So here's the homework assignment:
transcription1
Click on the link above to listen to the song. There is 1 verse followed by 1 chorus. The song is in 4/4 and has a pick up beat. Oh, and it's in the key of Db (the first note is also a Db). Email me at jstewart@bellevue.org if you have any questions.
More about today's class to come . . .
Josh
2.09.2009
2.03.2009
Class 1a
Welcome back everybody! I'm excited about this coming semester, and I hope you are too. This is going to be the time where we put to use all the information we've learned so far. So let's get to it.
In this week's class we reviewed the main points of last semester: key sigantures, scale degrees and functions, and chords. If you are unsure about any of those topics, scroll down and review.
We then talked about the primary chords of any key: the tonic (I), dominant (V), and subdominant (IV). These three chords make up the bulk of modern music, especially pop, rock, country, and contemporary Christian. Other genres, like jazz, still use them, but add to them or substitute for them (we will be talking about substitutions next class). For now, we're interested in adding these three chords to a melody. To do that, pay attention to the strong notes of the melody, or the notes on the strong beats. A lot of times melodies will suggest their own harmonies. Also, make sure that the notes of the melody don't clash too much with the harmony. If your melody has a passage of the notes "E F G C" and you try to use a G chord to harmonize those notes, there will be a lot of dissonance with the C and, to a lesser degree, the E.
There are some "rules" for harmonizing this way, but for now I'm going to trust your ears. If I see some odd sounding harmonies, I may start imposing more rules -- but if you don't know be now, I'm not a big fan of rules in music. The structure of the musical language (order and propriety) imply its own guidelines (in my humble opinion), so I try to steer away from dogmatic lists of rules when the obvious is obvious. Enough said about that.
Don't forget your assignments: analyze the chords on the homework sheet (see below) and write an 8-bar melody using the pentatonic scale. The pentatonic scale is a five note scale using notes 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6 (for any key). Please email if you have any questions. Thanks!
Josh
P.S. Here is the homework.
In this week's class we reviewed the main points of last semester: key sigantures, scale degrees and functions, and chords. If you are unsure about any of those topics, scroll down and review.
We then talked about the primary chords of any key: the tonic (I), dominant (V), and subdominant (IV). These three chords make up the bulk of modern music, especially pop, rock, country, and contemporary Christian. Other genres, like jazz, still use them, but add to them or substitute for them (we will be talking about substitutions next class). For now, we're interested in adding these three chords to a melody. To do that, pay attention to the strong notes of the melody, or the notes on the strong beats. A lot of times melodies will suggest their own harmonies. Also, make sure that the notes of the melody don't clash too much with the harmony. If your melody has a passage of the notes "E F G C" and you try to use a G chord to harmonize those notes, there will be a lot of dissonance with the C and, to a lesser degree, the E.
There are some "rules" for harmonizing this way, but for now I'm going to trust your ears. If I see some odd sounding harmonies, I may start imposing more rules -- but if you don't know be now, I'm not a big fan of rules in music. The structure of the musical language (order and propriety) imply its own guidelines (in my humble opinion), so I try to steer away from dogmatic lists of rules when the obvious is obvious. Enough said about that.
Don't forget your assignments: analyze the chords on the homework sheet (see below) and write an 8-bar melody using the pentatonic scale. The pentatonic scale is a five note scale using notes 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6 (for any key). Please email if you have any questions. Thanks!
Josh
P.S. Here is the homework.
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