Fundamentals of Music Theory and Notation

FUNDAMENTALS OF MUSIC THEORY AND NOTATION

COURSE OUTLINE

1. GENERAL

SCHOOL	School of Music and Optoacoustic Technologies
ACADEMIC UNIT	Department of Music Technology and Acoustics
LEVEL OF STUDIES	Undergraduate
COURSE CODE	0807.3.005.1	SEMESTER	1st
COURSE TITLE	Fundamentals of Music Theory and Notation

INDEPENDENT TEACHING ACTIVITIES if credits are awarded for separate components of the course	WEEKLY TEACHING HOURS	CREDITS
	0	6
Total	0	6

COURSE TYPE general background, special background, specialised general knowledge, skills development	Background
PREREQUISITE COURSES	None
LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION and EXAMINATIONS	English
OFFERED TO ERASMUS STUDENTS	Yes (in English)
COURSE WEBSITE (URL)	https://eclass.hmu.gr/courses/SMOT134/

2. LEARNING OUTCOMES

Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

Understand musical notation symbols
Recognize the intervals of the equal-tempered musical system
Recognize and understand the rhythmic flow of a musical work
Understand musical scales
Recognize and construct major and minor chords
Use basic music notation software
Recognize by ear and understand terminology related to musical expression, including dynamics, articulation, and fluctuations in tempo and rhythm

General Competences

The course aims to provide students with fundamental knowledge of music and musical notation, enabling them not only to read notes but also to utilize tools for score composition and creation.

Furthermore, the course aims to equip students with the following general competencies:

Searching for, analyzing, and synthesizing data and information, including the use of necessary technologies
Adapting to new situations
Working independently
Working in teams
Promote free, creative, and inductive thinking

3. SYLLABUS

The aim of the course is to provide students—even those with no prior musical training—with the necessary knowledge regarding music theory and notation. The curriculum covers:

Musical notes and intervals: identifying notes on the piano and the staff, aural recognition of intervals, and an introduction to musical range and the concept of musical clefs (Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass).
Rhythm: introduction to musical note values ??(whole, half, quarter, eighth, sixteenth, thirty-second, sixty-fourth notes; dotted values) and their aural recognition. Time signatures—2/4, 3/4, 4/4 (concept of the measure; developing a sense of musical pulse and strong/weak beats; recognition of these time signatures); tempo; rhythmic dictation for practical rhythmic training.
Dynamics: terminology regarding dynamics; musical examples for the practical understanding of dynamics (piano, forte, mezzo forte, etc.); articulation (staccato, legato, etc.).
Formation of major and minor scales and their aural recognition (without covering every major and minor scale)
Chords (major, minor) and basic harmonic structures: I-II-V and I-IV-V
Introductory overview of instrument families and their recognition Aural training for the recognition of basic intervals and chords

4. TEACHING and LEARNING METHODS - EVALUATION

DELIVERY
Face-to-face, Distance learning, etc.

Face-to-face

USE OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY
Use of ICT in teaching, laboratory education, communication with students

Learning management (e-class)
Proficiency in music notation and audio editing software (Finale, MuseScore, Sibelius, Audacity)

TEACHING METHODS
The manner and methods of teaching are described in detail.

Activity	Semester workload
Course total

STUDENT PERFORMANCE EVALUATION
Description of the evaluation procedure

Language of assessment: English.

Written final examination involving problem-solving and short-answer questions (70%).

Individual learning exercises (30%).

5. ATTACHED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Architektonides Vasiles, Theoria vasikon gnoseon tes mousikes mechri ten harmonia, Ekdoseis Ch. Nakas * K. Papagregoriou, 1987

Pyrgiotes Demetres, Mousike Theoria & Praktike, Ekdoseis Fagotto Books, 2000

Diamantes Giorgos, He Klasike theoria tes mousikes, Ekdoseis Nakas, 2013

Kampanas Georgios, Hoi vaseis tes theorias tes mousikes kai ton symvolon tes, Ekdoseis Gaitanou, 2007

Karakases Giorgos, Semeiographia kai analyse sto toniko mousiko systema, Ekdoseis Cambia , 2018

Lina Tonia, He theoria tes mousikes, Ekdoseis Ch. Nakas * K. Papagregoriou, 2018

Menakakes Demetres, Vasike Theoria tes Mousikes (Theoria A, *V, *G), Ekdoseis Ch. Nakas * K. Papagregoriou, 2011

Pyrgiotes Demetres, Askesiologio gia te mousike theoria kai praktike 1, Ekdoseis Fagotto Books, 2000

Instructor's teaching notes