Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Upon successful completion of the course students should be able to:

1. Aurally identify rhythmic components such as tempo and beat in common compound meters (6/8, 9/8, 12/8), and commonly employed rhythmic patterns in those meters.

2. Transpose a harmonic progression to different keys using efficient chord connections.

3. Analyze harmonic progressions using chord symbols and Roman numerals.

4. Spell or notate seventh chord qualities.

5. Demonstrate harmonizing diatonic melodies with chords and with counter melodies.

6. Create basslines against a chord progression and against a melody.

• Improvise melodies using a blues scale

• Improvise progressions using triads and sevenths chords in various voicings and inversions

The instructor should make the criteria for assigning a course grade and for evaluating student progress clear at the beginning of the term. The individual instructor will determine the methods of assessment. Assessment methods may include:

Qualitative examinations
Quantitative examinations
Homework assignments
Music presentations
Class participation
Composition projects
Small group work/problem solving

Concert reports

• Compound meter (12/8, 9/8, 6/8)

• Chord inversions 

  • Slash chords and labels 

  • Position labels (root, 1st, 2nd)

• Chord function

• Triads in minor keys

  • Flexibility in minor keys

• Cut time

• Seventh chords

  • Commonly used chord symbol abbreviations

  • 3rd inversion

• Chord progressions

  • Smooth chord connection

• Phrase structure, and cadences

• Non-chord tones (passing tones, neighbor tones)

• Suspensions and Sus chords

• The Blues 

  • Common blues progressions

  • Lyric structure

  • Blues scale