Theory and Structure in Popular Music

This course will examine the fundamental concepts of music theory, including reading and writing musical notation, scales, intervals, triads, chord progressions, and musical structure.  
 
These theoretical concepts will then be applied to broader expressive contexts: how are the elements of music theory, such as a specific scale, chord progression, or melodic device, used to create meaningfully rich, expressive music? Music theory concepts are tools used to express and communicate in music, and we will examine this as part of our music analysis in class. 
 
Finally, focus will be given to the larger cultural context the songs and artists we examine exist within. No song exists independent of other song written in that style, era, or locality. This inherent cultural dialogue is crucial to our understanding of any artwork, and emphasis will be given to this aspect of analysis in class as well. 
 
To achieve the above, we will analyze songs in different styles and genres, chosen by both the instructor and students. The sheet music for these songs will be used as a means for analysis, to better understand the music theory and songwriting techniques used. Through analysis, written responses and discussion of songs, students will be encouraged to refine their ability to communicate ideas clearly and effectively about music. 
 
The goal of this course is to enrich students’ understanding of the music they interact with, whether it be as listeners, performers or songwriters. No experience with music theory or reading music notation is required.