Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Upon successful completion, students should be able to:

• Apply accepted practices for music notation and chart page layout;
• Transcribe music from recorded source materials or known music;
• Create readable lead sheets for original and/or cover songs and instrumental pieces;
• Compose additional vocal and/or instrumental parts from a single melody line

• Discussion and application of music notation rules and accepted
  practice;
• Introduction to notation software, basic operations and techniques;
• Creation of lead sheets, including melody, chords, lyrics, and music flow (repeats, etc.);
• Discussion and application of techniques for harmonizing and orchestration;
• Creation of multi-part scores, and extraction of individual parts from the score, including necessary transpositions;
• Playback of scores in class.

• In-class quizzes may be used to evaluate students’ understanding of notation rules and practice. For example: placement of note stems for single and dual parts; proper use of meter and correct placement of partial measures; proper use of repeats, endings, D.S., D.C., fine, coda, etc.; identification and correct usage of key signatures.
• Projects to be completed in lab demonstrate skills for proper notation
  and use of software. For example:
  • Transcribe melody lines and chordal harmony from recorded source
    material;
  • Create lead sheets for original or cover songs, clearly showing melody and song form, along with chord symbols, lyrics, and any other necessary markings or instructions.
  • Create harmonizations, counterpoint and/or riffs (2-3 additional parts) from a single melody line (using one of the lead sheets as a starting point).
  • Present as a concert pitch multi-staff score, or as a choral score with SATB and accompaniment parts.
  • Create parts extracted from the score for individual musicians and singers. Transpose as necessary for certain instruments.

• Review of music notation practice and guidelines;
• Music dictation practice;
• Music notation in the software environment;
• Starting a new score;
• Adding instruments / staves to the score;
• Methods for inputting notes to the score;
• Editing tools;
• Adding title, composer, publisher and copyright information;
• Adding lyrics, chord symbols, and other text;
• Adding repeats, endings, and other music flow markings;
• Adding articulation marks, slurs, dynamics and other markings;
• Page layout and formatting for lead sheet, score, parts;
• Transcribing by ear from recorded material;
• Review of basic harmonization techniques;
• Writing harmonies and other support parts;
• Extracting individual parts from score, with transposition;
• Playing back the score;
• Printing the score and parts;
• Overview of different notation software applications.