Music Theory Basics 2

Continue to explore the fundamental elements of music, including sound, harmony, melody, rhythm, and growth. Music Theory Basics 2 focuses in particular on strengthening your understanding of harmony and the role it plays in the movement and progression of a musical composition.

This four-week online course is divided into four weeks, each of which focuses on a different topic. In the first week, you'll review important concepts that pave the way to explore how intervals in music work. In the second and third weeks, you will learn about scales, triads, and seventh chords. In the fourth week, you will learn about harmonic progression and counterpoint. By the end of the course, you will be able to confidently identify and create these musical elements in a variety of contexts.

Each week, you will complete a variety of activities, including quizzes, listening exercises, and creative projects with personalized feedback from your instructor. You will also have the opportunity to discuss music theory with your instructor and fellow students.

Whether you are a musician, a composer, or simply a music lover, this course will give you the knowledge you need to understand and appreciate music on a deeper level.

What you will learn:

✔ Notate and identify all simple intervals in a variety of clefs         
✔ Construct triads and seventh chords in a variety of clefs         
✔ Understand the different functions of various chords within a scale         
✔ Identify simple harmonic progressions in major and minor keys         
✔ Create your own chord progressions for use in a variety of Western musical styles         
✔ Create simple, two-voice contrapuntal textures in your musical compositions     

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Prerequisite skills:

• Completion of Music Theory Basics 1, or equivalent knowledge and/or experience

What you need to participate:

• MuseScore (free music notation software) or another music notation software that you are comfortable using and that allows you to export music as PDF (notation) and MP3 (audio) files
• Computer or mobile device with Internet. Internet speed must be at least 1.5Mbps download and 800Kbps upload. For students using a mobile device, download the Canvas mobile app and select “Interlochen Online” as your school. (Note: Make sure your computer is compatible with MuseScore.

How the course works:

Interlochen Online courses are designed to be inspiring and flexible with weekly learning units that combine video segments and guided instruction that you can complete on your own schedule during the week. You will interact regularly with your teacher and peers inside the learning environment. 

You can also participate in an optional weekly hour-long video class meeting, where you can learn from the teacher and interact with your classmates in real-time. At the beginning of the course, you will complete a survey indicating your preferred times for the class meeting. The teacher will make every best effort to identify a meeting time that works for everyone. The teacher will also post recordings of the meetings and you can view them when it is convenient. 

The goal is that you walk away not only with practical skills and friendships but that you are inspired and motivated to pursue your art and realize your potential.