Music Theory at Your Fingertips

"Music Theory at Your Fingertips" is an innovative online course series designed to demystify the complexities of music theory and enhance your musical abilities. This first course in the series, offered by UMontrealX, is an advanced-level program that focuses on the fundamental aspects of music theory, including pitch, note names, accidentals, and intervals. Whether you're an aspiring musician, a passionate hobbyist, or preparing for admission to a pre-university or university music program, this course will provide you with a solid foundation in music theory that will elevate your musical understanding and performance.

What students will learn from the course:

  • Comprehensive understanding of music theory fundamentals
  • Proficiency in reading and writing musical notation
  • Enhanced skills in music composition and performance
  • Deep knowledge of intervals and their relationships
  • Improved ability to analyze and interpret musical scores

Pre-requisites or skills necessary to complete the course:

While no specific prerequisites are required, this course is designed for individuals who are passionate about music and have some basic musical experience, whether through playing an instrument, singing, or composing. A strong interest in understanding the mechanics and structure of music is essential.

What the course will cover:

  • The staff and clefs
  • Note names and pitch recognition
  • Accidentals and alterations
  • Diatonic and chromatic semitones
  • Intervals: names, qualities, and relationships
  • Redoubled and reversed intervals
  • Introduction to tonality and scales

Who this course is for:

  • Aspiring musicians preparing for pre-university or university music programs
  • Amateur musicians looking to enhance their theoretical knowledge
  • Composers seeking to expand their understanding of music structure
  • Music enthusiasts wanting to deepen their appreciation of music theory
  • Students of jazz and classical performance

How learners can use these skills in the real world:

  • Improved sight-reading abilities for performers
  • Enhanced composition techniques for songwriters and composers
  • Better understanding of music structure for producers and arrangers
  • Increased ability to analyze and appreciate complex musical pieces
  • Stronger foundation for further studies in music education or performance
  • Improved communication with other musicians using standard music terminology

Syllabus:

Module 1:
  1. The name of the notes
  2. The staff
  3. Clefs
  4. The register
Module 2:
  1. The semitone
  2. Alterations
  3. Double accidentals
  4. The diatonic and chromatic semitone
Module 3:
  1. The intervals
  2. The name of the intervals
  3. The quality of intervals
  4. The redoubled intervals
  5. Reversed intervals

This comprehensive online music theory course offers a unique opportunity to master the language of music through an engaging and accessible MOOC format. By focusing on essential elements such as music-software-programs, tonal-music, and ensemble-playing, students will gain a deeper understanding of music theory and its practical applications. The course's emphasis on note-names, intervals, tonality, and rhythmic-writing will provide learners with the tools needed to excel in music composition, performance, and analysis. Don't miss this chance to take your musical journey to the next level with "Music Theory at Your Fingertips"!