Workbook

Digital Workbook

Kyle Gullings

At the end of each chapter, you may find Assignments linked for that chapter. Those same assignments are also gathered here in a single table for convenient browsing.

Use arrows in the cells on the header row to sort the table alphabetically. Use the “Search” function to filter by the words in your search.

Last updated: June 30, 2021 3:38 pm

Part Book order Chapter name Assignments
Fundamentals 1 Introduction to Western Musical Notation
  1. Inventing a Notation System (.pdf, .docx). View rubric (.pdf, .docx).
Fundamentals 2 Notation of Notes, Clefs, and Ledger Lines

  1. Writing Note Heads, Clefs, and Ledger Lines (.pdf, .docx)
Fundamentals 3 Reading Clefs

  1. Writing and Identifying Notes Worksheet 1 (.pdf, .mscx)
  2. Writing and Identifying Notes Worksheet 2 (.pdf, .mscx)
Fundamentals 4 The Keyboard and the Grand Staff

  1. White Keys on the Piano and the Grand Staff (.pdf, .docx)
  2. The Piano Keyboard and the Grand Staff with Ledger Lines (.pdf, .docx)
  3. Generic Intervals (.pdf, .docx)
  4. Grand Staff Note Names with Ledger Lines (.pdf, .docx)
  5. Blank Keyboards for Students or Teachers (.pdf)
Fundamentals 5 Half- and Whole-steps and Accidentals

  1. Black Keys on the Piano (.pdf, .docx)
  2. Half- and Whole-steps on the Piano Keyboard (.pdf, .docx)
  3. Writing Accidentals (.pdf, .docx)
  4. Writing and Identifying Accidentals (.pdf, .docx)
  5. Half- and Whole-steps in Staff Notation (.pdf, .docx)
  6. Enharmonic Equivalence (.pdf, .docx)
Fundamentals 6 American Standard Pitch Notation (ASPN)

  1. Writing and Identifying ASPN labels (.pdf, .docx)
Fundamentals 7 Other Aspects of Notation

  1. Dynamics, Articulations, Tempi, Stylistic Periods, Structural Features (.pdf, .docx)
Fundamentals 8 Rhythmic and Rest Values

  1. Note and Rest Values (.pdf, .docx)
  2. Dots and Ties (.pdf, .docx)
Fundamentals 9 Simple Meter and Time Signatures

  1. Notes, Rests, Bar Lines (.pdf, .docx)
  2. Re-beaming (.pdf, .musx)
Fundamentals 10 Compound Meter and Time Signatures

  1. Notes, Rests, Bar Lines (.pdf, .docx)
  2. Re-beaming (.pdf, .musx)
Fundamentals 11 Other Rhythmic Essentials

  1. Triplets and Duplets, Hypermeter, Syncopation (.pdf, .docx) Spotify playlist
Fundamentals 12 Major Scales, Scale Degrees, and Key Signatures

  1. Writing Major Scales (.pdf, .mscx)
  2. Key Signatures: Major (.pdf, .mscx)
Fundamentals 13 Minor Scales, Scale Degrees, and Key Signatures

  1. Writing Minor Scales (.pdf, .mscx)
  2. Key Signatures: Minor (.pdf, .mscx)
Fundamentals 14 Introduction to Diatonic Modes and the Chromatic “Scale”

  1. Writing Modes (.pdf, .mscx)
  2. Writing Modes (.pdf, .mscx)
  3. Writing Chromatic “Scales” (.pdf, .mscx)
  4. Writing Chromatic “Scales” (.pdf, .mscx)
Fundamentals 15 The Basics of Sight-singing and Dictation

  1. Solfège and Scale Degree Identification (.pdf, .docx)
  2. Solfège and Scale Degree Identification in a Melodic Context (.pdf, .docx)  Spotify playlist
Fundamentals 16 Intervals

  1. Writing and Identifying Intervals # 1 (.pdf)
  2. Writing and Identifying Intervals # 2 (.pdf)
  3. Writing and Identifying Intervals # 3 (.pdf)
  4. Interval Project (.pdf)
Fundamentals 17 Triads

  1. Triads A (.pdf, .mcsz)
  2. Triads B (.pdf, .mcsz)
  3. Triads C (.pdf, .mcsz)
Fundamentals 18 Seventh Chords
Fundamentals 19 Roman Numerals and SATB Chord Construction

  1. Intro to Roman Numerals. Asks students to identify Roman numerals in a chorale texture (modified Bach chorales). Available in three variations/versions:

Fundamentals 20 Texture

  1. Identifying Textures (.pdf, .docx) Spotify playlist
Counterpoint and Galant Schemas 21 Introduction to Species Counterpoint

  1. Cantus firmus A (.pdf, .mscx). Asks students to critique one cantus firmus and write their own.
  2. Cantus firmus B (.pdf, .mscx). Asks students to critique one cantus firmus and write their own.
Counterpoint and Galant Schemas 22 First-species Counterpoint

  1. First Species Counterpoint A (.pdf, .mscx). Asks students to compose a first species example and do error detection.
  2. For the complete set of Fux exercises, see the Gradus ad Parnassum chapter.
Counterpoint and Galant Schemas 23 Second-species Counterpoint

  1. For the complete set of Fux exercises, see the Gradus ad Parnassum chapter.
Counterpoint and Galant Schemas 24 Third-species Counterpoint

  1. For the complete set of Fux exercises, see the Gradus ad Parnassum chapter.
Counterpoint and Galant Schemas 25 Fourth-species counterpoint

  1. For the complete set of Fux exercises, see the Gradus ad Parnassum chapter.
Counterpoint and Galant Schemas 26 Fifth-Species Counterpoint

  1. For the complete set of Fux exercises, see the Gradus ad Parnassum chapter.
Counterpoint and Galant Schemas 27 “Gradus ad Parnassum” Exercises
Counterpoint and Galant Schemas 28 Sixteenth Century Contrapuntal Style

  1. Imitative writing in the 16th-c. contrapuntal style. Provides students with at least one complete part for reference, and one part with missing passages to complete in a suitable style. These exercises use original note values, modern time signatures for those values (4/2), some editorial accidentals (), and (with apologies to the purists) only G- and F- clefs.

    • Lassus: Benedictus from the Missa Venatorum. 2 voices. .mscz
    • Lassus: Bicinum IV. 2 voices. .mscz
    • Palestrina: Benedictus from the Missa Brevis. 3 voices. .mscz
    • Palestrina: Surge Propera a 4 (excerpt). 4 voices. .mscz
Counterpoint and Galant Schemas 29 High Baroque Fugal Exposition

  1. In the Bach C-minor fugue shown above, the answer is ‘tonal’. Given what has been said about tonal answers in this chapter, try explaining how the subject and answer differ, and why.
  2. Pick another fugue, identify how many ‘voices’ there are, locate each voice’s entry and the end of the exposition.
  3. Trying writing your own answers and countersubjects. The template file below provides the subjects for all 48 fugues in both books of the Well-Tempered Clavier. An empty second stave is provided for your practice. (Note that the last note in many of the fugue subjects is given without a stem to indicate the pitch without the specifying the duration rhythm). If you know some of these fugues well, you may want to work on ones you’re less familiar with.
  4. Once you are feeling confident with writing answers and countersubjects, try writing up a full exposition. Again, you may wish to work on fugues you’re less familiar with.
Counterpoint and Galant Schemas 30 Ground Bass

  1. A simple, predominantly diatonic harmonisation of the ground, with simple blocks chords, making sure to follow good voice-leading practice. Use this as a prototype.
  2. A set of alternative harmonizations including tonicizations of other keys and re-harmonizations of the first note in particular to vary the apparent phrase length (as discussed above in reference to the ‘cheat sheet’);
  3. Melodic parts that fit with the bass and create more interesting textures. Seek out ways of writing upper parts that can recur in another voice in imitation. We’ll see how Purcell approaches this below.
  4. Finally, combine the best of your ideas into an overall piece that balances textural and harmonic interest and charts an overall trajectory. Why not try a piece with 6 iterations of the ground, of which the first and last are simple and alike.
Counterpoint and Galant Schemas 31 Galant schemas – The Rule of the Octave and Harmonizing the Scale with Sequences

  1. Coming soon!
Counterpoint and Galant Schemas 32 Galant Schemas – Template Scores
Counterpoint and Galant Schemas 33 Galant schemas – Summary
Form 34 Foundational Concepts for Phrase-level Forms

  1. Coming soon!
Form 35 The Phrase, Archetypes, and Unique Forms

  1. Coming soon!
Form 36 Hybrid Phrase-level Forms
Form 37 Expansion and Contraction at the Phrase Level

  1. Coming soon!
Form 38 Binary Form

  1. Binary Form Analysis Assignment (.pdf, .docx).

  2. Guided Composition (.pdf, .docx, .mscx). 
Form 39 Ternary Form

  1. Bernhard Crusell – Clarinet Quartet, Op. 7, III, Menuetto (.pdf, .docx). Access score and audio.
  2. Josephine Lang – Traumbild, Op. 28, No. 1 (.pdf, .docx). Access score and audio.
Form 40 Auxiliary Formal Sections

  1. Coming soon!
Form 41 Sonata Form

  1. Maria Hester Park, Sonata, Op. 7, I Allegro Spirito (.pdf, .docx). Access score and audio.
Form 42 Rondo

  1. Joseph Bologne, String Quartet, Op. 1, No. 4, ii, Rondeau (.pdf, .docx). Access score and audio.
Diatonic Harmony, Tonicization, and Modulation 43 Introduction to Harmony, Cadences, and Phrase Endings

  1. Introduction to harmony, cadences, and phrase endings (.pdf, .docx). Asks students to write and identify cadences using only I (or i) and V chords in major and minor.
Diatonic Harmony, Tonicization, and Modulation 44 Strengthening Endings with V7

  1. Strengthening Endings with V7 (.pdf, .docx). Asks students to write and resolve V7 chords and provide analysis of cadences in select passages.
Diatonic Harmony, Tonicization, and Modulation 45 Strengthening Endings with Strong Predominants

  1. Strengthening Endings with Strong Pre-Dominants (.pdf, .docx). Includes part writing from Roman numerals and figures, analysis of phrase endings, and a discussion question of a number from Hamilton.
Diatonic Harmony, Tonicization, and Modulation 46 Embellishing Tones

  1. Embellishing tones (.pdf, .docx). Asks students to write embellishing tones in a two-voice texture and label embellishing tones in an excerpt.
Diatonic Harmony, Tonicization, and Modulation 47 Strengthening Endings with Cadential 6/4

  1. Strengthening Endings with Cadential [latex]^6_4[/latex] (.pdf, .docx, .mscz of score). Includes unfigured bass exercises and analysis.
Diatonic Harmony, Tonicization, and Modulation 48 Prolonging Tonic at Phrase Beginnings with V6 and Inverted V7s

  1. Prolonging Tonic at Phrase Beginnings with V6 and Inverted V7 (.pdf, .docx). Asks students to write from Roman numerals and figures and complete a guided analysis. Download score.
Diatonic Harmony, Tonicization, and Modulation 49 Performing Harmonic Analysis Using the Phrase Model

  1. Performing Harmonic Analysis Using the Phrase Model (.pdf, .docx). Asks students to analyze three short excerpts.
Diatonic Harmony, Tonicization, and Modulation 50 Prolongation at Phrase Beginnings using the Leading-tone Chord

  1. Prolongation at Phrase Beginnings using the Leading-tone Chord (.pdf, .docx). Asks students to write from Roman numerals, complete analysis, and realize figured bass.
Diatonic Harmony, Tonicization, and Modulation 51 6/4 chords as forms of prolongation

  1. [latex]^6_4[/latex] chords as forms of prolongation (.pdf, .docx). Asks students to review previous concepts, write from Roman numerals, write from figures, and analyze excerpts.
Diatonic Harmony, Tonicization, and Modulation 52 Plagal Motion as a Form of Prolongation

  1. Plagal Motion as a Form of Prolongation (.pdf, .docx). Asks students to identify bass lines and analyze an excerpt. Download audio (.mscz).
Diatonic Harmony, Tonicization, and Modulation 53 La (scale degree 6) in the bass at beginnings, middles, and endings

  1. La [latex](\hat6)[/latex] in the bass at beginnings, middles, and endings (.pdf, .docx). Asks students to analyze bass lines, write from figures and Roman numerals, harmonize an unfigured bass, and analyze an excerpt.
Diatonic Harmony, Tonicization, and Modulation 54 Mi (scale degree 3) in the bass at beginnings

  1. Mi [latex](\hat3)[/latex] in the bass at beginnings (.pdf, .docx). Asks students to realize unfigured bass, analyze, and do a transcription with analysis.
Diatonic Harmony, Tonicization, and Modulation 55 Predominant Seventh Chords

  1. Pre-dominant Seventh Chords (.pdf, .docx). Asks students to realize figured bass and analyze.
Diatonic Harmony, Tonicization, and Modulation 56 Tonicization

  1. Applied chords worksheet (.pdf, .mscx). Asks students to identify and write applied V, V7, viio, viio7, and viiø7 chords.
  2. Applied chords worksheet without ø7s (.pdf). Asks students to identify and write applied V, V7, viio, and viio7 chords.
  3. All applied chords (.pdf, .docx). Asks students to write from Roman numerals and figured bass, a longer figured bass, and analyze a complete piece with discussion questions.
Diatonic Harmony, Tonicization, and Modulation 57 Extended Tonicization and Modulation to Closely Related Keys

  1. Extended Tonicization and Modulation to Closely Related Keys (.pdf, .docx). Asks students to review tonicization, identify closely-related keys and pivot chords, analyze, and create a modulating progression.
Chromaticism 58 Modal Mixture

  1. Modal Mixture Assignment (.pdf, .docx). Includes spelling, figured bass realization, 4-part voice-leading with Roman numerals, and analysis of musical excerpt. Access audio.
Chromaticism 59 Neapolitan 6th (♭II6)

  1. Neapolitan 6ths (.pdf, .docx). Asks students to spell [latex]\textrm{\flat II^6}[/latex], realize figured bass, write 4-part voice-leading with Roman numerals, and analyze a musical excerpt.
Chromaticism 60 Augmented Sixth Chords

  1. Augmented Sixth Chords (.pdf, .docx.) Asks students to spell augmented sixth chords, realize figured bass, write 4-part voice-leading with Roman numerals, and analyze a musical excerpt. Audio 1 - Frederic Chopin, Audio 2 - Scott Joplin (excerpt starts at 0:56).
Chromaticism 61 Common-Tone Chords (CTº7 & CT+6)

  1. Common-Tone Chords (.pdf, .docx.) Asks students to spell common tone chords, realize figured bass, complete 4-part voice leading with Roman numerals, and analyze a musical excerpt. Access audio (excerpt begins at 0:25).
Chromaticism 62 Harmonic Elision

  1. Harmonic Elision (.pdf, .docx.) Asks students to spell chords, realize figured bass, write 4-part voice leading with Roman numerals, and analyze a musical excerpt.
Chromaticism 63 Reinterpreting Augmented-Sixth Chords

  1. Coming soon!
Chromaticism 64 Reinterpreting Diminished-Seventh Chords

  1. Coming soon!
Chromaticism 65 Augmented Options

  1. Coming soon!
Chromaticism 66 Equal Divisions of the Octave

  1. Coming soon!
Chromaticism 67 Chromatic Sequences

  1. Coming soon!
Chromaticism 68 Parallel Chromatic Sequences

  1. Coming soon!
Chromaticism 69 The Omnibus Progression

  1. Coming soon!
Chromaticism 70 Altered and Extended Dominant Chords

  1. Coming soon!
Chromaticism 71 Neo-Riemannian Triadic Progressions

  1. Worksheet on Neo-Riemannian Transformations (.pdf, .mscx, .musicxml). Asks students to perform , , , SLIDE, , and on individual triads, to realize chains of transformations, and find a transformation chain to connect two chords.
Jazz 72 Swing rhythms

  1. Swing Rhythms video (.pdf, .mscx). Asks students to make a video with a partner performing idiomatic swing rhythms. Download backing track
  2. Jazz Rhythms by Jamey Aebersold. Make a recording in which you perform these rhythms. Pick three rhythms that create syncopation in different ways, and explain how the beat is obscured to create syncopation (through ties? rests? etc.).
Jazz 73 Lead sheet symbols

  1. Lead sheet symbols basics worksheet (.pdf, .mscz). Asks students to identify and write triads and seventh chords with lead sheet symbols.
  2. Lead sheet symbols with extensions (.pdf, .mscz). Asks students to identify and write extended chords with lead sheet symbols.
Jazz 74 Jazz voicings

  1. Voicing worksheet (.pdf, .mscz). Asks students to identify common voice leading patterns in a voiced jazz texture, and asks students to write voiced chord progressions with good voice leading.
Jazz 75 ii–V–I
Jazz 76 Embellishing chords

  1. Swing-style composition (.pdf, .docx). Asks students to build on knowledge of swing rhythms, ii–V–I, embellishing chords, and substitutions to create a composition in a bebop style.

    • Complete instructions + template (.pdf)
    • Template for lead sheet (.pdf, .mscz)
    • Template for voicings (.pdf, .mscz)
Jazz 77 Substitutions

  1. Bebop composition (.pdf, .docx). Asks students to build on knowledge of swing rhythms, ii–V–I, embellishing chords, and substitutions to create a composition in a bebop style.

    • Complete instructions + template (.pdf)
    • Template for lead sheet (.pdf, .mscz)
    • Template for voicings (.pdf, .mscz)
Jazz 78 Chord-Scale Theory
Jazz 79 Blues harmony

  1. Worksheet on 12-bar blues (.pdf, .mscz). Asks students to write basic and jazz 12-bar blues progressions, voiced and unvoiced, and to analyze altered blues progressions. Worksheet playlist
Jazz 80 Blues melodies and the blues scale

  1. Blues scales worksheet (.pdf, .mscz). Asks students to spell scales and transcribe a melody that uses the blues scale. Worksheet playlist
  2. Improvising with the blues scale (.pdf, .mscz). Video assignment. Asks students to pair off and create videos with call-and-response improvisation. Backing track available here.
  3. Blues composition (.pdf, .docx). Asks students to synthesize information about blues harmony and blues melody.
Popular Music 81 Rhythm and Meter in Pop Music

  1. Transcribing rhythms worksheet (.pdf). Asks students to transcribe and identify straight syncopations as well as tresillo rhythms in “Sorry” by Beyoncé (2016).
Popular Music 82 Melody and phrasing

  1. Worksheet on Section Structures (.pdf, .docx).
Popular Music 83 Introduction to Form in Popular Music
Popular Music 84 AABA form and strophic form
Popular Music 85 Verse-chorus form

  1. Pop Music Form — The Shape of Music Around You (.pdf). Writing assignment which students to find songs on their own; identify them as strophic, AABA, or verse-chorus; name the sections of the song; and justify their analyses using form vocabulary.
  2. Listening to Pop Forms (.pdf, .docx). This worksheet uses two unusual verse-chorus form songs to challenge students’ analytical abilities. Uses Audacity to have students mark the form of .mp3s. Purchase “Terrified” and purchase “Broken Clocks” as .mp3s.
Popular Music 86 Introduction to Harmonic Schemas in Pop Music
Popular Music 87 Blues-based schemas

  1. Listening for blues-based schemas (.pdf, .docx). Asks students to identify blues-based schemas, their use, and any variations in three pop songs. Worksheet playlist
Popular Music 88 4-chord schemas

  1. Identifying Four-Chord Schemas (.pdf, .docx). Students must identify which schema is used in a number of songs, each of which clearly presents the schema. Spotify playlist
  2. Variations on Four-Chord Schemas (.pdf, .docx). Using songs that put slight variations on the schemas discussed in this chapter, asks students to identify schemas and variations on the schemas. Spotify playlist
Popular Music 89 Classical schemas (in a pop context)

  1. Worksheet on classical schemas (.pdf, .docx). Asks students to identify the chord progressions of various songs that use classical schemas. Worksheet playlist
Popular Music 90 Puff schemas

  1. Puff schemas (.pdf, .docx). Asks students to identify the chord progressions of various songs that use the puff schema. Worksheet playlist
Popular Music 91 Modal schemas

  1. Identifying Modal Schemas (.docx, .pdf). Ask students to aurally identify various modal schemas. Spotify playlist
  2. Modal reharmonization composition project (.mscx, .musicxml, .pdf). Asks students to reharmonize Rihanna’s “Desperado” (2016) with modal schemas.
Popular Music 92 Pentatonic harmony

  1. Coming soon!
Popular Music 93 Fragile, Absent, and Emergent Tonics

  1. Coming soon!
20th- and 21st-Century Techniques 94 Pitch and pitch class

  1. Coming soon!
20th- and 21st-Century Techniques 95 Intervals in Integer Notation

  1. Intervals (.pdf, .docx). Asks students to identify interval types (integer notation) within pieces of music. Worksheet playlist
20th- and 21st-Century Techniques 96 Pitch Class Sets, Normal Order, and Transformations

  1. Worksheet on normal form and transformations (.pdf, .docx). Asks students to calculate normal form of various sets, and to calculate Tn/In relationships in “Nacht” by Arnold Schoenberg.
  2. Composition prep worksheet (.pdf, .docx). Prepares students for the set class composition by asking them to find sets and transformations.
20th- and 21st-Century Techniques 97 Set Class and Prime Form

  1. Set Class Composition prep worksheet (.pdf, .docx). Prepares students for the set class composition by asking them to find sets and transformations.
  2. Set Class Composition (.pdf, .docx). Builds on the prep worksheet. Asks students to compose and analyze a 24-bar ABA form piece for unaccompanied solo instrument using set classes.
20th- and 21st-Century Techniques 98 Interval Class Vectors

  1. Coming soon!
20th- and 21st-Century Techniques 99 Analyzing with Set Theory (or not!)

  1. Guided analysis of “Wie bin ich Froh!” by Anton Webern (.pdf, .docx). Recording
  2. Segmentation worksheet (.pdf, .docx). Asks students to justify the given segmentations by explaining what the grouped pitches have in common.
  3. Atonal analysis using pc sets (.pdf, .mscx). Open-ended prompt asks students to use set theory to analyze an excerpt.
20th- and 21st-Century Techniques 100 Diatonic Modes

  1. Identifying modes (.pdf, .mscz). Asks students to identify 20th-c. modes versus major/minor, circle inflected pitches, and explain how a pitch center is articulated. Music examples are transcribed from the TV show Great British Bake Off (music by Tom Howe, © Accorder Music Publishing, used with permission). Worksheet playlist
  2. Additional beginner’s worksheets can be found in Introduction to Diatonic Modes and the Chromatic “Scale.”
20th- and 21st-Century Techniques 101 Collections

  1. Coming soon!
20th- and 21st-Century Techniques 102 Analyzing with Modes, Scales, and Collections

  1. Coming soon!
Twelve-Tone Music 103 Basics of Twelve-Tone Theory

  1. Coming soon!
Twelve-Tone Music 104 Naming Conventions for Rows

  1. Coming soon!
Twelve-Tone Music 105 Row Properties

  1. Coming soon!
Twelve-Tone Music 106 Analysis Examples – Webern op. 21 and 24
Twelve-Tone Music 107 Composing with twelve tones

  1. Try your hand at something similar to the above:

    • Pick one or more row/s that appeals to you.
    • Compose some music with those properties in mind
    • Think about balancing strict constraints with free writing.

    Don’t be shy. Whether or not you think of yourself as ‘a composer’, it’s always useful to ‘learn by doing’ and composition is a great case in point.
Twelve-Tone Music 108 History and Context of Serialism
Orchestration 109 Core Principles of Orchestration

  1. Coming soon!
Orchestration 110 Subtle color changes

  1. Coming soon!
Orchestration 111 Transcription from piano

  1. Coming soon!

License

Icon for the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

OPEN MUSIC THEORY by Kyle Gullings is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

Share This Book