MUS-1410 Commercial Music Theory

Credits 3
This course is a foundation of music theory underlying commercial/popular music. Samples of commercial/popular music are used throughout the course as models for discussion and analysis. The course includes the study (written, aural, and performed) of bass and treble clefs, relationships of tonal centers, key signatures, and construction. Students study the formulas for constructing major, minor, and modal scales. Basic rhythmic skills including syncopation are explored. Students construct intervals, triads, and seventh chords (and their inversions) and apply the circle of fifths. Special applications include writing form charts, lead sheets, chord charts and transpositions. Students play melodies and chords in all keys at the piano from written symbols commonly used amongst commercial/popular musicians.
Prerequisite(s): None
Course Outcomes

Apply the principles of notation, including meter, key signature, and texture, by analyzing a commercial/popular music lead sheet.
Construct major and minor scales, intervals and triads, using music notation.
Identify aurally and notate intervals, scales, triads, and rhythmic patterns that are commonly used in commercial/popular music.
Sing intervals, scales, and simple phrases from music notation.
Play scales, intervals, triads, and simple phrases on the piano.
Construct triads and 7^th chords in all forms.