Music 801-History of Rock and Roll T/Th 11:00am-12:20pm, 240 Biddle Hall Prof. Jeffrey L. Webb/Fall 2018 Office Hours: MWF 9-10am, TTh 10-11am Office Phone and Address: 269-7155, 233A Biddle Hall e-mail: jeffwebb@pitt.edu Class Objective: The focus of this course will be on critical listening. As we listen to the material we will discuss the history of popular music in the 20 th Century, the musician s stories, the structure and technique of the music, and the influence and relevance of music to our lives. We will discuss the different genres that have led to the creation and development of this American musical style as well as the genres that have spawned from Rock and Roll. Prior musical experiences may be helpful, but are not necessary to succeed in this course. It will be critical that you perform the required listening and keep up with the required readings. Learning Outcomes: Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: 1) Demonstrate familiarity with the major style changes and genres of American popular music from the start of the 20 th Century to the present. 2) Demonstrate the ability to understand basic musical concepts such as melody, pitch, harmony and rhythm. 3) Understand the importance of American popular music and its influence on society in the United States and worldwide. 4) Write with appropriate analytical and critical knowledge about the music and musical performances. As part of the World of Aesthetics and Creative Expression, students will demonstrate knowledge and understanding of human expression and analyze aesthetic creative work. Required Materials: The Pop, Rock and Soul Reader (3 rd Edition) by David Brackett This course uses Blackboard/Courseweb. Additional reading materials and documents will be posted on Courseweb. Please consult Courseweb on a daily basis for possible communications about course materials for future class meetings. Students are required to have a current Spotify account for the duration of this course. Sign up at Spotify.com for either the free version or the premium version (no ads). On Courseweb, there will be links to the Spotify playlists: Music 801- The History of Rock and Roll-master playlist for the course Music 801- Artist Report- collaborative playlist, music for discussions in Week 14 and 15 Once you are logged in to Spotify, click the follow button on each playlist so they will show up in your account. You will also need to click follow on my Spotify profile page, which you can find at open.spotify.com/user/maestrobing325
Helpful Hints/Listening to the music: If something is not clear to you, do not hesitate to ask questions. Moreover, do not wait too long to ask questions. Don t fail a quiz (or two or three) because you failed to ask questions. It is important that students partake in ACTIVE LISTENING. While some of the music for this course may be familiar to many of you, it is vitally important that you not treat the music as background music. Repeated listening to the songs for the course will be necessary for you to garner all the nuances of the music you will need to complete the necessary work for this course. You are strongly encouraged to take notes about the music while you listen. Grade Breakdown: There is no curve for this course. Grades are available in real time on Courseweb. Your final grade will be calculated in the following manner: Live Concert Reviews (optional) (2 @20 points each) UPJ Music Department Fall Concert Review (mandatory) 50 points Artist Report-100 points Quizzes (3 @ 100 points each) Cumulative Final Exam-200 points Total points for course- 650 points Grading Scale 93-100 A 73-76 C 90-92 A- 70-72 C- 87-89 B+ 67-69 D+ 83-86 B 63-66 D 80-82 B- 60-62 D- 77-79 C+ 59-below F Attendance Policy: There is no formal attendance policy for the class. If you choose to miss class, that is your choice. However, you should be keenly aware of the consequences of missing class. Each lecture will be an important one in discussing the development of the music and the artists that create that music. When missing class, it is the student s responsibility to keep up with the class progress by obtaining lecture notes, assigned readings, and any other materials from another student. If you are falling behind in understanding the class materials due to continued absences from class lectures, you will not be able to come to the instructor for assistance. However, if you have been attending class regularly and are still having difficulty with class material, you are HIGHLY ENCOURAGED to make an appointment with the instructor for assistance (the sooner, the better). Academic Support: If you have a disability for which you are or may be requesting an accommodation, you are encouraged to contact both your instructor and the Office of Health and Counseling Services, G-10 Student Union, 814-269-7119 as early as possible in the term. The Office of Health and Counseling Services will verify your disability and determine reasonable accommodations for this course.
Classroom Etiquette: I ask that you adhere to some simple rules in the classroom to assure that each lecture is a successful one for all students. When you come into class, please make sure that all electronic devices (cell phones, ipods, pagers, etc.) are turned OFF. If your cell phone rings during my class, two things will happen: 1) You will receive a 25% reduction of your total grade for the course 2) I get to answer the phone If you are caught texting/receiving a text in this class, you will receive a 50% reduction of your total grade for the course. Should you be caught with any other unapproved electronic device, you will receive a 10% reduction of your total grade for the course. Should you need to have a cell phone on for emergencies, students should consult with me BEFORE class begins for approval of phone usage. I also ask that you not be excessively late for class. My definition of excessively late is anything after 5 minutes. It is extremely disruptive for students to come to class in the middle of the lecture. If you are going to be over 5 minutes late, get the notes/assignment from a classmate after class. Live Concert Reviews Students have the option of attending up to TWO live concerts during the semester. These concerts must be college or professional quality and can be of any style or genre of music covered in class. Students should consult with the instructor for approval of concerts before you attend. Each concert review should consist of two full pages (typed, 12 point, double spaced) critically analyzing the performance and how it relates to the subject matter presented in this class. For further guidance on the writing guidelines, students should refer to the Writing Guidelines document on Courseweb. Each Concert Review is due within two weeks of the date of the concert and all reviews must be submitted before the final exam. UPJ Music Department Fall Concert Students are required to attend the Music Department fall concert on December 9 at 3pm in the Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center. Students are to use the same guidelines for this concert review as the other live concert reviews. Students should make sure to discuss elements from each of the performance ensembles involved in the concert. This review is due on December 13 when you arrive for your final exam. Artist Report Select a contemporary artist or band (active during the last 30 years) that resonates with you in a particular way and write a 3 to 4 page essay (typed, 12-point font, double spaced) that describes the most interesting or innovative aspects of their music through your analysis of one representative song. Consider the features of the song how it sounds, its production, construction, instrumentation, lyrics, historical context, etc. Use the analytical methods and musical terminology we have discussed in class to articulate your personal experience and interpretation of the song. Students should provide instructor with an mp3 copy of the song and be prepared to discuss your artist/song in the open discussions we have over the last two weeks of class. This written assignment is due at the start of class on Nov. 8. Quizzes Each of the three in-class quizzes will include short answer and short essay questions on material from the lectures and the assigned readings. There will also be a listening portion of the quiz dealing with the identification of the assigned music selections from the Listening Quiz playlist on Spotify. The Listening Quiz playlist will be updated a minimum of one week before each quiz.
Course Schedule WEEK 1-Syllabus and Introduction (Aug. 28/30) Course Introduction/Basic Elements of Music How to listen to music/writing about music/concert reviews WEEK 2- Defining Popular Music (Sept. 4/6) Brackett: Ch. 82, 86, 88 Film: Money for Nothing WEEK 3- Roots of Rock: From Africa to the Delta (Sept. 11/13) Brackett: Ch. 8 Work songs, jail songs, field hollers, spirituals, Son House, Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters WEEK 4- Minstrelsy, Vaudeville, Jazz and Classic Blues (Sept. 18/20) Brackett: Ch. 6, 7 Bert Williams, Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday QUIZ 1 WEEK 5-Early Country and Rockabilly (Sept. 24/26) Brackett: Ch. 5, 13, 14 Jimmie Rodgers, Hank Williams, Sr., Johnny Cash WEEK 6- Rhythm and Blues to Early Rock and Roll (Oct. 2/4) Brackett: Ch. 16, 18, 21 Ruth Brown, Big Mama Thornton, Big Joe Turner, Bill Haley, Little Richard, Fats Domino WEEK 7- Reelin and a Rockin (Oct. 9/11) Brackett: Ch. 20, 22, 23, 25 Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley WEEK 8- Gospel and Early Soul (Oct. 18) Brackett: Ch. 17, 31 The Staple Singers, Mahalia Jackson, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Wilson Pickett QUIZ 2 WEEK 9- Bob Dylan and Folk Music (Oct. 23/25) Brackett: Ch. 29, 30 Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan, PP&M WEEK 10- The Beach Boys, The Beatles and the British Invasion (Oct. 30/Nov. 1) Brackett: Ch. 27, 36-40 The Beach Boys, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones Film: Pet Sounds at 50
WEEK 11- Motown and Classic Soul (Nov. 6/8) Brackett: Ch. 32-35 Martha Reeves, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, James Brown, Ottis Redding, Aretha Franklin QUIZ 3 WEEK 12- Psychedelia, Funk and Expansion of Genres (Nov. 13/15) Brackett: Ch. 42, 43, 49, 56 James Brown, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Sly Stone, Bob Marley WEEK 13- Singer/Songwriters and Fighting for Social Change (Nov. 20) Brackett: Ch. 47, 48, 50 Carole King, James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, George Harrison WEEK 14- Social Change (con t)/open discussions: 1980 s-1990 s (Nov. 27/29) Brackett: Ch. 62, 71 Michael Jackson, Sugar Hill Gang, USA for Africa WEEK 15-Open discussions: 2000 s (Dec. 4/6) FINAL EXAM: Tuesday, December 13 10:30am-12:30pm