MUS 125 - Structure of Music I

3 Contact Hours, 3 Credits
3 lecture periods 0 lab periods


Review of music fundamentals. Includes form and analysis, non-harmonic tones and harmonic analysis, simple keyboard-style harmony, figured bass, chord functions, voicing chords, voice leading, part-writing, seventh chords, cadences, chords inversions, harmonic progression, secondary dominants, and chorale harmonizations. Also includes history and development of musical notation and evolution of global musical composition and expression.

Corequisite(s): MUS 127  
Information: Required for all other music structure courses. Music majors must also concurrently enroll in the appropriate level of studio instruction course. 
Gen-Ed: Meets AGEC - FA; Meets - CTE - A&H.

1. Review
   1. Intervals
   2. Scales
   3. Meter
   4. Keys
   5. Key signatures
   6. Chords
   7. Chords in a key
   8. Related subjects
2. Form and Analysis
   1. Cadences
      1. Authentic
      2. Half
      3. Deceptive
      4. Plagal
      5. Perfect
      6. Imperfect
   2. Phrases
      1. The four-bar phrase
      2. Question and answer
      3. Periods
      4. Parallel
      5. Contrasting
   3. Introduction to motives and variations
   4. Introduction to simple forms
      1. Binary
      2. Rounded-binary
      3. Ternary
      4. Strophic (song)
   5. Demarcations of form
      1. Slurs
      2. Cadences
      3. Double bars
      4. Repeat signs
      5. Da capo
   6. Textures
      1. Monophony
      2. Homophony
      3. Counterpoint
3. Non-Harmonic Tones and Harmonic Analysis
   1. Harmonic rhythm
   2. Chord recognition
   3. Non-harmonic tones
      1. Passing
      2. Neighbor
      3. Suspension
      4. Appoggiatura
      5. Escape
      6. Pedal
      7. Retardations
4. Simple Keyboard-Style Harmony
   1. How to harmonize a diatonic melody
   2. Melodic analysis
      1. Phrase structure
      2. Cadences
      3. Form
      4. Harmonic background
   3. Choosing chords and outlining the harmony
   4. Chord voicing/positions doubling
   5. Smoothing chord motions
   6. Chord figurations
   7. Non-harmonic tones
   8. Alto line
5. Figured Bass
   1. Chord inversions
   2. Symbols for tertian trichords and tetrachords (seventh chords)
   3. Chromatic alterations
6. Chord Functions
   1. Grammatical analogues
   2. Primary and secondary chords
   3. Composite chord symbols
7. Voicing Chords
   1. Voice ranges
   2. Crossed voices
   3. Spacing: closed and open positions
   4. Doubling
8. Voice Leading
   1. Motion types
      1. No motion
      2. Step motion
      3. Small leaps
      4. Large leaps
   2. Rules of voice leading
9. Part-Writing
   1. Types of relative motion
      1. Parallel
      2. Similar
      3. Oblique
      4. Contrary
   2. Goal – independence of parts
   3. Parallel and consecutive octaves/fifths
   4. Awkward leaps – a2 and tritone
   5. Smooth voice leading
   6. Direct octaves and fifths
   7. Overlapping and crossed voices
   8. Common tones and smooth part-writing procedures
   9. Cross relations
10. Part-Writing Seventh Chords
    1. Diatonic seventh chord types
    2. Resolution of seventh
    3. Seventh chords in a key
    4. Seventh chord functions
11. Cadences
    1. Authentic
    2. Perfect and imperfect
    3. Half
    4. Deceptive
    5. Plagal
12. Chords in Second Inversion
    1. Figured bass
    2. Doubling
    3. Cadential 6-4
    4. Passing 6-4
    5. Pedal 6-4
    6. Arpeggio 6-4
13. Harmonic Progression
    1. Definitions of progression and retrogression
    2. Root movement determination interval class
    3. Rules governing harmonic progression: strong and weak
14. Introduction to Secondary Dominants and Sevenths
15. Chorale Harmonizations
    1. Melodic and phrase analysis
    2. Harmonic rhythm
    3. Choosing chords from melody notes
    4. Writing the bass line
    5. Voice leading
    6. Part-writing four voices
    7. Non-harmonic tones
    8. Using chord inversions
    9. Step-by-step procedure for harmonization
16. Introduction to development of musical scoring and its shaping influences
    1. Chant
    2. Major Compositional Trends

17. Introduction to global, historical, and cultural musical expression and compositional techniques

    1. Multi-cultural rhythms
    2. Scoring for world instruments