MUSIC 8Rudiments of Music

3 credits · Music · Penn State

Introduction to the elements of music: notation, scales, meter, rhythm, intervals; basic chord structure, cadences. MUSIC 8 Rudiments of Music (3) (GA)(BA) This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements. Learning the rudiments of music can be compared to the learning of a language. Students must learn to hear melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic patterns (audiation) before they sing, play or write in notation. In this introductory class, students are introduced to melodic, harmonic and rhythmic patterns by imitating the instructor who establishes these patterns at the piano, or by singing or as in the case of rhythm by striking a drum head. Eventually students will take turns "tossing" these patterns to teach other. Basic skills of improvisation can also be taught at this level of audiation by having students expand upon the basic patterns. As a result of these creative and aesthetic experiences, students will be able to translate the audiation of patterns into musical notation - moving from the smallest unit of a rhythmic motive towards the creation of a coherent rhythmic phrase. Similarly, at the melodic level, the student will begin with intervallic patterns and move towards the creation of a coherent melodic phrase. Intervals are then combined vertically to form harmonies. At the next stage of learning, students will learn to identify and to write that which they are hearing in dictation.This course in "musical literacy" enables students: (1) to deepen their appreciation of music (2) to begin studying a musical instrument and (3) to enter the rigorous study of music theory required of music majors.