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Music Theory for a Digital Age

Name: Music Theory for a Digital Age
Rating: 4.8 (100 reviews)

A Comprehensive College-Level Course in Music Theory for the Modern Musician

Created byMichael Hewitt

Last updated 7/2019

English

What you'll learn

Musical sound
Instrument families
How to listen to music like a professional
Music technology
Digital audio workstations (DAW's)
Musical production
Score writing software
Score templates
Playing basic rhythms
The drum set
Hand drumming traditions
Writing a drum track from scratch
Musical pitch
Pitch classes
The musical alphabet
Octaves
Pitch numbers
Concert pitch
Pitch standards
440Hz vs 432Hz
Staff notation
The regular staff
Percussion staffs
Guitar tab
Clefs
Identifying notes written upon a staff
Accidentals
Enharmonic equivalence
Octaves
Pitch numbers
Musical time
The pulse of music
Tempo
BPM
Time stretching
Note values
The piano roll
Grid resolution
Quantization
Snap to grid
Rests and their symbols
Ties
Dotted notes
The uses of musical scales
Diatonic scales
The major scale
Tones and semitones
Tonic notes
The natural minor scale
Tetrachords
The harmonic minor scale
Leading notes
The melodic minor scale
The chromatic scale
Meter
Metric patterns
The rhythmic modes
Counting to music
Time signatures
Denominations of beat
Grouping of beats
Numeration of beats
Numerators and denominators
Simple meter
Duple time
Stress and accentuation
Thesis and arsis
Alla breve time
Triple time
Common time
Compound meter
Compound duple time
Compound triple time
Compound quadruple time
Variety and balance in rhythm
Composing rhythms
How to compose a four bar rhythm
Temporal levels
Beaming
Tuplets
Duplets
Triplets
Quadruplets
Tuplet ratios
Motifs
Motific analysis of melodies
Composing rhythms using motifs
Score reading and writing
Score systems
Braces, brackets and lines
Expression marks
Articulation marks
Legato and staccato
Dynamic marks
Melodic ornaments
The key system
Harmonic mixing
Keys and keynotes
Key signatures
Sharp major keys
Flat major keys
Sharp minor keys
Flat minor keys
The circle of fifths
Musical intervals
Interval recognition
Simple and compound intervals
Interval types
Perfect and imperfect intervals
Major and minor intervals
Augmented and diminished intervals
Naming intervals
Interval quality
Perfect consonances
Imperfect consonances
Dissonances
Interval ratios
Parallel harmony
Functional harmony
Common triads
The major common triad
The minor common triad
Root position, first and second inversion
Triads of the major scale
Triads of the minor scale
Identifying triads
Roman numeral designations
Names of triads
Chord diagrams
The three primary chords
Tonic, dominant and subdominant
The dominant seventh chord
Three chord songs
Diminished and augmented triads
Secondary triads
The mediant, submediant, supertonic and leading note triads
Chord progressions
Cadences
Modulation
Musical form
Binary form
Ternary form
Rondo form
Sonata form
Verse chorus form
Key relationships
Relative major and minor keys
Parallel major and minor keys
Closely related keys
Distantly related keys
Abrupt modulation
Diatonic modulation
Pivot chords
Chromatic modulation
Secondary dominants
Analysis
Thematic analysis
Harmonic analysis
Analysing a simple piece of music

Course content

11 sections • 65 lectures • 14h 17m total length

A Brief Overview of the Course11:01
This lecture offers a brief overview of all of the topics covered by this course.
Resources12:46
This lecture shows how to obtain the resources needed to do this course.
Approach to the Study of Sound9:15
Learn how to listen in the way of industry professionals.
Of Noise and Tone16:21
This lecture will introduce you to the two main types of sound used in music. You will learn to recognize the difference between them through undertaking both a practical exercise and a fascinating and engaging research on the subject of cymatics.
Pitch and the Audio Frequency Spectrum19:47
In this lecture you will acquire a knowledge of the audio frequency spectrum, essential knowledge for anybody who wants to work in the music industry.
Intensity and the DeciBel Scale12:11
In this lecture we will explore the intensity of sound, how intensity is used in musical languages and how sound intensity is scientifically measured. Again, this is essential knowledge for everybody who wants to work in the music industry. This lecture also covers some of the health and safety implications of intensity and how to guard against our exposure to sounds of too high an intensity.
Tone Quality and Synthesis21:52
In this lecture we will explore the most enigmatic property of sound which is the quality. You will learn how to recognize instruments by their characteristic tone colours, how those relate to the sound waveform and you will explore the phenomenon of partials - a knowledge of which enables waveforms to be precisely analysed. You will then learn how synthesizers re-create these waveforms in order to generate realistic emulations of the sounds of musical instruments.

Music and Technology17:14
Technology has completely transformed how we create, produce and even listen to music. To keep pace with this progression we need a theory of music that is alert and responsive to current trends.
Music Production22:16
A knowledge of modern methods of music production using a DAW is now more or less essential for every music student. Make a great start with this lecture, where you will learn how to create three kinds of tracks along with the varied uses of the transport bar of your DAW .
Mixing12:27
Mixing is a vital part of the music production process. Learn about the mixing process in this lecture and gain some practice with mixing when you do the assignment.
Signal Processing28:27
Signal processing is one of the most exciting parts of modern musical production. Learn what is involved and how to use some of the FX devices that come with your DAW.
MIDI Sequencing16:33
When you produce music using your DAW you will be practicing MIDI sequencing. As such, a knowledge of MIDI is vital to every music producer. Learn all about it in this lecture, as well as how to download and play MIDI files using your DAW.
Score Writing Software18:02
Score writing software brings the process of writing musical scores straight into the digital age. Discover what is involved in this lecture, as well as learn how to open a MIDI file using a score writing program and play it back using the program's on-board sounds.

Feel the Beat14:42
Rhythm begins with the beat, that is ever present in all types and styles of music. This lecture encourages you to not only understand the beat,, but to develop your own personal relationship with it.
Drum Sets13:52
If you are going to write music for drums, the first lesson to learn is this: watch and listen to the professionals at work.
Hand Drums11:42
Learn about some of the great hand drumming traditions of the world in this engaging lecture.
Drum Machines and Samplers13:54
If you are going to be using your DAW for writing drum tracks, you will be using software drum machines and samplers. Find out what to expect of these in this lecture.
Write a Simple Drum Pattern10:12
Learn how to apply all of the knowledge you have acquired so far, to the writing of a simple, yet effective, drum pattern

The Musical Alphabet7:08
Learning to read and write music begins with our recognition of the letters of the musical alphabet.
Octaves16:24
Pitch is represented not just by the letters of the musical alphabet, but also by a series of numbers that enable every note in the pitch register to be precisely identified. In this lecture you will also learn how and why, many music producers are now choosing to define their own Master Tuning standards.
Staff Notation10:13
Learn how different kinds of staffs are used in this engaging lecture.
Clefs15:24
Once you know about clefs you then have the keys to reading music written upon the staff. In this lecture you will learn how to identify and play any note that is written upon a staff.
Sharps and Flats9:58
In this lecture you will learn the uses of sharps and flats, along with how to read and write them.

Music: A Time Art10:47
In this lecture we will consider the implications of music as an art that unfolds in and through time. So unfolding, musical time is then created with all of its parameters and aspects.
Tempo18:24
Tempo concerns the speed or pace at which we perceive the music to be unfolding. Learn how to read the terms, signs and symbols by which the tempo of music is represented. Also learn how to set the tempo in various applications.
Note Values21:22
Here you will learn to read the signs and symbols used to represent time values. These will then take your score reading abilities to the next level.
Musical Time and the Piano Roll6:34
An understanding of note values is essential for the use of many musical production applications. Learn how a knowledge of these enables you to set the note resolution of your piano roll, to quantize your tracks and to engage the snap to grid function.
Note Values and Rests14:39
Silence is just as important to music as sound. Learn how silences are represented in written music in the form of rests and how to recognize the time value of each rest symbol.
Ties and Dotted Notes10:01
Ties and dotted notes are notational devices used to extend the duration of notes. This lecture will show you how to read and use these devices.

Musical Scales8:38
Musical scales are used in all types and styles of music. Learn how and why in this lecture.
C Major12:11
In this lecture you will learn the theory behind one of the most popular scales of Western music - the major scale. You will also learn how to play the major scale on your keyboard, as well as sequence it using both Studio One and MuseScore.
The Architecture of the Major Scale11:36
In this lecture you will learn the architecture of the major scale and how this then allows us to work out the major scales of other keys. You will also learn to play the major scales of the keys of F and G major.
The Natural Minor Scale7:22
This lecture introduces you to one of the three forms of the minor scale, which is the natural minor scale. As well as study the natural minor scale, you will also learn to play it on your keyboard and sequence it using Studio One and MuseScore.
The Harmonic Minor scale9:23
In this lecture you will study a second form of minor scale, which is the harmonic minor scale. You will also learn to play it on your keyboard and sequence it using Studio One and MuseScore.
The Melodic Minor Scale6:44
In this lecture you will study a third form of minor scale, which is the melodic minor scale. You will also learn to play it on your keyboard and sequence it using Studio One and MuseScore.
The Chromatic Scale14:04
In this lecture you will study the twelve-tone chromatic scale, what it is and how it is used in music. You will also learn to sequence the chromatic scale using both Studio One and Musescore.
Some New Minor keys7:58
Here you will learn some new minor keys which will then expand your ability to use and play the minor scale.

The Pulse of Music11:41
In this lecture you will study the pulse of music and how this leads to the use of meter, which is the grouping of pulses into various patterns.
Time Signatures11:15
Here you will study time signatures, what they are and how they are used. and you will learn how to set the time signature for any project in both Studio One and MuseScore.
Simple Meter18:37
In this lecture we will be studying simple time in which each beat of a bar breaks down into a pair of sub-beats.
Compound Meter11:09
In this lecture you will learn about compound time in which each beat of the bar breaks down into three sub-beats.
Variety and Balance in Rhythm14:56
In this lecture you will study how composers tend to use a range of time values in their music. However, these are always carefully selected such that their tally corresponds to the chosen metric pattern. Then you will learn to compose a simple four bar rhythm using a meter of your choice.
Tuplets19:31
Tuplets are a time-honoured way of introducing a sense of variety and interest to a rhythm part. Discover what they are and how to use them in this engaging lecture.
Motifs8:15
Motifs are the fundamental elements of rhythmic patterning and design. Learn how they are used in this lecture as well as learning to use them yourself as you compose a four bar rhythm using a motif.

Score Systems11:23
In this lecture you will be studying score systems, groups of staffs used for various ensembles. You will also study some of the important line markings that are used in scores.
Articulation Marks10:09
Articulation marks are used to tell performers how to play a note or group of notes. Recognizing the signs for these is an essential part of being able to read and write musical scores.
Dynamic Marks14:38
Dynamic marks are used to indicate the required intensity of the music. Here you wil learn to recognize the main dynamic markings as well as learning to use them in MuseScore.
Melodic Ornaments12:34
Musicians just love embellishing melodic lines with ornaments of various types Here you will learn the most popular ornaments that are used along with the signs used in a score to indicate where they are required.

The Key System8:28
So far we have focused upon individual scales and keys. Learn about the entire system of keys in this lecture.
Major Keys on the Sharp Side8:37
The key system consists of major and minor keys. In this lecture you will learn to play the scales of all of the major keys that have sharps in their key signatures. You will also have the opportunity to sequence them using Studio One and/or MuseScore.
Major Keys on the Flat Side6:49
In this lecture you will learn to play the scales of all of the major keys that have flats in their key signatures. You will also have the opportunity to sequence them using Studio One and/or MuseScore.
Minor Keys on the Sharp Side12:29
In this lecture you will learn to play the scales of all of the minor keys that have sharps in their key signatures. You will also have the opportunity to sequence them using Studio One and/or MuseScore.
Minor Keys on the Flat Side6:03
In this lecture you will learn to play the scales of all of the minor keys that have flats in their key signatures. You will also have the opportunity to sequence them using Studio One and/or MuseScore.
The Circle of Fifths14:24
In this lecture you learn that scheme known as the circle of fifths that connects all major and minor keys under the cover of one grand unified system.

Musical Intervals13:50
A grasp of the art of harmony all begins with a knowledge of intervals, what they are and how they are measured and represented.
Types of Interval13:39
In this lecture we will study the various types or modes of intervals, that include diminished, minor, perfect, major and augmented intervals.
Interval Qualities18:17
Every interval has a particular quality that is discernible to the listener. Some intervals are consonant producing an impression of repose. while others are dissonant creating an impression of tension. In this lecture you will learn what these intervals are and what this means for the study of the art of harmony.
Common Triads and their Inversions13:03
Common triads are the main chords of the art of harmony and have been for hundreds of years now. Learn what they are and just why they have been used for so long.
Triads of the Major Scale8:49
In this lecture you will learn the triads of the major scale, what they are, their names and how they are represented.
Triads of the Minor Scale7:19
In this lecture you will learn the triads of the minor scale, what they are, their names and how they are represented.
Functional Harrmony: the Three Primary Chords15:21
In any key there are three chords of primary function - the tonic, subdominant and dominant. Learn what these chords are, how to recognize them and just why they are so important in the art of harmony.
Functional Harmony: Secondary Chords12:57
Chords of secondary function add a sense of colour and variety to chord progressions. Learn what these chords are, how to recognize them and how they are used in the art of harmony.
Modulation28:15
Modulation is the process of key change, an important effect that is used in many different styles of music. Learn what modulation is, how it is effected and the different kinds of modulation that are possible.
Analysis21:46
Analysis is the study of a piece of music to see how it has all been put together. To undertake an analysis of a piece of music a knowledge of music theory is required - a knowledge which you now have. Learn how to apply this knowledge in such a way as to gain a remarkable insight into the way music is actually composed and arranged.

Requirements

This course is suitable for everybody who has an interest in music, regardless of their knowledge or experience.

Description

Music Theory for a Digital Age is a foundation course in music theory created and taught by lecturer, author and composer Dr Michael Hewitt.

The course offers a comprehensive foundation in musical theory, both in terms of Western musical traditions and the theory underlying the process of modern methods of musical production.

Hi, I’m Dr Michael Hewitt - welcome to my course ‘Music Theory for a Digital Age’!

In my work as Head of the Music Technology Department of an adult education college, an important part of my job was developing and teaching courses that would prepare students to go on to study music at university. For this purpose I developed an in depth one-year music theory course that covered absolutely everything students would need to know in order for them to be able to thrive in a university environment. What helped me to do this was that I also teach ABRSM music theory up to grade 8.

It became clear as I developed this course that teaching standard music theory was not going to be enough to meet my students’ needs. This is because music theory as generally taught is predominantly based upon the traditions of Western written classical music. Yet many of my students came from musical backgrounds that were different to this and often had musical interests that went beyond the classics.

Some of my students were DJs, keen to create their own dance music tracks using music production software. Some were rap artists whose interests primarily lay in that particular genre. Others were gigging musicians who could pick up the essentials of a song using no more than their own ear. Still others were classically trained musicians who wanted to keep pace with the rapid developments of modern music technology. And at one time, all of the members of an entire punk rock band enrolled.

Conventional music theory did not cover a lot of the topics that these students needed to know about. An example of one such topic is the science of sound. Music today is not just composed of notes written into a score. A wide variety of different sounds are used, many of which are then recorded, used as samples and integrated into musical compositions. And some of these compositions consist entirely of sounds that have been recorded and sampled in this way. To get to grips with this process an understanding of the science of sound and its properties is essential.

Another example is the impact of the internet upon music, not just in terms of distribution and marketing but also in exposure to styles of music originating from other cultures, something standard music theory does not tend to take into account. So the challenge here was to create a course that not only covered conventional music theory topics, but also enabled the student to sympathetically embrace all styles of World Music as a part of our global musical culture.

Then there is the impact of technology upon music. This includes the increasing relevance of the modern recording studio to all types and styles of music, the development of synthesizers, samplers and drum machines, the development of general MIDI standard protocols, the use of digital audio workstations, and so much more. A student only familiar with standard music theory would not be properly equipped to embrace the benefits of all of this, let alone understand how modern music technology can be used to their advantage.

Because of all this, I felt compelled to upgrade music theory and bring it into line with the actual practice of music as we find it in this digital age. The result was a music theory course that my students really loved and could engage with on a practical level. Now you too can gain this valuable knowledge for yourself – the equivalent of a complete college level music theory course – for a very small amount of money considering the costs of education today.

On this course, you will learn conventional music theory to help prepare you for your ABRSM exams. But you will also learn the vital knowledge you need to be able to thrive in a digital environment. So come and join me and participate in my course Music Theory for a Digital Age.

By doing so you will benefit from the wealth of experience I bring to the course as a:

· Former head of both Music Technology and Creative Media college Departments.

· University tutor of classical music harmony, music history, counterpoint and composition.

· Author of best selling music textbooks used in universities all round the world.

· Working professional in the music industry.

· Composer of music for films and TV.

· Composer of modern classical music working to commission.

Recommendations from Former Students

“Dr Mike Hewitt is the teacher I never had, and I consider myself very lucky to call him my tutor. He’s managed to get the best out of me and pushed me further than I ever thought imaginable, reaching goals I thought were way out of my reach.”

Dafydd Jones Composer, music producer and guitar/drums tutor.

“I highly recommend Mike Hewitt. He’s a respected and inspirational tutor.”

Denise Bevington

“Best teacher I’ve ever had.”

John Walls

“One of the best educators ever.. Michael Hewitt is without a doubt one the best educators I have ever had the good fortune to be under the tutelage of.. Thanks for the knowledge Mike!”

Josh Evans

“Compassionate and inspirational.. Mike Hewitt is an inspirational teacher...He succeeds in instilling positive change and empowering the lives of all his learners, including many of those from disadvantaged backgrounds.”

Ronnie Parry, Guitar tutor PGCE, BA (Hons)

Who this course is for:

Students who would like to learn music theory.

Music Theory for a Digital Age

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

Sound and Music7 lectures • 1hr 43min

To the Digital Realm6 lectures • 1hr 55min

A World of Rhythm5 lectures • 1hr 4min

The World of Pitch5 lectures • 59min

Musical Time6 lectures • 1hr 22min

Musical Scales8 lectures • 1hr 18min

Rhythm and Meter7 lectures • 1hr 35min

Score Markings4 lectures • 49min

The Key System6 lectures • 57min

Functional Harmony10 lectures • 2hr 33min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: