2014-15 music theory fundamentals ap music theory · pdf filemusic theory fundamentals/ap...

Music Theory Fundamentals/AP Music Theory Syllabus

School Year: 2015 - 2016

Certificated Teacher:

Desired Results:

Course Title : Music Theory Fundamentals/AP Music Theory

Credit: one semester (.5) X two semesters (1.0)

Prerequisites and/or recommended preparation:

Fluency in reading rhythm and pitch notation in both treble and bass clefs. These concepts are

presented in the first two units; AP students may complete and submit the assignments to test out of

these units.

Estimate of hours per week engaged in learning activities:

5 hours of class work per week per 18 week semester

Instructional Materials:

All learning activities (resources, assignments, assessments) are contained within or referenced in the

student’s online course. The online course is accessed via login and password assigned by student’s

school (web account) or emailed directly to student upon enrollment, with the login website.

Other resources required/Resource Costs:

Finale Notepad software available free from www.FinaleMusic.com

Audacity audio editing/recording software free download from www.audacity.sourceforge.net

Free online lessons and trainers in Music Theory www.MusicTheory.net and www.teoria.com

Course Description:

This course is designed to provide instruction and preparation at the advanced level required for

successful completion of the AP Music Theory Exam, including music literacy (musical notation and

terminology), aural skills (sight singing and dictation), form and analysis, and composition.

Enduring Understandings for Course (Performance Objectives):

Music theory encompasses a logical, accessible, and useful language for documenting sound. Music literacy

enables individuals to enjoy independently performing and/or creating music.

Music theory explains what musicians and composers have done in the past and why it works, but it

doesn't dictate what current musicians and composers have to do.

http://www.finalemusic.com/

http://www.audacity.sourceforge.net/

http://www.musictheory.net/

http://www.teoria.com/

Major scales, minor scales, and modes are constructed using patterns of whole and half steps. They

serve as the foundation upon which melody and harmonization are built.

Music theory enables individuals to create original compositions and document them in a way that can be

understood and interpreted by others.

Music theory in western civilization is best understood as a set of rules that have been gradually and systematically

broken as music has evolved.

Other evidence that will be collected to show student understanding will be individual self-assessments for each

unit as well as reflections on discussion board dialogue/questions with the class. There will be in-person proctoring

for end of unit tests.

Course Learning Goals (including WA State Standards, Common Core Standards, National Standards):

Unit: 1 (Fundamentals) Rhythm Notation

Content Standards: GLE 1.1.1 Demonstrate musical skills and techniques while working towards independence: reading music, performing, sight reading, conducting. Read and write rhythmic notation. AP Standard: Instill mastery of the rudiments and terminology of music, including hearing and notating rhythm and meter.

Unit: 2 (Fundamentals) Pitch Notation

Content Standards: GLE 1.1.2 Demonstrate musical skills and techniques while working towards

independence: reading music, performing, sight reading, conducting. Read and write pitch notation. AP

Standard: Instill mastery of the rudiments and terminology of music, including hearing and notating

pitches.

Unit: 3 Scales, Tonality, Keys, Modes

Content Standards: GLE 1.1.2 Construct major and minor scales, modes, and key signatures. Recognize

them by sight and sound. Sight sing major and minor scales. AP Standard: Instill mastery of the

rudiments and terminology of music, including hearing and notating scales, modes, and keys.

Unit: 4 Intervals and Transposition

Content Standards: GLE 1.1.3 Visually and aurally identify and construct Major, minor, Perfect,

Augmented, and diminished intervals and their inversions. Use an intervallic approach to transpose a

short composition. AP Standard: Instill mastery of the rudiments and terminology of music, including

hearing and notating intervals.

Unit: 5 Chords

Content Standards: GLE 1.1.3 Visually and aurally identify and construct Major, minor, Augmented, and diminished triads and their inversions. Use Roman numerals and figured bass to analyze chords and chord progressions. Write chord progressions using popular music symbols. AP Standard: Instill mastery of the rudiments and terminology of music, including hearing and notating chords. Progress to include more sophisticated and creative tasks, such as realization of a Roman numeral chord progression.

Unit: 6 Cadences and Nonharmonic Tones

Content Standards: GLE 1.1.3 Visually and aurally identify and label cadences by type. Analyze chord progressions including non‐harmonic tones. AP Standard: emphasize aural and visual identification of procedures based in common‐practice tonality for cadences and non‐harmonic tones.

Unit: 7 Species Counterpoint and 4‐Part Voice Leading

Content Standards: GLE .2.1 Writing first, second, third, and fourth species counterpoint with appropriate voice leading. Four‐part realization of Roman numeral chord symbols and figured bass. Compose a soprano melody above a bass line. AP Standard: Progress to include more sophisticated and creative tasks, such as composition of a bass line for a given melody, implying appropriate harmony, and realization of a figured bass.

Unit: 8 Harmonic Progression and Harmonic Rhythm

Content Standards: GLE 1.2.1 Visually and aurally identify dominant seventh, leading‐tone seventh and non‐dominant seventh chords. Resolve seventh chords with appropriate voice leading. Create chord progressions and circle progressions. AP Standard: Progress to include more sophisticated and creative tasks, such as realization of a Roman numeral chord progression. Emphasize aural and visual identification of procedures based in common‐practice tonality, including functional triadic harmony in traditional four‐voice texture (with vocabulary including nonharmonic tones, seventh chords, and secondary dominants.)

Unit: 9 (AP only) Modulation and Secondary Key Centers

Content Standards: GLE 1.2.1 Harmonize melodies that modulate. Visually and aurally recognize and

analyze modulations; construct modulations. Use Roman numerals to analyze secondary dominants and

leading‐tone chords visually and aurally. AP Standard: Emphasize aural and visual identification of

procedures based in common‐practice tonality, including modulation to closely‐related keys.

Unit: 10 Melodic Organization

Content Standards: GLE 1.2.1 Create compositions using motive and sequence. Complete formal

analysis of written and aural examples containing motives and sequences. AP Standard: Emphasize aural

and visual identification of procedures based in common‐practice tonality, including melodic and

harmonic compositional processes (e.g., sequence, motivic development) and phrase structure (e.g.,

contrasting period, phrase group.)

Unit: 11 Texture

Content Standards: GLE 1.1.3, 1.3.1 Visually and aurally analyze texture in a composition; create

compositions of various texture types. AP Standard: Progress to include more sophisticated and creative

tasks, such as analysis of repertoire, including melody, harmony, rhythm, texture, and form.

Unit: 12 Formal Analysis

Content Standards: GLE 1.1.4 Visually and aurally analyze the form of a composition. Create compositions in binary and ternary form. AP Standard: Emphasize aural and visual identification of procedures based in common‐practice tonality including small forms (e.g., rounded binary, simple ternary, theme and variation, strophic.)

Unit: 13 (AP only) AP Exam Review and practice

Content Standards: Review of GLE and AP Standards presented in Units 1 – 12.

Evidence of Assessment

Performance Tasks:

Transpose instrument parts to arrange a composition for an instrumental ensemble. Transcribe a

popular song, adding chord symbols to create a lead sheet.

Compose antecedent and consequent phrases.

Compose a melody that features the characteristics of good melodic writing. Compose species

counterpoint.

Harmonize a melody for four‐part voices: soprano, alto, tenor, bass. Create an original composition with

melody and accompaniment. Complete a formal analysis of a composition.

Formative assessments:

Assignments attached to each lesson provide students the opportunity to practice new skills and

demonstrate understanding of concepts covered. These assignments include written work completed

and submitted using the music notation software Finale Notepad, dictation exercises completed using

sound files and Notepad, and sight‐singing exercises recorded using Audacity and submitted in mp3

format, and listening‐response essays. Each unit’s assignments build on the scaffolding provided by

earlier units and lessons. Students are given feedback on submitted assignments, encouraged to make

corrections, and allowed to re‐submit assignments as a way of ensuring that the grade accurately

reflects student learning and achievement.

Summative assessments:

First semester final exam features a written portion covering the first five units, melodic and harmonic

dictation, and sight singing.

Second semester final exam is the AP Music Theory Exam.

Types of Learning Activities

Direct Instruction Indirect Instruction Experiential

Learning

Independent Study Interactive

Instruction

X Structured

Overview X_

_Mini

presentation

X_ _Drill & Practice

_

_Demonstrations

_ _Other (List)

X _Problem‐based

_ _Case Studies

X_Inquiry

X _Reflective

Practice

X_ _Project

X_ _Paper

_ _Concept

Mapping

_ _Other (List)

_ _ Virt. Field

Trip

_

Experiments

_Simulations

_Games

_Field

Observ.

_Role‐playing

_Model Bldg.

_Surveys

_Other (List)

X _Essays

X_ Self‐paced

computer

_Journals

X_ _Learning Logs

X_ _Reports

X_ _Directed Study

_X _Research

Projects

_ _Other (List)

X_ _Discussion

_Debates

_Role Playing

_Panels

_Peer Partner

Learning

_Project team

_Laboratory

Groups

_Think, Pair, Share

_Cooperative

Learning

_Tutorial Groups

_Interviewing

X_ _S

_Other (List)

Learning Activities

These learning activities are aligned with the successful completion of the course learning goals and

progress towards these learning activities will be reported monthly on a progress report.

1st Semester AP Music Theory Learning Activities

Unit: 1 Notation of Rhythm

Duration: 5 hours 40 minutes

Enduring Understandings: Music theory encompasses a logical, accessible, and useful language for documenting

sound. Music literacy enables individuals to enjoy independently performing and/or creating music.

Essential Questions: How is rhythm, an essential element of music, notated, read, and performed?

Student Learning Targets: Become fluent in reading the symbols that indication duration of a sound or

silence and understanding how strong and weak beats are combined to create meter.

Learning Activities:

Unit Lesson Content Assignments

Fundamentals 1

Notation of rhythm

1

Rhythms in common time

a: The rhythm grid b: Complete the measure

2

How to count rhythms

a: Counting rhythms b: Hearing rhythms

3

Eighth notes and beyond

a: Counting rhythms with eighths b: Hearing rhythms with eighths

4

Dotted rhythms

a: Counting dotted rhythms b: Hearing dotted rhythms

5

Other time signatures

a: Interpreting time signatures b: Counting rhythms in multiple time signatures

Unit: 2 Notation of Pitch


Enduring Understandings: Music theory encompasses a logical, accessible, and useful language for documenting

sound. Music literacy enables individuals to enjoy independently performing and/or creating music.

Essential Questions: How is pitch, an essential element of music, notated, read, and performed?

Student Learning Targets: Become fluent in reading letter names of pitches drawn on the treble and

bass clefs.


Fundamentals 2

Notation of pitch

1

The treble clef

a: Getting to know the treble clef b: Identifying treble clef notes c: Treble clef spelling bee d: Compositions

2

The bass clef

a: Getting to know the bass clef b: Identifying bass clef notes c: Bass clef spelling bee d: Compositions

3 Half steps and whole steps Identifying whole and half steps

4

Sharps and flats

a: Identifying whole and half steps b: W riting whole and half steps

Unit: 3 Scales, Tonality, Keys, Modes


Enduring Understandings: Major scales, minor scales, and modes are constructed using patterns of

whole and half steps. They serve as the foundation upon which melody and harmonization are built.

Essential Questions: Why do all Major scales sound the same? How are key signatures determined?

Student Learning Targets: Learn the pattern of whole and half steps that makes a scale sound Major or

minor. Understand how to determine a Major key’s relative minor. Become fluent in reading key

signatures. Visually and aurally identify Major and minor scales and all modes.



Unit 3

Scales, tonality, keys,

modes

1

Major scales

a: Building Major scales b: Melodic dictation

2

Key signatures and the Circle of Fifths

a: Circle of Fifths web research b: Melodic dictation

3 Building key signatures Key signature drill

4

Natural minor and relative keys

a: Identifying relative Majors and minors b: Melodic dictation

5

3 Types of minor scales

a: W riting 3 types of minor scales b: Melodic dictation

6 Hearing Major and minor scales Hearing Major and minor scales

Unit: 4 Intervals and Transposition

Duration: 9 hours




Essential Questions: Why do some intervals sound consonant and some dissonant? How are intervals

used to transpose a song from one key to another.

Student Learning Targets: Visually and aurally identify and construct Major, minor, Perfect, Augmented,

and diminished intervals unison – octave and their inversions. Use intervals to transpose an instrumental

line into another key.



Unit 4

Intervals and transposition

1 Intro to solfege Solfege written assignment

2

Writing and hearing M2 and m2

a: Interval drill -- sight and sound b: W riting M2 and m2

3



4 Perfect intervals Perfect interval drill

5

Augmented and diminished 4ths and 5ths

a: Recognizing Perfect, Aug, and dim b: W riting Perfect, Aug, and dim

6



7



8

Augmented and diminished intervals

a: Comprehensive interval drill b: W riting intervals and enharmonics

9 Inversion of intervals Intervals and inversions

10 Transposition Transposition

Unit: 5 Chords




Essential Questions: What intervals are used to build a Major, minor, Augmented, or diminished triads

and seventh chords? How are chords identified and labeled to analyze music? How does music theory

help composers and arrangers choose chords to harmonize melodies?

Student Learning Targets: Visually and aurally identify and construct Major, minor, Augmented, or

diminished triads and seventh chords. Use Roman numerals to analyze chord progressions. Use figured

bass to write a melody and harmonize it in four parts.


Unit 5 Chords

1 Scale degree names Scale degree names

2

Four types of triads

a: Identifying the four types of triads b: Difference between the four types

3

Roman numeral chord symbols

a: Diatonic triads b: Harmonic analysis and harmonic dictation

4 Triad inversions Triad inversions, analysis, and dictation

5 7th chords and their inversions 7th chord inversions, analysis, and dictation

6

Figured bass

a: Understanding figured bass symbols b: Melodic dictation

7 Popular music chord symbols Create your own spread sheet

Unit: 6 Cadences and Non‐Harmonic Tones


Enduring Understandings: Music theory explains what musicians and composers have done in the past

and why it works, but it doesn't dictate what current musicians and composers have to do.

Essential Questions: How can certain chord progressions draw a composition to a satisfying end? What

if a composer doesn’t wish to harmonize every note of the melody?

Student Learning Targets: Visually and aurally identify the common cadence types. Analyze chord

progressions and identify non‐chord (non‐harmonic) tones.



Unit 6

Cadences and nonharmonic

tones

1 Phrases Writing phrases

2 Cadence types Recognizing types of cadences

3

Unaccented nonharmonic tones

Recognizing and writing unaccented nonharmonic tones

4

Accented harmonic tones

Recognizing and writing accented nonharmonic tones

Unit: 7 Species Counterpoint and 4‐Part Voice Leading





Essential Questions: What makes some melodies more memorable than others? What are the rules for

composing two melodies that complement each other? What are the rules for harmonizing a melody in

four parts?

Student Learning Targets: Compose a melody following the rules of good melody writing; harmonize a

melody following the rules for two‐part writing. Write four‐part realizations from Roman numeral chord

progressions and figured bass.



Unit 7 Voice leading

1

Writing a good melody

a: W riting canti firmi b: Melodic dictation

2

Two-part voice leading

a: W riting in two parts b: Melodic dictation

3

Four-part voice leading

a: W riting in four parts b: Melodic dictation

Semester final

Semester final, part 1 Semester final, part 1

Semester final, part 2 Semester final, part 2

2nd Semester AP Music Theory Learning Activities

Unit: 8 Harmonic Progression and Harmonic Rhythm




Essential Questions: What principles do composers use in selecting chords and chord progressions?

Why are some chord resolutions more satisfying than others?

Student Learning Targets: Learn the rules composers have followed through history to choose chords

when harmonizing a melody. Learn harmonic progression, the relationship of chords, and the rules for

resolution of dominant 7th chords, leading tone 7th chords, non dominant 7th chords in Major and minor.



Unit 8

Harmonic progression

and harmonic rhythm

1

Harmonic progression and harmonic rhythm

a: Choosing chords that progress

b: Composing and the rules of harmonic progression

2

Dominant 7th chords

Resolving Dominant 7th chords

3

Leading tone 7th chords

a: Spelling diminished 7th chords b: Resolving diminished 7th chords.

4

Nondominant 7th chords

a: Spelling and identifying diatonic 7th chord types

b: Composing and the rules of harmonic progression

5

Sight-singing

Sight-singing

Unit: 9 Modulation and Secondary Dominants




Essential Questions: How do composers smoothly transition from one key into another during a

composition? Why are some chord resolutions more satisfying than others?

Student Learning Targets: Learn the relationships between keys. Deal with chords that are not diatonic.

Visually and aurally identify and analyze modulations. Harmonize melodies that modulate.



Unit 9 Modulation

and secondary dominants

1

Modulation

a: Closely related keys b: Analyzing and writing modulations

2

Secondary dominant chords

a: Analyzing and writing secondary dominants b: Harmonic dictation

3

Secondary leading tone chords

a: Analyzing and writing secondary leading tone chords b: Harmonic dictation

Unit: 10 Melodic Organization




Essential Questions: Why do composers use recurring patterns in compositions? How are those

recurring patterns joined to create form? How is the form of a composition analyzed?

Student Learning Targets: Understand the characteristics of good melodies. Use the devices of motive

and sequence to create a composition.



Unit 10

Melodic organization

1

Characteristics of a good melody

a: Recognizing great melodies b: Melodic dictation

2

Motives

a: W riting a melody with a motive b: Melodic dictation

3

Sequences

a: W riting a melody with a sequence b: Melodic dictation

4 Composition project Composition project

Unit: 11 Texture




Essential Questions: How have the rules of music theory evolved over time? How have history and

society influenced music composition, performance practices, and the other arts?

Student Learning Targets: Understand that texture in music refers to the way melodic, harmonic and

rhythmic materials weave together in any given composition. Visually and aurally identify texture types

in compositions from different historical eras.



Unit 11 Texture

1 Monophony and the Medieval period Essay on Hildegard of Bingen

2 Polyphony and the Renaissance period Essay on word painting

3

The Baroque period: bridge between polyphony and homophony

Terraced dynamics

4

Classical and romantic period

a: Beethoven the bridge

b: Unit assignment: recognizing and analyzing texture

Unit: 12 Formal Analysis




Essential Questions: How do compositional elements and recurring patterns in music combine to create

form in a composition? How do musicians identify the form of a composition, and how does an

understanding of that form help them achieve higher performance standards for that piece?

Student Learning Targets: Visually and aurally analyze and identify the formal divisions in compositions

of various textures and historical eras. Create a composition with a given form.



Unit 12 1 Formal analysis Formal analysis composition

Unit: 13 AP Exam Review and Practice


Enduring Understandings: Music theory encompasses a logical, accessible, and useful language for

documenting sound. Music literacy enables individuals to enjoy independently performing and/or creating music.

Music theory explains what musicians and composers have done in the past and why it works, but it

doesn't dictate what current musicians and composers have to do.

Major scales, minor scales, and modes are constructed using patterns of whole and half steps. They

serve as the foundation upon which melody and harmonization are built.

Music theory enables individuals to create original compositions and document them in a way that can be

understood and interpreted by others.

Music theory in western civilization is best understood as a set of rules that have been gradually and systematically

broken as music has evolved.

Essential Questions: How is sound organized to create music?

Student Learning Targets: Assessment of learning.



13 The AP Exam

1 Important terms Terms

2

Exam section I, Part A: multiple choice with aural stimuli

Practice exam Section I, Part A

3

Exam Section I, Part B: multiple choice with visual stimuli

Practice exam Section I, Part B

4

Exam Section II, Part A: free response questions

Practice exam Section II, Part A

5 Exam Section II, Part B: sight singing Practice exam Section II, Part B

2014-15 music theory fundamentals ap music theory · pdf filemusic theory fundamentals/ap...

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