ARTICULATION DOCUMENT
T110 Music Theory & Keyboard Skills
MODULE STRUCTURE
Module Category: Specialisation
Level (year of study): Year 1
Credit Units: 4 Modular Credits
Curriculum Hours:
Contact Hours: 60 hours
Module Assessment: Continuous Assessment: 50%
- 15 Daily Grades
Summative Assessment: 50%
Mid Semester Assessment 50% (written)
End of Semester Exam 50% (written)
SECTION 2: MODULE OVERVIEW
T110 Music Theory & Keyboard Skills is offered in the 1st semester of Year 1. As there is no prerequisite on the attainment of minimum level of musical training (e.g. practical or theoretical), the
module has to cater to all students with varied level of musical ability. The level and pace of this
module is designed for students with little or no music backgrounds.
Module Description
This module covers the fundamental concepts of music theory such as pitch, harmony,
notation systems, rhythm, melody and texture. A self-paced ear training system will provide
additional tutorship for critical aural recognition skills. The instrumental skills component
School of Technology for the Arts, Republic Polytechnic
T110 Music Theory & Keyboard Skills
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will provide foundational performance skills on a keyboard or selected instruments, which
may be used in conjunction with digital audio workstations. This module is a pre-requisite
for T215 Music Theory & Practice, and T315 Music Composition.
Learning objectives
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
To enable students acquire fundamentals of music and audio;
To introduce to students the basic materials in music theory;
To enable students to acquire basic skills in keyboard performance;
To introduce to students music of various period and styles;
To introduce to students basics in musical communication using standard music
notation scores;
6. To introduce to students the basics of music technology e.g. MIDI note triggering.
Module Approach
Facilitation is divided into 2 components – (1) Seminar & Tutorial & (2) Keyboard Practical
Session. Each of these components will consume 2 hours of the block mode. Class is hence
divided into 2 groups with each group taking either component for the first 2 hours and
swapping over for the final 2 hours, to complete the entire 4-hour block mode learning.
Assessment weighs substantially on worksheet, keyboard practice as well as RJ submission.
MODULE OUTCOMES AND LEARNING OUTCOMES
Allocated time per day
Module Coverage
Discussions in
Study Cluster
Resource
gathering
and team
work
Skills acquisition
and practice
T110 Music Theory & Keyboard Skills covers
the fundamental concepts of music theory
such as pitch, harmony, notation systems,
rhythm, melody and texture. A self-paced
ear training system will provide additional
tutorship for critical aural recognition skills.
The instrumental skills component will
provide foundational performance skills on
a keyboard or selected instruments, which
may be used in conjunction with digital
audio workstations. This module is a prerequisite for T215 Music Theory & Practice,
and T315 Music Composition.
Total = 60 hours
School of Technology for the Arts, Republic Polytechnic
T110 Music Theory & Keyboard Skills
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TEACHING AND LEARNING
This module includes a self-directed keyboard skills lab. Students are provided with practice manual and sheet
music to acquire basic skills in keyboard techniques through self-directed learning. In order to attain maximum
benefit for the brief period in this module that we have allocated basic keyboard skills to, a problem-based
approach to each lesson was taken to encourage life-long learning.
This module will present a up to a third of its lessons on keyboard skills introduction training and the rest on
music theory using score sheets and notation software. The learning outcomes of this module are designed to
prepare students for more in-depth practical training during the course of higher-level DSA specialisation
modules such as T215, T315 and T313.
Overall, the module presents easy to moderately challenging problems. They are to be multi-faceted as they
deal with concepts beyond music theory and included general musicianship skills, audio production and music
technology.
LEARNING RESOURCES
Facilities
-
Notation software, Sibelius in Vista C, Vista D & Synthesis Lab
Pro Tools LE8 on student’s laptop and Pro Tools v9 v10 in Vista C & D
Free notation software, Finale Notepad http://www.finalemusic.com/NotePad
MuseScore http://musescore.org/ or Noteflight http://www.noteflight.com/login
MIDI Controllers (Keyboard interface) M Audio 88keys & Axiom 25 available in Vista C & D suites
Online resources
-
-
Ricci Adams Music theory.net http://www.musictheory.net/
Teoría Music Theory Web http://www.teoria.com/tutorials/index.php
Free lessons and resources in Music Theory http://music-theory.ascensionsounds.com/
Chord House http://www.looknohands.com/
Music Theory Online 1000+ Scales http://www.dolmetsch.com/pianochords.htm
Virtual Keyboard http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks2/music/piano/index.htm
Vienna Symphonic Library Instruments Online http://www.vsl.co.at/en/70/149/150/46.vsl
Reading list
-
Grove, Dick Fundamentals of Modern Harmony Book 1 (Dick Grove Modern Harmony
-
Miller, M. The Complete Idiot’s Guide To Music Theory Alpha Publisher 2005
Series) Alfred Publishing 1985
Taylor, E. The AB Guide To Music Theory Part I ABRSM (Publishing) Ltd 1991
Taylor, E. The AB Guide To Music Theory Part II ABRSM (Publishing) Ltd 1991
Prosser, S Essential Ear Training for the Contemporary Musician Berklee Press 2000
Gorow, R. Hearing and Writing Music: Professional Training for Today's Musician (2nd Edition)September Pub
2002
Kostka, Steve Tonal Harmony, 6th Edition McGraw-Hill 2008
Aldwell, Edward Harmony & Voice Leading, 4th Edition Schirmer 2010
Schmeling, Paul Berklee Music Theory 1, 2nd Edition Berklee Press 2011
Schmeling, Paul Berklee Music Theory 2, 2nd Edition Berklee Press 2011
School of Technology for the Arts, Republic Polytechnic
T110 Music Theory & Keyboard Skills
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