Music Theory 101

Service Description

Music Theory 101 is a course designed for intermediate musicians who have studied music with a professional teacher for at least one year. Each student should posses a basic understanding of how to read notes on the treble and/or bass clef staves. Students should also have a basic understanding of rhythms to include note values for whole, half, and quarter notes. Suggested minimum age is 5th grade. This is NOT for beginning music students or those with limited experience/knowledge of music. Topics covered include: note names in treble and bass clef; measures and bar lines; rhythms and note values; time signatures; conducting patterns; dynamics terms; tempo terms; instrument fingerings; repeats; sharps/flats/naturals; articulation; music notation; whole and half steps; scales; expression terms; key signatures; chord structure; voice leading; principles of melodic and harmonic structures; and elements of music technology for music notation. This is the first of two classes at this level. Once completed, students will be eligible for the higher level class offered to high school students. Each student is required to purchase a workbook and/or textbook for the class. The cost of the workbook is $25. (Amazon Link Here - https://www.amazon.com/dp/1554408032?psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&ref_=chk_typ_imgToDp). Students will also be using a free version of a professional music notation software called Sibelius First. This will introduce the student to a cutting edge, professional software that is widely use by composers and arrangers everyday (including your teacher, Mr. Jim). Follow the link for more details and system requirements for Sibelius. https://www.avid.com/sibelius This class meet twice per week (with exceptions) through May 24. Students are encouraged to attend as many live classes as possible. However, recordings of all classes will be made and the student can watch at a later date. About your teacher: Jim Ellis is a professional composer for film, TV, and video games. Jim also owns and operates a theater and film production studio in Harford County, MD. He studied music education at the Univ. of MD and ultimately earned a degree in music composition from the Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. He is currently a graduate student at Berklee, studying composition for film and TV. Also appearing on his resume is professional actor, film producer, theater director and producer, and teacher.

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