all have in common, is the necessity to enter these programs with fluency in the language of music; that is, students must be prepared to pursue their chosen musical paths with a strong foundation in our common language of music fundamentals, so that the student’s experience in music theory studies will be most beneficial. My goal is to address this matter of preparation and to help provide an estimation of what a student might expect in a first semester college-level music theory class.
Prior to addressing these expectations, let’s first consider what is meant by the term “music fundamentals.” When we discuss components of music such as pitch, key signatures, scales, intervals, time signatures, and triads, we are referring to the fundamentals of music. This is not music theory. Music theory is a broad discipline which studies and observes the behavior and communication of music; in order to take part in such studies and observations (in a classroom, for instance), a thorough understanding of the fundamentals of music (pitch, key signatures, etc.) is required. Allow me to offer what I believe is a great analogy, one which I have shared several times, but one which may help make more clear this particular distinction. In her article “Music Literacy and Language Literacy: Parallel Connections,” (Cooper 2014) Shelly Cooper writes: “just as we do not teach our
ala breve
youngest students to identify subjects and predicates on the first day of any elementary language course, having no prior knowledge of the letters of the alphabet, we should not expect our musical students to engage in collegiate-level theory courses without the equivalent preparation.”
When we are equipped with a thorough understanding of the fundamentals of music, we are able to begin preparing for our first semester of music theory. At my home institution, The University of Alabama School of Music, we offer the following recommendation to students who are preparing for their first semester in a music theory classroom: students should work to possess the musical skills found below, at minimum, before beginning their first semester of music theory.
Using treble and bass clefs, be able to read and write notes on the staff. Be able to quickly identify and write signatures for all major and minor keys. Know the relative and parallel minor of each major key; know the relative and parallel major of each minor key. Be able to quickly identify and write all major and minor (natural, harmonic and melodic) scales. Be able to write and identify major, minor, perfect, augmented, and diminished intervals. Know the inversion of any interval. Be able to write, clap, and count simple rhythm patterns. Be able to sing major scales using letter names or scale-degree numbers. For students who have experience in sight singing and ear training, practice singing and dictating simple diatonic melodies. Practice singing major and minor scales in all keys.
For students who wish to master these 25
by Amir Zaheri, Ph.D
musical skills, there are several excellent resources to be accessed. A popular online aid can be found at
musictheory.net. This is a great tool that is designed to provide a wide range of lessons and exercises, covering information from a purely introductory musical level through beginning theoretical assignments. Additionally, I oftentimes refer students to what I believe is an excellent programmed-text in music fundamentals: “Scales, Intervals, Keys, Triads, Rhythm, and Meter.” This text, authored by Claire Boge, John Clough, and Joyce Conley is currently in its third edition and is widely available at most online bookstores (ISBN-10: 0393973697).
This may all seem a bit overwhelming, particularly if this information is being encountered for the first time. What is important to realize, however, is that entering a first semester music theory class, without this information, will not only be overwhelming, it will likely be a disheartening experience for the student. It is true that knowledge is power, and this particular knowledge may well empower a student to prepare for and succeed in her or his first semester collegiate-level music theory course.
Works Cited Cooper, Shelly. “Music Literacy and Language Literacy: Parallel Connections” ala breve February/March 2015: 52-53.
Amir Zaheri is Assistant Professor of Music Composition at The University of Alabama and serves as AMEA Advanced Placement Theory Chair.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44