Preface
Introduction
Six Basic Elements of Music
The Multiple Dimensions of Musicianship
1. Basic Rhythms in Simple Meter
1.1: Phrase, Beat, and Tempo
1.2: Introduction to Meter
1.3: Basic Rhythm Patterns in Simple Meter
1.4: Basic Rhythm Patterns that Include
Rests in Simple Meter
1.5: Repeat Signs
2. The Keyboard and Notation of Pitch
2.1: The Keyboard and Basic Concepts Associated with Pitch
2.2: Whole-Step and Half-Step Intervals at the Keyboard
2.3: Treble Clef and Introduction to the Notation of Pitch
2.4: The Bass Clef,
Ledger Lines, and Octave Sign
2.5: Notating Sharps and Flats on the Staff
3. More Advanced Rhythms in Simple Meter
3.1: Sixteenth Notes
3.2: Notating Melodies in Different Meter
3.3: Eighth and Sixteenth Note Combinations
3.4: Dotted Eighth Note Followed by a Sixteenth
Note
3.5: Dotted Notes: A Dotted Quarter Note Followed by an Eighth Note
3.6: Syncopation
4. Orientation to Melodic Structures
4.1: Major Pentachord Scale and Melodies
4.2: Determining the Intervals between Notes of the Pentachord Scale
4.3: Writing a Major Pentachord Scale
and Melodies Using Accidentals
4.4: Major Hexachord Scales and Melodies
4.5: Determining the Size and Quality of Intervals Between Notes of the Major Hexachord Scale
4.6: Writing a Major Hexachord Scale and Melodies Using Accidentals
4.7: Major Pentatonic Scales and Melodies
4.8:
Writing a Major Pentatonic Scale and Melodies Using Accidentals
5. The Major Scale
5.1: Major Diatonic Scale and Melodies
5.2: Determining the Intervals Between Notes of the Major Scale
5.3: Writing a Major Scale and Melodies Using Accidentals
5.4: Key Signatures
5.5: Writing
Major Scales and Melodies Using a Key Signature
5.6: Transposition
5.7: Identifying the Key of a Major Scale or Composition from a Given Key Signature
6. Intervals
6.1: Interval Identification
6.2: Determining Interval Quality: Major, Minor, and Perfect
6.3: Determining
Minor, Augmented, and Diminished Interval Relationships
6.4: Determining Harmonic Inversion of Intervals
6.5: Determining Compound Intervals
7. Compound Meter and Advanced Rhythmic Concepts
7.1: Rhythms Patterns in Compound Meter
7.2: Subdivision of Rhythm Patterns in Compound
Meter
7.3: More Complex Rhythm Patterns in Compound Meter
7.4: Dotted Rhythm Patterns in Compound Meter
7.5: Triplets and Duplets
7.6: Changing Meter and Asymmetric Meter
8. Orientation to the Minor Scale
Part A: La Minor
8.1A: Minor Pentachord Scale and
Melodies
8.2A: Determining the Size and Quality of Intervals Between Notes of the Minor Pentachord Scale
8.3A: Writing Minor Pentachord Scales and Melodies Using Accidentals
8.4A: Minor Hexachord Scale and Melodies
8.5A: Determining the Intervals Between Notes of the Minor Hexachord
Scale
8.6A: Writing Minor Hexachord Scales and Melodies Using Accidentals
8.7A: Minor Pentatonic Scale and Melodies
8.8A: Determining the Intervals Between the Notes of the Pentatonic Scale
8.9A: Writing Minor Pentatonic Scale and Melodies Using Accidentals
Part B: Do
Minor
8.1B: Minor Pentachord Scales and Melodies
8.2B: Determining the Size and Quality of Intervals Between Notes of the Minor Pentachord Scale
8.3B: Writing Minor Pentachord Scales and Melodies Using Accidentals
8.4B: Minor Hexachord Scales and Melodies
8.5B: Determining the
Intervals Between Notes of the Minor Hexachord Scale
8.6B: Writing a Minor Hexachord Scale and Melodies Using Accidentals
8.7B: Minor Pentatonic Scale and Melodies
8.8B: Determining the Intervals Between the Notes of the Pentatonic Scale
8.9B: Writing a Minor Pentatonic Scale and
Melodies Using Accidentals
9. The Minor Scale: Natural Minor, Harmonic Minor, Melodic Minor
Part A: La Minor
9.1A: Natural Minor Scale and Melodies
9.2A: Determining the Intervals Between Notes of the Natural Minor Scale
9.3A: Writing a Natural Minor Scale Using
Accidentals
9.4A: Minor Key Signatures
9.5A: Writing Natural Minor Scales and Melodies with a Key Signature
9.6A: Relative and Parallel Key Relationships
9.7A: Harmonic Minor Scale and Melodies
9.8A: Determining the Intervals Between the Notes of the Harmonic Minor
Scale
9.9A: Writing Harmonic Minor Scales and Melodies on the Staff
9.10A: Melodic Minor Scale and Melodies
9.11A: Determining the Intervals Between the Notes of the Melodic Minor Scale
9.12A: Writing Melodic Minor Scales and Melodies Using Accidentals
9.13A: Identifying the Key
of a Composition
Part B: Do Minor
9.1B: Natural Minor Scale and Melodies
9.2B: Determining the Intervals Between Notes of the Natural Minor Scale
9.3B: Writing Natural Minor Scales Using Accidentals
9.4B: Minor Key Signatures
9.5B: Writing a Natural Minor Scale and Melodies
With a Key Signature
9.6B: Relative and Parallel Key Relationships
9.7B: Harmonic Minor Scale and Melodies
9.8B: Determining the Intervals Between the Notes of the Harmonic Minor Scale
9.9B: Writing Harmonic Minor Scales and Melodies on the Staff
9.10B: Melodic Minor Scale and
Melodies
9.11B: Determining the Intervals Between the Notes of the Melodic Minor Scale
9.12B: Writing Melodic Minor Scales and Melodies Using Accidentals
9.13B: Identifying the Key of a Composition
10. Constructing and Labeling Triads
10.1: Major, Minor, Diminished, and Augmented
Triads
10.2: Identifying Triads Using Pitch Names and Popular Music Symbols
10.3: Close and Open Positions of a Triad
10.4: Labeling Triads Using Roman Numeral Analysis and Figured Bass
10.5: Inversions of Triads
10.6: The Dominant Seventh Chord
11. An Introduction to Basic
Chord Progressions
11.1: Tonic and Dominant Functions in a Major Key
11.2: Tonic and Dominant Chord Progressions
11.3: Tonic and Dominant Functions in Minor
11.4: Tonic and Dominant Chord Progressions in Minor
11.5: Tonic, Subdominant, and Dominant Functions in Major
11.6:
Primary Triads: Tonic, Subdominant, and Dominant Chords in Root Position in a Major Key
11.7: Tonic, Subdominant, and Dominant Functions in Minor
11.8: Primary Triads: Tonic, Subdominant, and Dominant Chords in Root Position in a Minor Key
11.9: Cadences
11.10: An Introduction to
Nonharmonic Tones or Nonchord Tones
11.11: Chord Progressions Involving Secondary Triads
11.12: Chord Progressions Involving the Tonic Six-Four Chord as a Cadential Chord
11.13: Twelve-Bar Blues Progression
12. Composing a Song
12.1: Choosing the Lyrics
12.2: Creating the
Rhythmic Notation for Your Lyrics
12.3: Composing a Melody
12.4: Unifying Your Composition
12.5: Harmonizing Your Composition
12.6: Determining an Appropriate Piano Accompaniment for Your Composition
Appendices
There are no Instructor/Student Resources available at this time.
Micheal Houlahan is Professor of Music Theory and Chair of the Department of Music at Millersville University of Pennsylvania. Philip Tacka is Professor of Music at Millersville University of Pennsylvania.