End of the Quarter!

Greetings Everyone,

This was a great class. I really enjoyed it and I hope you all got something out of it. It was my first time teaching it so I was caught a little off guard but I think we all did quite well especially with the tools we had.

By the way, everyone got this one wrong so here it is:

Cross-rhythm

You have to start with

duple   a binary (duple) division of the basic meter (not the pulse)    i.e.   2/4

triple    an tertiary (triple) division of the meter (not the pulse)                    3/4

Additive:    adding a binary and a tertiary together as a linear meter to create an irregular meter (2 + 3)   i.e.    123   123  12 12 12   (two 3's followed by 3 2's. for a total of 12. Could be written in 12/8)


Now, a Cross-rhythm  is when one percussion section is playing in duple, and the other in tripe, at the same time. They take their cues from a "clave" ( of one kind or another, that's the Afro-Cuban name for it) that keeps the basic pulse and suggests where thee threes and the twos can be played on.

So it's not 3 plus 2, it's 3 AGAINST or OVER 2 (or visa versa)

It's not just two different rhythms played at the same time. That's just random. It's a very precise and a very sophisticated use of rhythm and it is characteristic of Sub-Saharan music, especially the sacred possession music.

HAVE A GREAT SUMMER!

Assignment Week 10

Greetings class. Hopefully you received the emails I sent out. As you know I am in Timbuk3 with a disabled vehicle. There is a group of  odd looking Star Wars "scavs" swarming all over my RV hopefully fixing it and not scavenging parts from it.

Go to the Terminology Tab.

Write at least 3 sentences to define, in your own words each term on the page. 

This will constitute part of your final exam and it is due this Wednesday, June 10th before class. That is, no later than 10:45 AM. Send it via email to the class email- not the Art Institute email.

On the day of the final we have additional terms. But this will shorten the Final Exam somewhat. 

For those of you who have consistently failed to deliver any chord progression work in class, this Wednesday and next Monday are your last opportunities. If you don't make any contributions to the class and demonstrate that you're at least on the same page with the rest of us, you're going to have a tough time passing the class. It is doubtful that the Final will pull you out.

Take advantage and do the assignment in class today and work on your progressions.

If you have extra time:

Practice with a partner hearing intervals and triads. One of you play the interval and triad while the other tries to identify them. Go to the Ear Training tab to make sure you cover what you'll have on the Final.

Remember that you also need to be able to take a simple melody and write that same melody in both duple and triple time signatures. Play around with it and make sure it makes sense to you. Create a very simple melody line and write it in both meters. It's a great exercise in musicality.

The Quarter's Final Stretch

Here is how the remaining two weeks will unfold:


Today, we will go through a few more student projects in progress.

The project we started is this:


Write your own melody and bass line.

Harmonize that bass/melody line any way you choose. 

• Make it in 4/4
• Make between 6 and 12 measures long
• Make it in a minor, or a harmonic minor, and if you choose to: modulate into the parallel Major (A Major)
• Make sure and include the following items at least one time:
• III+
• ii dim or vii dim
• V/V
• V7
• 2, 9. 4, suspension

By the end of the 11th week, the above should be well worked out, all 12 measures.

You will then re-write the 12 measures in 6/8 or 3/4 time. This will be an exercise in understanding rhythmic notation.

We will cover rhythmic notation in more depth in week 10.

On the last day of class, June 17th, you will come to class and turn in the above project. 

You will turn it in as you are called up for a 

Brief Ear Training Test.

 Very simple test, just look at the page on the blog to see what will be covered.

You will also turn in a very brief 

Terminology Quiz

The quiz will be on the board so you can just answer it on the back of your project.

The above will constitute your grade for the quarter!