New Course OR Existing Course Instructor(s)/Author(s):R. Shiner Subject Area/Course No.: Recording Arts/ RA-015 Units: 3 Course Name/Title: Music Fundamentals for Audio Professionals Discipline(s): Commercial Music, Music Pre-Requisite(s): None Co-Requisite(s): None Advisories: ENGL-090 Catalog Description: This course is a basic music course addressing the specific needs of Recording Arts Students by providing the specialized musical vocabulary and concepts needed to interact with artists in studio situations. This course also covers the basic technical aspects of music making. Schedule Description: Are you someone with an interest in recording having little or no musical training? Or, perhaps you are a musician who has learned to play by ear. In either case, this course is designed to help you develop the basic skills required to read or write musical notation. It is also a great place to learn the musical terminology commonly used during professional recording sessions. Hours/Mode of Instruction: Lecture 54 Lab Composition Activity Total Hours 54 (Total for course) Credit Credit Degree Applicable (DA) Grading Pass/No Pass (P/NP) Repeatability 0 Credit Non-Degree (NDA) Letter (LR) 1 (If Non-Credit desired, contact Dean.) Student Choice (SC) 2 3 Please apply for: LMC General Education Requirement and/or Competency & Graduation Requirement(s): None Transfer to: CSU UC IGETC LDTP Course is Baccalaureate Level: Yes No Page 1 of 8
Signatures: Department Chair Librarian Dean/Sr. Dean Curriculum Committee Chair President/Designee CCCCD Approval (Board or Chancellor's Office) For Curriculum Committee Use only: STAND ALONE COURSE: YES NO FOR OFFICE OF INSTRUCTION ONLY. DO NOT WRITE IN THE SECTION BELOW. Begin in Semester Catalog year 20 /20 Class Max: Dept. Code/Name: T.O.P.s Code: Crossover course 1/ 2: ESL Class: Yes / No DSPS Class: Yes / No Coop Work Exp: Yes / No Class Code A Liberal Arts & Sciences SAM Code A Apprenticeship Remediation Level B Basic Skills B Developmental Preparatory B Advanced Occupational NBS Not Basic Skills C Adult/Secondary Basic Education C Clearly Occupational D Personal Development/Survival D Possibly Occupational E For Substantially Handicapped E* Non-Occupational F Parenting/Family Support F Transfer, Non-Occupational G Community/Civic Development *Additional criteria needed H General and Cultural 1 One level below transfer I Career/Technical Education 2 Two levels below transfer J Workforce Preparation Enhanced 3 Three levels below transfer K Other non-credit enhanced Not eligible for enhanced Course approved by Curriculum Committee as Baccalaureate Level: _Yes / No_ LMC GE or Competency Requirement Approved by the Curriculum Committee: Distribution: Original: Office of Instruction Copies: Admissions Office, Department Chairperson Rev 09-17-2008 Page 2 of 8
Institutional Student Learning Outcomes General Education SLOs (Recommended by GE Committee) At the completion of the LMC general education program, a student will: 1. Read critically and communicate effectively as a writer and speaker. 2. Understand connections among disciplines and apply interdisciplinary approaches to problem solving. 3. Think critically and creatively 4. Consider the ethical implications inherent in knowledge, decision-making and action. 5. Possess a worldview informed by diverse social, multicultural and global perspectives. Occupational Education SLOs (Recommended by Occupational Education Committee) At the completion of the LMC occupational certificate or degree, a student will: 1. Be academically prepared to obtain an entry-level or a mid-level position in their industry. 2. Apply critical thinking to research, evaluate, analyze and synthesize information. 3. Demonstrate strong communication skills (written and/or oral) and interpersonal skills (customer service and team work). 4. Appropriately apply industry materials and technology. 5. Demonstrate the skills and knowledge necessary to take and pass certification exams for career advancement in their industry. Developmental Education SLOs (Recommended by Developmental Education Committee) At the completion of the LMC Developmental Education Program, a student will: 1. Demonstrate the skills necessary for the first transfer level courses in English and Math or for the English and Math competencies for the Certificate of Achievement. 2. Think critically to construct meaning and solve problems. 3. Read with comprehension. 4. Communicate effectively both in writing and orally. 5. Demonstrate the characteristics, habits, and attitudes of an effective learner. Student Services SLOs 1. LMC students will demonstrate proficiency in the use of college on-line services. 2. LMC students will demonstrate proficiency in self-advocacy. Library and Learning Support Services SLOs LMC students utilizing various Library and Learning Support Services will: 1. Access and effectively utilize available campus Library and Learning Support Services. 2. Apply knowledge learned and competencies gained from using Library and Learning Support Services to academic coursework and assignments. 3. Demonstrate information competency skills needed to meet the research demands of academic course work and life long learning. None of the Above Page 3 of 8
Program-Level Student Learning Outcomes (PSLOs) At the completion of the program, the student should: 1. Be able to transfer to a 4-year recording industry program, with advanced standing. 2. Be qualified for entry-level positions in the field. 3. Be positioned to begin entrepreneurial freelance work. Course-Level Student Learning Outcomes (CSLOs): Successful students will be able to: 1. Use their knowledge of musical terminology and structure to sufficiently communicate with the musicians being recorded. 2. Read and analyze musical notation and scores at a basic level 3. Compose a short musical work, instrumental or vocal Assessments: Lecture/Chapter Homework Midterm Final CSLO 1 X X X CSLO 2 X X X CSLO 3 X X X CSLO 1 Lecture/Chapter Homework: Students are introduced to commonly used musical terminology and the structure of typical musical compositions during lectures and class discussions. Reading assignments focus on developing an understanding of the technical language of music. Students are asked questions intended to enhance their ability to communicate with musicians during recording sessions. Examples: 1. What is a musician referring to when they mention running through the changes before recording the first take of a tune? 2..Describe what is meant by the term key. 3. Using staff paper, please write the symbols for the following: whole note, half note, quarter note and eighth note. Rationale: These assignments are designed to prepare students to communicate effectively with musicians (the client) during professional recording sessions. The intention of assignments related to CSLO 1 is to make students, particularly those who are not musicians, aware of the technical language used by musicians. Midterm and Final: A section of each of these exams specifically addresses material related to CSLO 1. There are questions concerning musical notation, chord charts, musical structure, scales, modes and harmony Page 4 of 8
Rationale: Exam questions are intended to reinforce a student s understanding of musical terminology and the structure of musical compositions with the objective of enhancing the student s ability to communicate effectively with musicians. CSLO 2 Lecture/Chapter Homework: Students are introduced to the basic symbols used to notate musical compositions during lectures and class discussions. Reading assignments focus on developing an understanding of notating pitch and rhythm. Students are asked questions intended to develop skills in reading and writing music. Examples: 1. Referring to the provided lead sheet, what key is this piece of music written in? 2. Referring to the provided lead sheet, what chords are used in the first 8 measures? 3. Referring to the provided lead sheet, please discuss how you would interpret changes in dynamics throughout the composition. Rationale: Some recording sessions require the producer and engineer to refer to and understand notated scores. The intention of assignments related to CSLO 2 is to make students, particularly those who are not musicians, aware of how musical notation is used by musicians, when composing, rehearsing and recording. Midterm and Final: A section of each of these exams specifically addresses material related to CSLO 2. There are questions concerning rhythmic notation, the notation of pitch and all of the other common symbols used to represent the various aspects of a musical composition. Rationale: Exam questions are intended to reinforce a student s understanding of notated music. CSLO 3 Lecture/Chapter Homework: Students are introduced to the symbolic tools used by composers during lectures and class discussions. Reading assignments focus on developing an understanding of the common musical structures used by musicians when they write instrumental or vocal compositions. Examples: 1. Notate an 8-bar motif that can be used for the verse of a song. 2. Notate an 8-bar motif that can be used as the chorus of a song. 3. Notate a 12-bar blues, using 1-4-5 chord changes. Rationale: The intention of assignments related to CSLO 3 is to make students, particularly those who are not musicians, aware of the process of notating musical ideas to form a complete composition. Midterm and Final: A section of each of these exams specifically addresses material related to CSLO 3. There are questions concerning the elements of musical composition including: creating a memorable introduction, selecting a key, issues related to emotional impact, issues concerning the motif, chord progressions and issues with regard to arrangements e.g. transposition. Rationale: Exam questions are intended to reinforce a student s understanding of the use of musical notation while composing. Page 5 of 8
Method of Evaluation/Grading: Student evaluation is based on performance, related to CSLOs, through the use of the following: homework assignments, midterm exam and final exam. Letter grades for each area of evaluation are based on the following percentage structure: Homework: 20% Midterm: 40% Final: 40% 90% -100% = A 80% - 89% = B 70% - 79% = C 60% - 69% = D Below 60% = F A-level Student work is characterized by: CSLO 1: Homework/exams: Answering questions concerning communication with musicians during a recording session with 90% or above accuracy CSLO 2: Homework/exams: Answering questions concerning the analysis of notated scores with 90% or above accuracy CSLO 3: Homework/exams: Answering questions concerning the composition of basic musical scores with 90% or above accuracy. Answers demonstrate accurate knowledge of the elements of musical composition including: creating a memorable introduction, selecting a key, issues related to emotional impact, issues concerning the motif, chord progressions and issues with regard to arrangements e.g. transposition. C-level Student work is characterized by: CSLO 1: Homework/exams: Answering questions concerning communication with musicians during a recording session with 70% to 79% accuracy CSLO 2: Homework/exams: Answering questions concerning the analysis of notated scores with 70% to 79% accuracy CSLO 3: Homework/exams: Answering questions concerning the composition of basic musical scores with 70% to 79% accuracy Answers demonstrate knowledge of the elements of musical composition including: creating a memorable introduction, selecting a key, issues related to emotional impact, issues concerning the motif, chord progressions and issues with regard to arrangements e.g. transposition. CSLO Weighting: CSLO 1 40% CSLO 2 30% CSLO 3 30% Page 6 of 8
Course Content: Music for Audio Professionals Why it is important for recording engineers to have a basic understanding of music. Developing an understanding of musical structure with the goal of enhancing communication with musicians and gaining a deeper understanding of music. Common genres of musical expression. Overview of basic music theory. Rhythmic Notation and Dynamics Music from a temporal perspective Meter & counting time. The metronome & click tracks. Note values: Whole, half, quarter, eighth, sixteenth etc. The measure Time signatures Dotted notes. Rests Triplets and other multiple groupings of notes. Staccato and fermata notation. Rubato Symbols used to indicate softness and loudness. The crescendo and decrescendo. Pitch Notation The relationship between frequency and pitch. The staff Commonly used clefs and their relationship to pitch Note names and their placement on the staff Sharps and flats. Leger lines The concept of musical keys and key signatures. Accidentals. Using notation software. Modes and Scales The diatonic scale, whole steps, half steps and scale degrees. Major scales Intervals Modes of the major scale: Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian and Locrian. The use of modes in improvisation and composition. The minor scale. Melody Organizing pitch and rhythm to form motifs What makes a melody memorable? Analyzing the melodies of compositions from various musical genres Page 7 of 8
Harmony Horizontal and vertical harmony Basic chord structure: Triads and 7 th chords Chord progressions and the role of the bass in defining a composition s harmony. Principles of Instrumental and vocal Sound Production How vocal sound is produced and working with singers. How drums and other percussion instruments produce sound. How stringed instruments produce sound. How woodwinds produce sound How horns produce sound How various electronic instruments produce sound Musical Forms Overview of the typical architecture of a popular song The intro The verse The chorus The Bridge 12-bar blues A-A-B-A, 32 bar form Cultural Cross-Currents in Music Finding creative inspiration though the exploration of the music of other cultures World Music Time Line Instructional Methods: Lecture Lab Activity Problem-based Learning/Case Studies Collaborative Learning/Peer Review Demonstration/Modeling Role-Playing Discussion Computer Assisted Instruction Other (explain) Note: Computer assisted instruction consists of PowerPoint lecture support Textbooks: Essentials of Music for Audio Professionals (Dorritie-Soaring Dove Publications-revised 2010) This is Your Brain on Music (Levitin- Dutton- 2006) Page 8 of 8