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: August 1, 2023 11:46 pm

Book order Part Chapter Assignments
1 I. Fundamentals Introduction to Western Musical Notation

  1. Inventing a Notation System (.pdf, .docx); Rubric (.pdf, .docx)
2 I. Fundamentals Notation of Notes, Clefs, and Ledger Lines

  1. Writing Noteheads, Clefs, and Ledger Lines (.pdf, .docx)
3 I. Fundamentals Reading Clefs

  1. Writing and Identifying Notes Assignment #1 (.pdf, .mscx)
  2. Writing and Identifying Notes Assignment #2 (.pdf, .mscx)
4 I. Fundamentals 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 I. Fundamentals Half Steps, 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)
6 I. Fundamentals American Standard Pitch Notation (ASPN)

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

  1. Dynamics, Articulations, Tempi, Stylistic Periods, Structural Features (.pdf, .docx)
8 I. Fundamentals Notating Rhythm

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

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

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

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

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

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

  1. Writing Modes Assignment #1 (.pdf, .mscx)
  2. Writing Modes Assignment #2 (.pdf, .mscx)
  3. Writing Chromatic “Scales” Assignment #1 (.pdf, .mscx)
  4. Writing Chromatic “Scales” Assignment #2 (.pdf, .mscx)
15 I. Fundamentals Intervals

  1. Writing and Identifying Intervals Assignment #1 (.pdf, .mcsz)
  2. Writing and Identifying Intervals Assignment #2 (.pdf, .mcsz)
  3. Writing and Identifying Intervals Assignment #3 (.pdf, .mcsz)
16 I. Fundamentals Triads

  1. Triads Assignment #1 (.pdf, .mcsz)
  2. Triads Assignment #2 (.pdf, .mcsz)
  3. Triads Assignment #3 (.pdf, .mcsz)
17 I. Fundamentals Seventh Chords

  1. Seventh Chords Assignment #1 (.pdf, .mcsz)
  2. Seventh Chords Assignment #2 (.pdf, .mcsz)
  3. Seventh Chords Assignment #3 (.pdf, .mcsz)
18 I. Fundamentals Inversion and Figured Bass

  1. Triadic Inversions (.pdf, .mcsz)
  2. Seventh Chord Inversions (.pdf, .mcsz)
19 I. Fundamentals Roman Numerals and SATB Chord Construction
20 I. Fundamentals Texture

  1. Identifying Textures (.pdf, .docx) Worksheet playlist
21 II. Counterpoint and Galant Schemas 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.
  3. For the complete set of Fux exercises, see the Gradus ad Parnassum chapter.
22 II. Counterpoint and Galant Schemas First-Species Counterpoint

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

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

  1. Third-Species Counterpoint A (.pdf, .mscx). Asks students to compose a third-species example and do error detection.
  2. Third-Species Counterpoint B (.pdf, .mscx). Asks students to compose a third-species example and do error detection.
  3. For the complete set of Fux exercises, see the Gradus ad Parnassum chapter.
25 II. Counterpoint and Galant Schemas Fourth-Species Counterpoint

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

  1. For the complete set of Fux exercises, see the Gradus ad Parnassum chapter.
27 II. Counterpoint and Galant Schemas Gradus ad Parnassum Exercises
28 II. Counterpoint and Galant Schemas 16th-Century Contrapuntal Style

  1. Imitative writing in the 16th-century contrapuntal style. These exercises provide at least one complete part for reference, and one part with missing passages to complete in a suitable style. Original note values are used, with modern time signatures for those values ([latex]\mathbf{^4_2}[/latex]), some editorial accidentals (), and only G and F clefs.

    • Lassus: Benedictus from the Missa Venatorum. 2 voices. .mscz, .pdf
    • Lassus: Bicinum IV. 2 voices. .mscz, .pdf
    • Palestrina: Benedictus from the Missa Brevis. 3 voices. .mscz, .pdf
    • Palestrina: Surge Propera a 4 (excerpt). 4 voices. .mscz, .pdf
29 II. Counterpoint and Galant Schemas 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, and locate each voice’s entry and the end of the exposition.
  3. Try 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 staff 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 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.
30 II. Counterpoint and Galant Schemas Ground Bass

  1. A simple, predominantly diatonic harmonization of the ground, with simple block 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 (and refer back to the Purcell analysis above for ideas!).
  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 six iterations of the ground, of which the first and last are simple and alike?
31 II. Counterpoint and Galant Schemas Galant Schemas – Summary
32 II. Counterpoint and Galant Schemas Galant schemas – The Rule of the Octave and Harmonizing the Scale with Sequences

  1. Begin by playing through these examples from the files provided, preferably in a range of different keys. (Note: As mentioned above, you can transpose scores in MuseScore with the Notes menu: Notes/Transpose).
  2. See if you can memorize the patterns. Test yourself by:

    • writing them out on paper (start with a blank scale)
    • playing them from memory

  3. Both with the music and (when you’re ready) from memory, try embellishing these basic patterns.
33 II. Counterpoint and Galant Schemas Galant Schemas

  1. Playing: Begin by playing through these examples from the files provided, preferably in a range of different keys. (Note: you can transpose scores in MuseScore with the Notes menu: Notes/Transpose).
  2. Memorization: See if you can memorize some of these patterns. Test yourself by:

    • writing them out on paper (start with a blank scale)
    • playing them from memory

  3. Embellishment: Schemas help to structure music, but they are not really musical pieces in themselves: it takes a lot of fleshing out to get from these skeletons to real music. That being the case, try improvising embellishments of these basic patterns. Start with simple turns, passing notes and the like, then move on to more ambitious changes.
  4. Full pieces: When you’re confident with individual cases, try piecing them together, according to their usual position and ordering. Start by using templates like these:

34 III. Form Foundational Concepts for Phrase-Level Forms

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

  1. Analyzing sentences (.pdf, .docx). Asks students to compare excerpts to the archetypal sentence, provide form diagrams, and optionally, provide harmonic analysis for any given excerpt. Worksheet playlist
  2. Analyzing archetypes and unique forms (.pdf, .docx). Asks students to identify excerpts that are archetypes (periods, sentences, compond periods) or unique forms, and to diagram those that are archetypes. Optionally, students can harmonically analyze the excerpts. Worksheet playlist
  3. Composing melody-only sentences (.pdf, .mscx). Students compose four-measure sentences from a given basic idea (melody only).
  4. Composing fully realized sentences (.pdf, .mscx). Students select from a bank of basic ideas to compose an 8-measure sentence with full texture (accompaniment and melody).
36 III. Form Hybrid Phrase-Level Forms

  1. Analyzing hybrid forms (.pdf, .docx). Provides excerpts and asks students to indicate which term best describes the first and second half of each. Optional harmonic analysis included. Worksheet playlist
  2. Analyzing forms with multiple possibilities (.pdf, .docx). Asks students to identify preferred and plausible alternative interpretations for several excerpts. Also includes band music. Worksheet playlist
  3. Composing phrase-level forms (.pdf, .docx). Asks students to compose a phrase-level form given a description. Provides a basic idea bank to give students a start.
37 III. Form Expansion and Contraction at the Phrase Level

  1. Analyzing expansion techniques (.pdf, .docx). Asks students to name, segment, and label the form of excerpts and identify the location of any expansion technique(s). Optional harmonic analysis included. Worksheet playlist
  2. Analyzing multiple expansion techniques (.pdf, .docx). More complicated examples than in worksheet 1. Each excerpt is significantly expanded. Worksheet playlist
  3. Recomposing to remove expansions (.pdf, .docx). Asks students to recompose excerpts from worksheet 1 to remove the expanded portion of the archetypal form. Worksheet playlist
38 III. Form Formal Sections in General
39 III. Form Binary Form

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

  2. Guided Composition (.pdf, .docx, .mscx). 
40 III. Form 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.
41 III. Form Sonata Form

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

  1. Joseph Bologne, String Quartet, Op. 1, no. 4, ii, Rondeau (.pdf, .docx). Access score and audio.
43 IV. Diatonic Harmony, Tonicization, and Modulation 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.
44 IV. Diatonic Harmony, Tonicization, and Modulation Strengthening Endings with V7

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

  1. Strengthening Endings with Strong Predominants (.pdf, .docx). Includes part writing from Roman numerals and figures, analysis of phrase endings, and a discussion question about a number from Hamilton.
46 IV. Diatonic Harmony, Tonicization, and Modulation 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.
47 IV. Diatonic Harmony, Tonicization, and Modulation 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.
48 IV. Diatonic Harmony, Tonicization, and Modulation Prolonging Tonic at Phrase Beginnings with V6 and Inverted V7s
49 IV. Diatonic Harmony, Tonicization, and Modulation Performing Harmonic Analysis Using the Phrase Model

  1. Performing Harmonic Analysis Using the Phrase Model (.pdf, .docx). Asks students to analyze three short excerpts.
50 IV. Diatonic Harmony, Tonicization, and Modulation 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.
51 IV. Diatonic Harmony, Tonicization, and Modulation 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.
52 IV. Diatonic Harmony, Tonicization, and Modulation 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).
53 IV. Diatonic Harmony, Tonicization, and Modulation 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.
54 IV. Diatonic Harmony, Tonicization, and Modulation The Mediant Harmonizing Mi (Scale Degree 3) in the Bass

  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.
55 IV. Diatonic Harmony, Tonicization, and Modulation Predominant Seventh Chords

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

  1. Applied chords worksheet, available in three slightly different versions:

    1. Version A (.pdf, .mscx). Asks students to identify and write applied V, V7, viio, viio7, and vii∅7 chords with Roman numerals and figures.
    2. Version B—without ∅7s (.pdf, .mscz). Asks students to identify and write applied V, V7, viio, and viio7 chords with Roman numerals and figures.
    3. Version C—jazz/pop focus (.pdf, .mscz). No ∅7s or figured bass; all chords in root position. Students identify and write chord symbols in addition to notation.

  2. Tonicization Voice Leading and Score Analysis (.pdf, .docx). Asks students to write from Roman numerals and figured bass, write from a longer figured bass, and analyze a complete piece with discussion questions.
57 IV. Diatonic Harmony, Tonicization, and Modulation 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.
58 V. Chromaticism 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.
59 V. Chromaticism Neapolitan 6th (♭II6)

  1. Neapolitan Sixths (.pdf, .docx). Asks students to spell ♭II6, realize figured bass, write 4-part voice-leading with Roman numerals, and analyze a musical excerpt.
60 V. Chromaticism 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).
61 V. Chromaticism 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).
62 V. Chromaticism 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.
63 V. Chromaticism Chromatic Modulation

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

  1. Coming soon!
65 V. Chromaticism Augmented Options

  1. Head to the section on augmented chords in the Harmony Anthology chapter and pick one (or more) of the repertoire examples listed in which an analyst has identified the use of an augmented chord.

    • For that passage, make a Roman numeral analysis of the measure in question and one or two on either side (enough to establish a chord progression and some context).
    • Create one such harmonic analysis including the augmented triad provided (figure and key are given in the table).
    • If you disagree with that reading (as you may well do), then provide an alternative harmonic analysis without it.

  2. Do step 1 for several cases and identify any that seem similar to each other, and to the above. For instance, for the cases given as V+ in the anthology, are many of them similar to the chromatic passing motion in the Hensel above? Can you find any dramatic examples like the Bach? Do you see any other recurring practices not described in this chapter?
66 V. Chromaticism Equal Divisions of the Octave

  1. Coming soon!
67 V. Chromaticism Chromatic Sequences

  1. Coming soon!
68 V. Chromaticism Parallel Chromatic Sequences

  1. Coming soon!
69 V. Chromaticism The Omnibus Progression

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

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

  1. Worksheet on Neo-Riemannian Transformations (.pdf, .mscz). Asks students to perform , , , , , and on individual triads, to realize chains of transformations, and find a transformation chain to connect two chords.
  2. Composing with Neo-Riemannian Transformations (.pdf, .mscz). Asks students to use the Cube Dance and other Neo-Riemannian cycles to compose a short minimalist piano solo.
72 V. Chromaticism Mediants

  1. Harmonic analysis: analyse the first 10 measures of the Holmès example above using whichever you prefer of Roman numeral and Functional labels.
  2. Identify the type (name or grade) of mediant that Holmès keeps using.
  3. Do this step 1 analysis using the other terminological system (Roman numeral or Functional labels, which you disprefer and didn’t use before).
73 VI. Jazz Swing Rhythms

  1. Swing Rhythms video (.mscz; PDFs for C instruments, B♭ instruments, E♭ instruments, F instruments, and bass clef instruments). 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.).
74 VI. Jazz Chord Symbols

  1. Chord symbols basics worksheet (.pdf, .mscz). Asks students to identify and write triads and seventh chords with chord symbols.
  2. Chord symbols with extensions (.pdf, .mscz). Asks students to identify and write extended chords with chord symbols.
75 VI. Jazz Jazz Voicings

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

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

78 VI. Jazz Substitutions

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

79 VI. Jazz Chord-Scale Theory

  1. Coming soon!
80 VI. Jazz 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
  2. Worksheet on 12-bar blues, no jazz (.pdf, .mscz). Same as Assignment 1, but simplified: aks students to write basic 12-bar blues progressions, voiced and unvoiced, and to identify unusual chords in altered blues progressions. Worksheet playlist
81 VI. Jazz 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.
82 VII. Popular Music Rhythm and Meter in Pop Music

    1. Transcribing rhythms worksheet (.pdf, .mscz). Asks students to transcribe and identify straight syncopations as well as tresillo rhythms in “Sorry” by Beyoncé (2016). Worksheet Playlist
83 VII. Popular Music Drumbeats

  1. Drumbeats (.pdf, .mscz). Asks students to identify features of drumbeats and transcribe them. Worksheet playlist
84 VII. Popular Music Melody and Phrasing

  1. Worksheet on Section Structures (.pdf, .docx). Asks students to identify two-, three-, and four-part phrase organizations within sections. Worksheet playlist
85 VII. Popular Music Introduction to Form in Popular Music
86 VII. Popular Music AABA Form and Strophic Form

  1. AABA and Strophic Form (.pdf, .docx). Uses BriFormer web app to create form diagrams of pop songs in AABA or strophic form.
87 VII. Popular Music Verse-Chorus Form

  1. Pop Music Form—The Shape of Music Around You (.pdf). Writing assignment that asks 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. Verse-Chorus Form (.pdf, .docx). Uses BriFormer web app to create form diagrams of pop songs in verse-chorus form. One straightforward example, and one challenging example.
88 VII. Popular Music Introduction to Harmonic Schemas in Pop Music
89 VII. Popular Music 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
90 VII. Popular Music Four-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. Worksheet 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. Worksheet playlist
91 VII. Popular Music 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
92 VII. Popular Music Puff Schemas

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

  1. Identifying Modal Schemas (.docx, .pdf). Asks students to aurally identify various modal schemas. Worksheet playlist
  2. Modal reharmonization composition exercise (.mscz, .pdf). Asks students to reharmonize Rihanna’s “Desperado” (2016) with modal schemas.
94 VII. Popular Music Pentatonic Harmony

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

  1. Reharmonizing to avoid tonic (.pdf, .mscz). Asks students to reharmonize a song that uses the singer/songwriter schema to instead use fragile, absent, or emergent tonic techniques.
96 VIII. 20th- and 21st-Century Techniques Twentieth-Century Rhythmic Techniques
97 VIII. 20th- and 21st-Century Techniques Pitch and Pitch Class

  1. Pitch and pitch class (.pdf, .mscz). Asks students to translate between pitch class integers, note names, and staff notation.
98 VIII. 20th- and 21st-Century Techniques Intervals in Integer Notation

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

  1. Normal form and transformations (.pdf, .docx). Asks students to find normal form of various sets, calculate transformations of sets, and identify 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.
100 VIII. 20th- and 21st-Century Techniques 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.
101 VIII. 20th- and 21st-Century Techniques Interval-Class Vectors

  1. Worksheet on Interval-Class Vectors (.pdf, .docx). Asks students to calculate interval-class vectors for several sets.
102 VIII. 20th- and 21st-Century Techniques 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, .mscz). Open-ended prompt asks students to use set theory to analyze an excerpt. Recording
103 VIII. 20th- and 21st-Century Techniques Diatonic Modes

  1. Identifying modes (.pdf, .mscz). Asks students to identify 20th-century 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.”
104 VIII. 20th- and 21st-Century Techniques Collections

  1. Worksheet on collections (.pdf, .mscz). Asks students to spell one example of each of the collections from this chapter.
  2. Analyze Lili Boulanger’s resplendent Hymne au Soleil. Identify modes and collections used, along with related techniques. Scores can be found on IMSLP and MuseScore. Both include the original French text and an English translation in the underlay.
105 VIII. 20th- and 21st-Century Techniques Analyzing with Modes, Scales, and Collections

  1. Analyze Lili Boulanger’s resplendent Hymne au Soleil. Identify modes and collections used, along with related techniques and materials, and linking these (where you consider it appropriate) to possible “meanings” of the work. Scores can be found on IMSLP and MuseScore. Both include the original French text and an English translation in the underlay.
106 IX. Twelve-Tone Music Basics of Twelve-Tone Theory

  1. Chose any row from the Twelve-Tone Anthology that interests you and write out:

    • The row matrix with all 48 row forms (i.e., with numbers on the grid as shown above)
    • P0, R0, I0, RI0 in musical notation
107 IX. Twelve-Tone Music Naming Conventions for Rows

  1. Chose any row from the Twelve-Tone Anthology that interests you and write out the row matrix with all 48 row forms (i.e., with numbers on the grid as shown above) in each of the three ways shown above. (Then choose your favorite method and never do this again!)
108 IX. Twelve-Tone Music Row Properties

  1. Head to the Twelve-Tone Anthology and pick any row listed in the sections on derived rows (e.g., “6x Same Dyad (interval)” or “4x Same Trichord”).

    • Write out the full row in musical notation.
    • Put slur lines over each repeated segment (e.g., 4 x 3 notes in the “4x Same Trichord”).
    • Separately (e.g., below), write out those subsegments as chords.
109 IX. Twelve-Tone Music Analysis Examples – Webern Op. 21 and 24
110 IX. Twelve-Tone Music Composing with Twelve Tones

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

    • Pick one or more rows that appeal 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.
111 IX. Twelve-Tone Music History and Context of Serialism
112 X. Orchestration Core Principles of Orchestration

  1. Dovetailing: transcribe the sixteenth-notes part (piano right hand) of Louise Reichardt’s Unruhiger Schlaf (12 Gesänge, no. 6) for two clarinets, dovetailing regularly every quarter or half note. A score is available online here and for download here.
  2. Look at the extract from Hensel’s Overture in C major below. How does the combination of bassoon and ‘cello relate to topics discussed in this chapter?
113 X. Orchestration Subtle Color Changes

  1. Coming soon!
114 X. Orchestration Transcription from Piano

  1. Coming soon!
115 XI. Rhythm and Meter Notating Rhythm [crosslist]

  1. Note and Rest Values (.pdf, .docx)
  2. Dots and Ties (.pdf, .docx)
116 XI. Rhythm and Meter Simple Meter and Time Signatures [crosslist]

  1. Notes, Rests, Bar Lines (.pdf, .docx)
  2. Re-beaming (.pdf, .musx)
117 XI. Rhythm and Meter Compound Meter and Time Signatures [crosslist]

  1. Notes, Rests, Bar Lines (.pdf, .docx)
  2. Re-beaming (.pdf, .musx)
118 XI. Rhythm and Meter Other Rhythmic Essentials [crosslist]

  1. Triplets and Duplets, Hypermeter, Syncopation (.pdf, .docx) Worksheet playlist
119 XI. Rhythm and Meter Hypermeter

  1. Coming soon!
120 XI. Rhythm and Meter Metrical Dissonance

  1. Grouping Dissonance Composition Exercise (.pdf, .mscz). Asks students to compose two mini pieces with repeating motives of different lengths, creating grouping dissonance. References the and .
121 XI. Rhythm and Meter Swing Rhythms [crosslist]

  1. Swing Rhythms video (.mscz; PDFs for C instruments, B♭ instruments, E♭ instruments, F instruments, and bass clef instruments). 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.).
122 XI. Rhythm and Meter Rhythm and Meter in Pop Music [crosslist]

    1. Transcribing rhythms worksheet (.pdf, .mscz). Asks students to transcribe and identify straight syncopations as well as tresillo rhythms in “Sorry” by Beyoncé (2016). Worksheet Playlist
123 XI. Rhythm and Meter Drumbeats [crosslist]

  1. Drumbeats (.pdf, .mscz). Asks students to identify features of drumbeats and transcribe them. Worksheet playlist
124 XI. Rhythm and Meter Twentieth-Century Rhythmic Techniques [crosslist]

  1. Coming soon!

License

Icon for the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

OPEN MUSIC THEORY Copyright © 2023 by Kyle Gullings is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

Share This Book