CCCOnline LogoCourse Snapshot for MUS100 - Music Theory Fundamentals I

The information listed below is subject to change. Please review the course syllabus within your online course at the start of class.

Course Competencies

The competencies you will demonstrate in this course are as follows:

  1. Identify basic elements of music notation, including pitch, rhythm, meter, and key signatures.
  2. Demonstrate working knowledge of major and minor scales.
  3. Understand and identify key signatures along with various transpositions.
  4. Demonstrate the ability to correctly identify melodic and harmonic intervals.
  5. Demonstrate the ability to build major, minor, augmented, diminished and V7 chords.
  6. Understand the use and function of basic chord progressions.
  7. Identify basic chord progressions, cadences, and form in various music scores.
  8. Demonstrate beginning level melodic and rhythmic dictation skills.
  9. Demonstrate beginning level sight singing skills.
Learning concepts for this course are enchanced using modules, websites, and online discussions.

Module Outcomes Mapped to Competencies

Module 1
  Outcomes Competencies
1 Describe or draw an  illustration of the music’s contour.  A, D
2 Notate the pitches of a white-key melody from letter names or from notes shown on a keyboard, using the correct octave and clef, with ledger lines as needed. A,B,H
3 Reproduce the pitches of a notated melody by name and at the keyboard. A,H
4 Transpose a melody up or down an octave, using ledger lines as needed. A
5 Recall and sing a five-note pattern. I
6 Reproduce a short melody fragment employing whole and half steps. A,B,D,H
7 Identify visually and aurally whether pairs of notes in a melody form whole or half steps and whether they are ascending or descending.  A,B,D
8 Improvise a short melody employing half and whole steps at a keyboard, then notate the pitches using the correct letter names, accidentals, octave, and clef.  A,D,H
9 Play  on the keyboard the pitches of a notated melody that includes accidentals.  A,D,I
10 Name a given pitch (on the keyboard or in notation) and notate its possible enharmonic spellings. A
11 Articulate personal musical goals. Metacognition
Module 2
  Outcomes Competencies
1 Identify common tempo markings as indicating a slow, medium, or fast tempo  A
2 Conduct along with a piece in simple meter using the duple, triple, and quadruple patterns.  A,G,H
3 Recognize common dynamic markings; identify them as indicating a soft, medium, or loud dynamic level; and select appropriate dynamic markings for original rhythmic compositions.  A, H
4 Perform, identify, and notate common beat-length rhythmic patterns.  A,H,I
5 Write the rhythm of a musical example in simple meter with the basic rhythmic patterns.   A,H,I
6 Compose rhythmic phrases and a rhythmic duet using simple-meter beat-unit patterns.  A,H
7 Recognize duple and triple beat divisions and quadruple beat subdivisions in simple meters.  A
8 Perform, identify, and notate common beat-length rhythmic patterns.  H,I
9 Recognize slurs and understand their impact on articulation.  A,H,I
10 Recognize syncopated rhythms, including those that use ties.  H
11 Perform, identify, and notate common syncopated rhythms and other rhythms that require ties.  H
12 Compose rhythmic phrases and a rhythmic duet using simple-meter beat-unit patterns that include triple divisions, syncopations, and subdivision A,H
Module 3
  Outcomes Competencies
1 Construct a major scale from its key signature or from any given scale degree.  B,C
2 Recognize and identify major key signatures.  A,C
3 Write major key signatures on a treble- or bass-clef staff.  A,C
4 Recognize the key of a major melody.   A,B,C
5 Identify the scale degrees of a major key in a melody.   A,B
6 Recognize and notate simple scale-based melodies.   A,B,H
7 Construct a chromatic scale from a given pitch.  A,D
8 Conduct a piece in compound meter using the duple, triple, and quadruple patterns.  A,I
9 Perform, identify, and notate common compound beat-length rhythmic patterns.  A,H,I
10 Write the rhythm to a musical example that uses the basic rhythmic patterns in compound meter  H
11 Compose rhythmic phrases and a rhythmic duet using compound meter beat-unit patterns.   H
12 Recognize changing and asymmetrical meter in music. A
Module 4
  Outcomes Competencies
1 Construct a minor scale in its three forms from a key signature or from any given scale degree.   B,C
2 Recognize and identify minor key signatures. B,C
3 Write minor key signatures in treble and bass clefs. C
4 Recognize the key of a minor melody.   B,C
5 Identify the scale degrees of a minor key in a melody.   B
6 Recognize and notate simple scale-based melodies.   B,D,H
7 Recognize parallel and relative relationships between major and minor keys.  B
8 Identify the size and quality of written intervals in or out of a key context.   A,D
9 Spell intervals in or out of a key context.  C,D
10 Identify aurally harmonic and melodic interval size and quality.  D,I
11 Know and identify the characteristic intervals above the tonic in major and minor keys.  A,D,H
12 Distinguish aurally between consonant and dissonant intervals. D, I
Module 5
  Outcomes Competencies
1 Construct major, minor, augmented and diminished triads in root position from a given pitch or scale degree.   E
2 Identify and label triads in all inversions with basic chord symbols.  E,G
3 Identify triads and dominant seventh chords in diatonic contexts and label them with Roman numerals.   E,G
4 Identify triad quality aurally.   E
5 Notate short melodies that contain arpeggiated triads.   H
6 Identify the chords most commonly used in melody harmonization.  E,F
7 Identify cadences and their types.  G
8 Recognize melodic embellishing tones.  D
9 Utilize the components of the basic phrase model.  F,G
10 Harmonize major and minor melodies with idiomatic chord progressions using the basic phrase model.  E,F,G
11 Notate chords on the staff from chord symbols.  E
12 Analyze chords on the staff with chord symbols. F

Course Time Commitment and Expectations

The semester schedule for this course may be 15 weeks, 10 weeks, or 6 weeks in duration. Based on the course format, this table shows the approximate amount of time you should plan to spend per week on this course. This includes time to read/listen to the online content, participate in discussion forums, complete all assignments, and study the course material.

For accelerated courses, the amount of time required per week is greater. Note that regardless of course format, the course material is the same and all course competencies, module outcomes, and assignments will be covered.

Course Activity Hours and Student Learning Hours
Course Credit Hours Course Format (Duration) Pace Relative to a 15 Week Course Course Activity Hours Student Learning Hours Per Week
3 15 Weeks - 135 8.5 to 9.5
3 10 Weeks 1.5x faster 135 12.5 to 14.5
3 6 Weeks 2.5x faster 135 21 to 24

Aside from typical reading assignments, this course has the following (Please Note: This list is subject to change based on the discretion of the instructor facilitating this course.):

Summary of Grading
Assignment Points %
Intro Discussion (1 @ 2 points) 2 .2%
Discussions (10 @ 10 points each) 100 10%
Workbook Assignments (35 @ 2 points each) 70 7%
Aural Skills Exercises (3 @ 4 points each) 12 1.2%
Listen and Write Exercises (11 @ 6 points each) 66 6.6%
InQuizitive quizzess (10 @ 60 points each) 600 60%
Music Resources On the Web Bibliography  (1 @ 10 points) 10 1%
Music Resources Final Annotated Bibliography (1 @ 40 points) 40 4%
Write a Folk, Blues or Popular Song - Assignment (1 @ 40 points) 40 4%
Write a Folk, Blues or Popular Song - Listen and Write (1 @ 60 points)  60 6%
TOTAL 1000 100%

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