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Music
Theory for the Freshman Music Education Major
or
What you need
to know before you arrive at college. |
| While there are no
specific pre-requisites for the freshman theory class here at
Auburn, or at many schools, there is an expected level of
accomplishment. Some schools give a diagnostic exam to incoming
freshman, then assign them to a theory class which can range
from remedial theory to testing out of the entire freshman year.
Other schools (including Auburn) teach all the basics in the
first semester (or quarter) of theory, but cover them very
quickly. If you are genuinely learning all, or even most of
these things for the first time you may find it difficult to
keep up. If you are planning on majoring in music (and that
includes music education) in college then it is not too early to
start learning these things. The first place to turn for help
would be your private teacher, or band or choir director. There
are also quite a few programmed texts (workbooks with answer
sheets) available. If you still feel that you need additional
help, please feel free to contact
me. If you're planning to attend Auburn, and you
need additional help, please feel obliged to contact
me. |
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Basic Music Reading Skills:
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Clefs:
Know the note
names in both Bass and Treble clef, and be able to read fluently
in at least one (preferably both) of them. Knowledge of C clefs
(especially alto & tenor clefs) would also be helpful.
Go
to Help page on Clefs
You can actually use any
music for this kind of drill, but to be consistent:
Go
to Treble Clef Drill Page |
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Scales & Keys:
Know the key
signatures for all major and minor keys fluently, and be able to
play, and write out, all major and minor scales.
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Intervals:
Know all the
major, minor, augmented, and diminished intervals well enough to
identify a random set of 20 intervals within a minute.
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Chords:
Know the
interval content of major, minor, augmented and diminished
triads. Be able to both recognize and construct them. Similar
familiarity with common seventh chords is also recommended.
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Meter:
Know the
difference between simple and compound meters, and between duple
and triple meters. Be able to identify the number of beats, and
the type of note that represents the beat, the division, and the
subdivision in any meter.
Go
to Help Page on Meters |
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Rhythm:
Know the
relative lengths of all note values (i.e. 2 eighth notes in a
quarter note) and be able to determine where the beat will fall
in any notated rhythm, in any meter. |
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Basic Aural Skills:
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Intervals:
Recognize all
simple (within an octave) intervals when played either
harmonically or melodically. Be able to sing any simple interval
in tune. |
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Chords:
Recognize
major, minor, augmented and diminished triads. |
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Rhythm:
Be able to
notate simple rhythms in a given meter and tempo. |
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| There are any number of books and other resources
available to help you acquire the skills and body of knowledge
described above. One book with which we have had considerable success
is:
Scales, Intervals, Keys, Triads, Rhythm and Meter; Third Edition:
John Clough, Joyce Conley, Claire Boge. (Norton Programmed Texts in
Music Theory) 0-393-97369-7 (includes CD with musical examples)
Cost ca. $40.00
Available at http://www.wwnorton.com
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Horn Studio Home Page |