Practical Musicianship

Pre-requisites for enrolment

No previous experience required; suitable for beginners.

Special Information

Participants should bring manuscript paper and pencils.

Content of Course

1. Basic concepts: beat/rhythm/pitch. Introduction to so and mi. Simple rhythmic combinations of crotchets and quavers. Introducing basic staff notation.

2. Reviewing so and mi and introducing la. Reviewing crotchets and quavers and introducing the crotchet rest. Introducing bar lines and simple time signatures.

3. New pitches: do and re. Introducing minims and semibreves. Starting to compose simple melodies, using all elements covered to this point.

4. Reading and singing the full do pentatonic scale. Reviewing minims and semibreves and introducing the dotted minim. The anacrusis. Introducing ledger lines.

5. Introducing the treble clef and absolute note names. Introducing the la pentatonic scale. Introducing semiquavers.

6. The do pentachord: introducing fa. Practising singing to absolute note names. Combining quaver and semiquaver rhythms.

7. Working with the do pentachord and do hexachord. Introducing key signatures. Introducing dotted semiquaver/quaver combinations.

8. Introducing ti. The full major diatonic scale. Introducing the bass clef.

9. Reading and singing melodies using the full major diatonic scale. Introducing the dotted crotchet. Understanding accidentals.

10. Understanding intervals. Introducing the minor diatonic scale. Full course review.

Teaching method(s)

Tutor led discussion. Group work (class singing, clapping exercises etc). Individual written and reading work during class. Independent set homework tasks.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

• Understand basic musical concepts of pitch, rhythm, beat;

• Read, write and sing simple pentatonic and diatonic melodies from staff notation;

• Perform well-known folksongs with confidence;

• Compose simple rhythms and melodies through guided improvisation exercises.

Sources

Class Handouts

Course handouts to be provided by tutor.

Queries

If you have questions regarding the course or enrolment, please contact COL Reception at Paterson's Land by email COL@ed.ac.uk or by phone 0131 650 4400.

Student support

If you have a disability, learning difficulty or health condition which may affect your studies, please let us know by ticking the 'specific support needs' box on your course application form. This will allow us to make appropriate adjustments in advance and in accordance with your rights under the Equality Act 2010. For more information please visit the Student Support section of our website.