Music Theory for the 21st-Century Classroom

Overview

• This is a comprehensive resource for learning music theory, encompassing various aspects of musical education suitable for contemporary classrooms.
• The content is developed by Robert Hutchinson.

Main Sections of the Course

• Basic Concepts:
  • Pitch
  • Notation
  • Octave Registers
  • Accidentals
  • Enharmonic Notes
  • Practice Exercises
• Scales and Key Signatures:
  • Major and Minor Scales
  • Key Signatures
  • Scale Degree Names
  • Practice Exercises
• Rhythm:
  • Time Signature
  • Durational Symbols
  • Dots and Ties, Meter
  • Common Rhythmic Notation Errors
  • Practice Exercises
• Intervals:
  • Introduction to Intervals
  • How to Identify and Write Intervals
  • Inversion, Augmented, and Diminished Intervals
  • Practice Exercises
• Chords:
  • Triads, Seventh Chords
  • Roman Numerals and Cadences
  • Harmonic Progression and Function
  • Practice Exercises
• Non-Chord Tones
• Melodic Analysis
• Forms in Music:
  • Popular, Binary, Ternary, Sonata, and Rondo Forms
  • Practice Exercises
• Voice Leading:
  • Triads and Seventh Chords
  • With Non-Chord Tones
  • Chromatic Harmonies
  • Practice Exercises
• Advanced Topics:
  • Counterpoint
  • Jazz Theory
  • Impressionism and Extended Tonality
  • Set Theory
  • Serialism
  • Minimalism
  • Practice Exercises

Details on Pitch

• Definition: Pitch refers to the frequency of a note, determining how high or low it sounds.
• Piano Notes: There are 88 keys on a standard piano.
  • Higher pitches are on the right of the keyboard.
  • Lower pitches are on the left.
• Practical Exercise: Try playing on a virtual keyboard (suggest a resource like www.musictheory.net/piano).

Additional Features

• The resource includes interactive exercises and practice assignments.
• Several additional tools and references are provided, such as reading rulers and light/dark mode for easier viewing.

Learning Tools

• Use of a virtual keyboard for understanding pitch.
• Exercises and examples provided across sections to reinforce learning.

This course material provides a comprehensive and interactive approach to learning music theory, integrating traditional concepts with contemporary tools and examples to facilitate deeper understanding and practice.