Undergraduate Course: Fundamentals of Music Theory (MUSI07001)
Course Outline
| School | Edinburgh College of Art |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 7 (Year 1 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course introduces the foundational concepts of Western music theory, providing basic skills needed to read and write conventional staff music notation, as well as to analyse musical notation and sounds. The course includes material such as pitches and scales, intervals, clefs, rhythm, form, meter, phrases and cadences, and basic common practice harmony. |
| Course description |
This course will introduce you to the foundational concepts of Western music theory, providing the basic skills needed to read and write Western music notation, as well as to analyse musical notation and sounds.
The rudiments of music theory describes a set of concepts and skills widely used to communicate about musical ideas. This course covers such fundamentals, from the absolute basics to some more advanced concepts, including material such as pitches and scales, intervals, clefs, rhythm, form, meter, phrases and cadences, and basic harmony. While the concepts and skills that generally define music theory are useful ones to interrogate many forms of music, the area of study as a whole has most commonly been developed to explain compositions of Western European art music. However, you will be encouraged to value and draw upon your prior experiences in music listening and performance to contextualize your learning, as you acquire this particular set of skills.
The core syllabus of this course is based on the online Coursera/Edinburgh University MOOC: Fundamentals of Music Theory. You will use the video lectures and quiz materials from the MOOC during your own study, and progress through these alongside small-group supervised keyboard lab tutorials to reinforce and develop your learning. This will support you in achieving a working grasp of music theory rudiments which you can apply by reading and writing musical notation reasonably fluently.
Assessment takes place through online quizzes during the semester, plus a final online exam after teaching finishes, in the December exam diet.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | This course is not available to students who have already obtained an A in Music at A-level or Advanced Higher, or have taken and passed the Fundamentals of Music Theory MOOC. |
| Additional Costs | c£5 to buy headphones if student does not already have them. |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
| Not being delivered |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Identify elements including pitches and scales, intervals, clefs, rhythm, form, and meter.
- Use conventional stave notation to communicate musical elements including pitches and scales, intervals, clefs, rhythm, form, and meter.
- Notate simple cadential phrases on a grand stave.
- Describe the function of basic chords in an excerpt of notated music.
- Articulate a critical and contextual awareness of the utility and limitations of stave notation in relation to their own experience of musical practice.
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Reading List
Eric Taylor, The AB Guide to Music Theory Vol 1. ABRSM
Eric Taylor, The AB Guide to Music Theory Vol 2. ABRSM
Trevor Herbert, Music in Words, Second Edition: A guide to researching and writing about music. ABRSM
George Pratt, The Dynamics of Harmony: Principles and Practice. Oxford University Press. |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Present and evaluate ideas that are routine to the discipline of music theory.
Convey complex ideas in well-structured and coherent form.
Exercise some initiative and independence in carrying out defined activities in music theory. |
| Special Arrangements |
Not available to students who have achieved a Grade V music theory qualification or an A-grade at Music A-Level / Scottish Advanced Higher in Music. |
| Keywords | Theory,Notation,Rudiments,Music analysis,Music theory,flipped classroom,video lectures,online quiz |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Nikki Moran
Tel: (0131 6)50 2423
Email: n.moran@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Rhona MacMichael
Tel: (0131 6)50 2422
Email: rhona.macmichael@ed.ac.uk |
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