Approaching Music Theory: Melodic Forms and Simple Harmony

Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/melodic-forms-simple-harmony

Introduction

**Course Review: Approaching Music Theory: Melodic Forms and Simple Harmony** If you are intrigued by the world of music and have a desire to deepen your understanding of its intricacies, then Coursera’s course “Approaching Music Theory: Melodic Forms and Simple Harmony” may be just the right fit for you. This course invites learners on an engaging journey through the fundamental principles of music theory, focusing specifically on how music works at both technical and aesthetic levels. **Course Overview** At its core, this course is about developing a meaningful theoretical vocabulary that enhances your ability to discuss and comprehend various musical styles. By bridging the gap between technical understanding and subjective appreciation, participants are encouraged to think critically and creatively about the music they encounter. If you’ve ever found yourself captivated by the beauty of a piece yet struggled to articulate what exactly makes it so appealing, this course offers valuable tools to change that. **Course Structure and Content** The course is organized into several modules, each building on the previous one to enhance musical understanding progressively: 1. **Course Overview**: The journey begins with an introduction to the course layout, expectations, and the exciting material ahead. 2. **Melodic Structures: Lines, Shapes, and Simple Modes**: Here, students dive into the examination of actual music, starting with the transcendent beauty of Gregorian Chant and transitioning to the nuanced world of slow classic Jazz. This module lays the groundwork for a vocabulary that describes musical expression. 3. **Melodic Structures: Simplicity, Repetition, and Change**: Expanding on previous concepts, this part explores how different melodic lines can influence musical styles, providing insight into the diversity of musical expressions. 4. **Combining Pitches: Consonance and Dissonance**: A vital aspect of music theory, this module encourages students to listen profoundly to various musical styles while focusing on the distinction between consonance and dissonance, a fundamental theme in harmony. 5. **Cadences and Basic Harmonic Function**: The course wraps up with an exploration of cadences and harmonic functions, allowing participants to apply their accumulated vocabulary to analyze complete works of music critically. **Learning Methodology** What distinguishes this course from traditional music theory lessons is its experiential approach. Rather than rote memorization of music theories, participants engage with music through listening and writing their examples. This hands-on method facilitates a deeper internalization of concepts and fosters greater appreciation for the complexities of music. **Final Thoughts and Recommendations** “Approaching Music Theory: Melodic Forms and Simple Harmony” is an exemplary course for anyone, regardless of their musical background. Whether you are a complete novice wishing to understand music better or someone with experience seeking to formalize your knowledge, this course offers rich insights and practical applications. It is enjoyable, thoughtfully crafted, and provides a supportive community for learners to explore music theory together. I wholeheartedly recommend this course to anyone looking to enhance their musical journey—a rigorous yet rewarding experience awaits. **Conclusion** In summary, if you want to explore the beauty and complexity of music while developing a robust theoretical vocabulary, this course on Coursera is a commendable choice. Unlock the secrets of music and elevate your listening experience—enroll today!

Syllabus

Course Overview

This introductory module lets you know what is involved in the course. Come on in!

In this module, we will being to develop a vocabulary that is useful in describing the technicalities behind musical expression. To do this, we will start right away closely examining some actual, real music. First we will look at some Gregorian Chant (which, come on, can be stunningly beautiful). Second we will use some slow classic Jazz to thoughtfully build our vocabulary.

In this module, still looking at single melodic lines, we will start to branch farther afield to describe some useful technical descriptions of the differences between different simple and complicated musical styles.

Now we will start to describe different ways to think about playing pitches simultaneously. Carefully considering our terms, we will listen to a wide spectrum of styles before settling in to focus on the basics of common practice rules.

Beginning with a fuller examination of cadences, we will come up with ways to describe chords and harmonic function that help us talk and think about different styles of music. Finally, we will consider how our newly constructed vocabulary can help us describe the function and aesthetics of more and more complete pieces of music.