DRAKE UNIVERSITY COURSE SYLLABUS

FALL SEMESTER 2017

Fundamentals of Music
MUS 011-01

Instructor: Dr. Leslie Marrs Class Day and Time: TR 2-3:20pm

Phone: 271-2808 Room: 204
Email: leslie.marrs@drake.edu Credits: 3
Office: FAC 426
Office Hours: Mon. 9:30-10:30am and 11 am –noon, Tues. 9-11 am, Thurs. 11 am – noon, and
by appointment.

Course Description: This course is designed for non-music majors. The scope of the class entails a
study of the rudiments of music: pitch reading, rhythmic notation, scales, key signatures, intervals, triads
and other chords, and basic auditory skills. The class will be interactive in order to facilitate a “hands on”
approach to utilizing the information learned.

Prerequisites: None

Specific Objectives: By the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to
1. Understand musical concepts of rhythm, meter, pitch, melody, harmony, and basic forms
2. Notate pitches and rhythms accurately
3. Be able to perform rhythms organized metrically
4. Distinguish between major and minor modes, written and aurally
5. Sing intervals and simple melodies
6. Recognize intervals aurally
7. Understand chords and concepts pertaining to simple harmonization and organization of
melodies, including text/lyrics coordinated metrically

Attendance: Attendance is required for all project presentations. Emergency situations, absences for
religious observances or school activities will be considered excused only by prior consent of the
instructor. The same policy applies to handing in assignments. *Note: It is the students responsibility to
stay current with the class if s/he misses one or more days: all assignments must be turned in on time;
tests must be taken in a timely manner if that is the day missed; study any material covered in class.

Required Texts and Materials:

1. Houlahan, Mícheál and Tacka, Philip. From Sound to Symbol: Fundamentals of Music. NY: Oxford
University Press, 2012. ISBN 978-0-19-975191-4
**This is a textbook that includes worksheets. We will use these worksheets for classroom work as well
as homework. Therefore, you must make sure that your book contains every page (vii-xix and 1-508)
prior to purchase of your copy. I cannot be responsible for providing missing pages to class members.
2. Marrs, Leslie. Supplementary Materials for MUS 11 – available in class and online.
3. Recorders: handed out after the 1st withdrawal date. Bring this to all classes, as rhythm may be
covered at any time. Keep track of the case, recorder, and fingering chart. There is a $2 charge for lot
recorders.
http://mashable.com/2017/06/06/kid-loses-recorder-performs-anyway/#zC5PAH7REPq8
4. Staff paper: available at music stores, or obtain from www.blanksheetmusic.net. You will need this
material when taking notes in class, and when finishing certain assignments.

1
Grading:
A: 92-100 Class Participation: 20%
B: 83-91 Quizzes: 20%
C: 75-82 Assignments, Homework: 30%
D: 67-74 Mid-Term Project: 15%
F: 66 and below Final Project: 15%

For assignments with a letter grade only, the following scale applies: A+=24, A=23, A-=22, B+21, B=20,
B-=19, C+=18, C=17, C-=16, D+=15, D=14, D-=13, F=0.
Work MUST be done in pencil. Work done in pen will not be accepted.
***Musical Theater Students only: You will take rhythm tests as part of your grade: clapping and
counting as well as rhythm dictation. These tests will be taken outside class and be part of your overall
test grade.***

Blackboard:
Blackboard will be the primary means of communication for this class. Email will be sent from this
system, so be certain that your Drake email account is properly activated. The syllabus and links will be
posted on this site; check announcements for pertinent information. In addition, you will be able to
access your own grades from the grade book in Blackboard.

Student Rights and Responsibilities:

1. If you have a disability and require academic accommodations for this course, I will be happy to work
with you in this situation. You must notify me prior to the date of the activity (test, project, etc.) to
receive full consideration. Please refer to the Drake University Catalog and to
http://www.drake.edu/sds/students.html for information concerning your rights and responsibilities as a
Drake student. Contact Michelle Laughlin, Director of Student Disability Services at 271-1835 or
michelle.laughlin@drake.edu.
2. Academic dishonesty in any form will not be tolerated in this class. A grade of zero will be assigned
to any test, assignment, or project that has been copied from another’s work, inappropriately shared work
(any group projects by definition consist of shared work), and any misrepresentation of someone else’s
ideas as your own. Repeated violations will result in an “F” in the course. See the Drake Student
Handbook and the statement in the Arts and Sciences website
(http://www.drake.edu/artsci/as/acadregs.html) for further clarification.

General Class Schedule

We move ahead more quickly or more slowly in some areas, depending on comprehension of certain
concepts. The dates below are likely to be correct, but may change. I will notify you of any changes. If
you miss class, you are still responsible for schedule changes.

Homework is always due the next class period at the beginning of class, except Homework #1; this is
due 2 class periods later (Tues. September 5th).

WEEK 1: Aug. 29-31

8/9: syllabus and class introductions; HW #1 assigned; Begin Section 1 (as time allows): the grand staff,
etc.
8/31: The Code: Introduction to basic musical concepts. Rhythmic concepts: Chapter 1: pp 7-23, Ex.
1.1-1.6, Chapter 3: pp 72-74, concentrating on the counting system using Numbers, Ex. 3.1-3.9;
Pitch concepts: Chapter 2: pp 42-top of p 50, Ex. 2.1-2.11; pp 50-53, 55, Ex. 2.12-2.18
9/1: Last day to add a class

2
WEEK 2: Sept. 5-7
9/5: Distribution of Recorders!
Ties and repeat signs: Chapter 1: pp 23-24, with Ex. 1.9-1.12; Rhythm, Chapter 1: Ex. 1.13-1.17,
Chapter 3: pp 75-88, Ex. 3.10-3.13; HW #2 Note: HW #2 will use your haiku from HW #1.
9/7: Chapter 2, Ex. 2.19-2.20; Chapter 3, Ex. 3.14-3.15; dynamics/intensity indications

WEEK 3: Sept. 12-14

9/11: Last day to drop a class without a “W”
9/12: Chapter 3: Ex. 3.20-3.24, Ex. 3.16-3.19; Chapter 2, Ex. 2.21; end Section 1; HW #3
9/14: Begin Section 2: Chapter 4: pp 111-133 Intro to Major Scales; Rhythm: Chapter 7: 218-233
compound meter, Ex. 7.1-7.3; Chapter 6: 184-188, 190 Intro to Intervals; Review concept of half steps
and whole steps, Ex. 6.1 -6.12

WEEK 4: Sept. 19-21 ***Mid-term project groups assigned

9/19: **Hand out Mid-Term Guidelines; determine what kind of group in which you wish to perform
Major Scales Complete: Chapter 5: pp 147-153, Ex. 5.1; Chapter 7, Ex. 7.11-7.12; Ex. 7.4-7.10,
9/21: Chapter 7: Ex. 7.4-7.10 if need be, Chapter 6: Ex. 6.3-6.4, 6.5, Chapter 5, Ex. 5.4

WEEK 5: Sept. 26-28 ***Begin group meetings for mid-term projects – determine instruments, start
composing; also, meetings with me absolutely need to begin
9/26: Chapter 5, Ex. 5.8; Chapter 6, Ex. 6.6; HW #4
9/28: Chapter 5, Ex. 5.6-5.7, 5.9, Ex. 5.11 (5.12); starting to wrap up section 2

WEEK 6: Oct. 3-5 ***Meetings for mid-term projects; you should be in rehearsing!
10/3: completing section 2, HW #5; Begin Section 3: Rhythm: Chapters 3 and 7 – do more
complicated subdivisions and dotted rhythms in simple and compound meters)
10/5: Chapter 6: pp 194-200, 209-215 Interval Review and Compound Intervals; Chapter 8 – the
Natural Minor scale; Minor Scales Chapter 9: 2 more forms of the minor scale: Harmonic and Melodic;
Chapter 7 pp222, 225-233 and handouts more complex rhythms in compound meter
 Final written copy of mid-term project DUE

WEEK 7: Oct. 10-12

10/10: NO CLASS
10/12: Mid-term projects performed!
Following a MUS 11 Idol voting break – Concept of relative major and minor scales vs. parallel major
and minor scales, singing in minor;

WEEK 8: Oct. 17-19

10/17: Fall Break – NO CLASS
10/19: Chapter 12: pp 480-483 introduction to form; pp 478-479 optional reading; Rhythm: varying
subdivisions of the beat – including dotted subdivisions, cont.; Review of minor scales, intervals, solfege
in minor, simple and compound meters; Introduction to form: Chapter 7 pp 481-482 and handouts –
antecedent and consequent, Dotted Rhythm work, Dotted Rhythm Work, HW #6 (includes phrase
construction)

WEEK 9: Oct. 24-26

10/24: Intervals – a closer look, dotted rhythms, ear training
10/25: Last day to drop a class
10/26: Wrap up section 3 – all materials, concepts of parallel and contrasting phrases, HW 7

3
WEEK 10: Oct. 31-Nov. 2
10/31: Begin Section 4: Chapter 3: Syncopation, pp 89-92, 109-110; Chapter 10; triads pp 387-393;
handouts Chapter 11: 3 Primary Chords pp 419-432 and handouts; Ear training add major vs. minor
triads
11/2: Rhythm Book more with syncopation; Chapter 10 Roman Numerals and Commercial Chord
Symbols  chords in major scales, pp 393-400; Articulations: more specific, yet common designations
– handouts; handouts; more with syncopation; Ear Training intervals and triads

WEEK 11: Nov. 7-9

11/7: Chapter 10 Roman Numerals and Commercial Chord Symbols  chords in minor scales, close
and open position chords pp 396-397; Syncopation in simple and compound meters; ear training; hand out
Final Project Guidelines
11/9: Chapter 10 chord inversions – labeling with Commercial Chord Symbols; Chapter 11: begin
discussing the 3 primary chords in terms of harmonizing melodies syncopation; ear training; HW #8

WEEK 12: Nov. 14-16

11/14: Continued ear training, Articulation, finish chords in scales (terminology, questions Chap. 11 pp
419-432); HW #9; end Section 4
11/16: Begin Section 5: Chapter 7 triplets and tuplets, pp 233-236, Chapter 11 begin chord
progressions, pp 437-440, handouts; Chapter 12 phrase structure and cadences pp 480-484; cadences pp
433-435 and handouts

WEEK 13: Nov. 21-23

11/21: Chapter 10 Most common 7th chords pp 401-402; Handouts 7th chords in scales with Roman
Numerals and Commercial Chord Symbols; adding harmony based on given Commercial Chord Symbols
(Chapters 11 and 12, potential for other folk tune handout)
11/23: Thanksgiving break: NO CLASS

WEEK 14: Nov. 28-30

11/28: Pachelbel Canon and Andalusian (circular) Progressions; Chapter 11 more with chord
progressions, pp 437-440, handouts; Chapter 12 Harmony and melody combined – choosing chords
based on melody, adding harmony with cadences to a melody pp 484-486; ear training; rhythm; HW #10
11/30: Chapter 11 cadences pp 433-435 and handouts, as well as non-chord tones pp 436-437; Chapter
12 phrase structure and cadences pp 480-484; continued rhythm and ear training work; Analyzing existing
basic melodies and creating your own using harmonic knowledge; combining lyrics and rhythm; More
with 7th chords Final project rough draft DUE

WEEK 15: Dec. 5-7

12/5: Chapter 12 Continued work on basic harmonization (block chords); ear training; Rhythm recap;
comb over aspects of melodic writing and implementing harmony and using that harmony to create an
accompaniment; field questions on final projects; field questions on final projects; HW #11
12/7: Final project DUE; field questions on materials covered in section 5 – class asks and
answers; Aural quizzing on materials covered this semester; end Section 5

FINALS WEEK: The date and time for the final exam (final projects) is Tuesday, December 12th,
from 7:30 – 9:20 am. Plan on being there; make your travel plans accordingly.

Students in this Smith College program receive a certificate of failure that reads:
"You are hereby authorized to screw up, bomb or fail at one or more
relationships, hookups, friendships, texts, exams, extra-curriculars or any
other choices associated with college ... and still be a totally worthy,
utterly excellent human."