The Language of Film and TV

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This was a Social Science course that I took to fulfill the requirements of the degree program that I am currently in. The class was an overview of the film and television industries since their respective inceptions. There was lots of reading, watching films & tv shows, and analysis. Overall I enjoyed the course, the material was well presented, and the instructor was great.

This is what we went over:

Week 1 – “Classical Hollywood Cinema”, Jun 27 – Jul 1
Introduction, Meet and Greet, The Eye and the I of Cinema (Part 1), The Eye and the I of Cinema (Part 2), Classical Hollywood Cinema, Film Narrative, Film Narrative: Apollo 13, Film Style, Terms for Film and Television Analysis, Terminology, Discussion 1.1: Classical Hollywood Cinema in Your Favorite Movie, How to Approach Assignments in the Course, Assignment 1: Classical Hollywood Cinema in Early Films, Recap

Week 2 – “Early Cinema: From Muybridge to The Great Train Robbery”, Jul 2nd – Jul 8th
Introduction, Photography into Moving Image: Muybridge and Early Image Toys (Part 1), Photography into Moving Image: Muybridge and Early Image Toys (Part 2), The Beginnings of Cinema: Reality, Artifice, and Spectacle: Edison, Lumière and Méliès, Edison: Entertainment, Lumière Brothers and The Cinematographe: Actualites, Méliès: The “Magic” of Illusion, Narrative and Style Together, The Great Train Robbery (1903), Discussion 2.1: What Surprises You About Early Cinema?, Assignment 2: How a Story Is Told Visually, Recap

Week 3 – “Silent Film”, Jul 9th – Jul 15th
Introduction, The Language of Film Develops, Film Aesthetics Develop, Narrative and Conventions: Genre, Narrative and Conventions, lt, Music in the Silent Era, Discussion 3.1: It in Cultural Context, Assignment 3: Analyze a Silent Film from the List Provided, Recap

Week 4 – “Coming of Sound in Film in the 1930 and ’40s”, Jul 16th – Jul 22nd
Introduction, Narrative and Acting in Sound Film, Diegesis: The World of the Film, Practice Exercise: Screen Bringing Up Baby, Genre Iconography, Life Cycle of a Genre, Including Television, The Studio System, Discussion 4.1: Approaches to Bringing Up Baby, Assignment 4: A Film That Exemplifies or Revises Genre, Recap

Week 5 – “Film Sound”, Jul 23rd – Jul 29th
Introduction, Why Do We Even Have Music in Films?, Bernard Herrmann, Diegetic and Non-Diegetic Sound, The Sound Mix, Practice Exercise: Interactive Sound Editing, The Elements of a Score, Sound and Image Make Meaning, Further Discussion of Film Sound, Discussion 5.1: Film Sound in Citizen Kane, Assignment 5: Interactive Assignment in Sound Mixing, Recap

Week 6 – “Network Television”, Jul 30th – Aug 5th
Introduction, Origins of Television Culture: I Love Lucy, Television Genres, Economics of Production, Discussion 6.1: Television in Everyday Life, Assignment 6: Analyzing an Episode of a TV Show, Recap

Week 7 – “Documentary, Experimental, and Animated Film and Television”, Aug 6th – Aug 12th
Introduction, Beyond Classical Hollywood Cinema, Documentary, Experimental and Avant-Garde, Animation, Influences on Mainstream Film and Television, Discussion 7.1: Reality Television, Assignment 7: Innovations That Influence Mainstream Film, Recap

Week 8 – “Mise-en-Scene: What Is in the Shot”, Aug 13th – Aug 19th
Introduction, Setting, Costume and Makeup, Lighting, Performance and Movement (Acting, Blocking, Staging), Composition: Framing, Composition: Movement within the Frame, Discussion 8.1: Rear Window, Assignment 8: Mise-en-Scène, Recap

Week 9 – “Cinematography: Photographic Qualities of the Shot”, Aug 20th – Aug 26th
Introduction, The Look of an Image, Practice Exercise: Lens Selection, List of Shots, Extreme Long Shot, Long Shot, Medium Long Shot, Medium Shot, Medium Close-Up and Close-Up, Extreme Close-Up, Framing, Scale/Proximity, Camera Movement, How the Camera “Speaks”: The Language of Film, Discussion 9.1: Breathless, Assignment 9: Significant Shot, Recap

Week 10 – “Editing”, Aug 27th – Sep 2nd
Introduction, Continuity Editing: Invisible Style, The Development of Editing, Montage: Editing as Art, Editing in Television, Practice Exercise: Editing, Discussion 10.1: The Graduate, Assignment 10: Editing, Recap

Week 11 – “Television in the Cable and Internet Eras”, Sep 3rd – Sep 9th
Introduction, Television Genres, Social Context, Spectatorship in the Cable and Internet Era, Streaming Services, What Stays the Same: The Sitcom Today, Discussion 11.1: Cliffhangers, Assignment 11: Genre, Recap

Week 12 – “The Digital Era”, Sep 10th – Sep 16th
Introduction, The Digital Revolution, Digital Technology and Acting, From CGI to Whole Sets, Worlds, and Digital Performers, Creating Crowds for Lord of the Rings, What is Digital Cinema?, Transmedia, Digital Television: Aesthetics and Narratives, Discussion 12.1: Transmedia Example, Assignment 12: Bringing it all Together, Recap

Gary Burton: Jazz Improvisation

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I really enjoyed this class. It delved into which chord scales to use when on real songs. It was a lot of work just to get things going but helped to make it super clear what to do, and when.

I think the highlight of the class was the instructor, Jim Odgren. He was super cool in his live classes and knows this stuff inside and out. He always provided super prompt and thoughtful feedback on the assignments.

I’m not sure that I would have enjoyed this class as much if it wasn’t for Jim. He was a bit of a bridge between Mr. Burton’s course materials and each student’s current level of understanding/ability. He definitely helped make the information a bit more approachable and enjoyable.

One bit of advice that Jim gave that I found to be particularly useful in learning the tunes in the course was:

Take the first 4 bars of the tune and play the melody 5 times while looking at the music, 5 times looking away. For the next 4 bars, use the same approach, then do the full 8 bars, doing the same thing. Then use the same approach for the rest of the tune.

Jim Odgren

Here’s what we covered in the 12 weeks.

Week 1 – “What is Improvisation?”, Jun 27 – Jul 1
Introduction, Meet and Greet, The Language of Jazz Improvisation, The Relationship Between Spoken Language and Improvised Music, Solo Analysis, Gary’s Picks, Exercise 1.1: Listening Analysis, Assignment 1: Improvisation Analysis, Recap

Week 2 – “Chord Outlines and Scales”, Jul 2nd – Jul 8th
Introduction, Chord Tones, Chord Scales, The 10 Scales, The 10 Scales: Seven Modes, The 10 Scales: Dominant 7 Alternatives, The 10 Scales: Altered and Symmetrical, Workshop: Scale Practicing Method, Exercise: Scale Practice, Outlining the Chord with the Scale, Discussion 2.1: Scale Practice, Assignment 2: Understanding and Playing Scales, Recap

Week 3 – “Identifying Chord Scales”, Jul 9th – Jul 15th
Introduction, Choosing a Chord Scale, Finding the Correct Chord Scale in Practice, Finding the Correct Minor Chord Scale, Minor Chord Examples, Finding the Correct Dominant Chord Scale, Workshop: Chord Scale Method Review, Exercise: Determining the Chord Scale, Discussion 3.1: Identifying the Proper Scales, Assignment 3: Write the Correct Chord Scales, Recap

Week 4 – “Harmony for the Improviser”, Jul 16th – Jul 22nd
Introduction, Helping Move the Harmony, V to I, Guide-Tone Lines, Common Tones, Harmonic Variation and Constant Structure, Chromatic Movement, Exercise: Moving the Harmony in Familiar Tunes, Discussion 4.1: Harmony Analysis, Assignment 4: Identifying Guide-Tone Lines, Recap

Week 5 – “Melodic Development”, Jul 23rd – Jul 29th
Introduction, Theme, Theme and Development, Three Characteristics of Melodic Form, Developing a Theme Over Chord Changes:”On Green Dolphin Street”, Duration of a Theme, Exercise: Developing a Theme Over a Single Chord, Discussion 5.1: Melodic Structure, Assignment 5: Developing a Theme, Recap

Week 6 – “Playing on the Blues”, Jul 30th – Aug 5th
Introduction, The Blues Form, Blues Chord Scales, Approaching the Blues, Minor Blues, “Syndrome”, “Sing Me Softly Of The Blues”, Exercise: Playing the Blues, Discussion 6.1: Blues-Based Compositions, Assignment 6: Improvising on the Blues, Recap

Week 7 – “Song Analysis”, Aug 6th – Aug 12th
Introduction, “Olhos De Gato”, Chord Scales, Compositional Structure, First Eight Bars, Second Eight Bars, “Israel”, “Israel” Chord Scales, “Israel” Compositional Stucture, Exercise: Playing “Israel”, Discussion 7.1: Song Form, Choosing Songs, Assignment 7: “Day Waves”, Recap

Week 8 – “Song Analysis (Part 2)”, Aug 13th – Aug 19th
Introduction, “Day Waves”, “Day Waves” Compositional Structure, “Day Waves” Second Half, “Sweet Rain”, “Sweet Rain” Compositional Structure, Exercise: Playing “Sweet Rain”, Discussion 8.1: Choosing Repertoire, Assignment 8: “Waltz For A Lovely Wife”, Recap

Week 9 – “Song Analysis (Part 3)”, Aug 20th – Aug 26th
Introduction, “Waltz For A Lovely Wife”, “Waltz For A Lovely Wife” Analysis, “Semblance”, “Semblance” Analysis, Exercise: Playing “Semblance”, Discussion 9.1: What Makes a Good Song?, Assignment 9: Student Choice, Recap

Week 10 – “Advice on Soloing”, Aug 27th – Sep 2nd
Introduction, Approaching the Solo, Conversational Soloing, Length and Pacing of a Solo, Dynamics, Chromaticism, Diminished Harmony, Symmetrical Diminished Scale, Exercise: Using Three Diminished Scales, Understanding the Sus4 Chord, Improving Time Feel, Exercise: Continuous Eighth Notes, Connecting Chord Scales, Soloing on Ballads, Play Like a Butterfly, Discussion 10.1: Tips, Assignment 10: Soloing in Practice, Recap

Week 11 – “Comping”, Sep 3rd – Sep 9th
Introduction, A Personal History of Comping, The Role of Comping, Straight Eighth-Note Comping, Contrast, General Comping Tips, Comping Approaches, Listen Up!, Comping on Ballads, Gary’s Picks, Discussion 11.1: Comping in Various Settings, Assignment 11: Comping Effectively, Recap

Week 12 – “Communicating with the Unconscious”, Sep 10th – Sep 16th
Introduction, The Art of Improvisation, Learning and Unlearning, Evolution of the Learning Process, Role of the Unconscious Mind, Understanding the Unconscious Mind, Role of Conscious Thought, Putting it All Together, The Importance Recording your Improvisations, Demystifying the Process, Practice Tip, Exercise: Two Practices, Discussion 12.1: Evaluating Your Thought Process, Assignment 12: Final Project, Recap

Creative Writing: Finding Your Voice

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This class was a bit more challenging than I thought it would be at the outset. There were lots of exercises to do (often there was something due every day of the week) and the instructor could be a bit demanding and particular in what he thought should be happening in the assignments. Which I thought was odd given that this was such a subjective topic, creative writing.

All in all, it was a very good course and the instructor, while particular and a bit strict, was always super prompt with feedback and responses to any questions I had, and was willing to hear my point of view. Overall I think he just wanted to provide value and insight to everyone in the class.

Here’s what we went over during the twelve weeks.

Week 1 – “Sense-Bound Writing—’What’ Writing”, Jun 27 – Jul 1
Introduction, Meet and Greet, Getting Close to Your Senses, Exercise 1.1: Staying Close to Your Senses, Exercise 1.2: Electric Fence, Exercise 1.3: 8-Ball, Exercise 1.4: Using All of Your Senses, Exercise 1.5: Corner Store, Exercise 1.06: Subway, Exercise 1.7: Sharpening the Way You See the World, Exercise 1.8: Jack Knife, Exercise 1.9: High Heels, Exercise 1.10: Keeping Your Writing Eyes Open, Exercise 1.11: Valentine, Exercise 1.12: Cowboy Hat, Discussion 1.1: Writing from the Senses, Assignment 1: Sense-Bound Writing, Recap

Week 2 – “Writing from Person—’Who’ Writing”, Jul 2nd – Jul 8th
Introduction, Point of View, Third-Person Narrative, First-Person Narrative, First-Person Narrative Example, Direct Address, Direct Address Example, Second-Person Narrative, Second-Person Narrative Example, Third-Person Pronouns, Choosing Point of View, Giving Feedback, Exercise 2.1: Who. Writing from the Outside: Third-Person Narrative, Exercise 2.2: Parish Priest, Exercise 2.3: Rock Climber, Exercise 2.4: Who. Writing from the Inside: First-Person Narrative, Exercise 2.5: Parish Priest, Exercise 2.6: Rock Climber, Exercise 2.7. Who. Writing from the Outside: Second-Person Narrative, Exercise 2.8: Grandmother Tending Her Garden, Exercise 2.9: Eight-Year-Old Boy at the Playground, Exercise 2.10: Writing from the Inside: Direct Address, Exercise 2.11: Taxi Driver, Exercise 2.12: Hotel Operator, Discussion 2.1: Writing from Person, Assignment 2: Writing from Person, Recap

Week 3 – “Writing from Time—’When’ Writing”, Jul 9th – Jul 15th
Introduction, Writing from Time, Creating a Context, Examples, Giving Feedback, Exercise 3.1: Writing in Past Tense, Exercise 3.2: Last of Winter, Exercise 3.3: Summer Vacation, Exercise 3.4: Writing Past Tense to Present Tense, Exercise 3.5: First Day of School, Exercise 3.6: 6 a.m., Exercise 3.7: Writing Present Tense to Future Tense, Exercise 3.8: Retirement, Exercise 3.9: Morning Coffee, Exercise 3.10: Writing in All Three Tenses, Exercise 3.11: Spring Break, Exercise 3.12: Midnight, Discussion 3.1: Writing from Time, Assignment 3: Writing from Time, Recap

Week 4 – “Writing from Place—’Where’ Writing”, Jul 16th – Jul 22nd
Introduction, “Where” Writing, Locating Characters in Space and Time, Sentence Types, Giving Feedback, Exercise 4.1: Combining Point of View, Sense, and Place, Exercise 4.2: Swimming Hole, Exercise 4.3: Fourth-Floor Walk-Up, Exercise 4.4: Combining Third-Person Narrative, Moving from Past to Present Tense, and Place, Exercise 4.5: High-School Gym, Exercise 4.6: Grocery Aisle, Exercise 4.7: Combining Second-Person Narrative, Moving from Present to Future Tense, Senses, and Place, Exercise 4.8: Back Seat, Exercise 4.9: Candy Shop, Exercise 4.10: Combining Direct Address, Moving through Tenses, Senses, and Place, Exercise 4.11: Airport, Exercise 4.12: Dress Shop, Discussion 4.1: Writing from Place, Assignment 4: Writing from Place, Recap

Week 5 – “Metaphor—Adjectives and Nouns”, Jul 23rd – Jul 29th
Introduction, Making Metaphors, Ideas, Types of Metaphor: Expressed Identity, Qualifying Metaphor and Verbal Metaphor, Giving Feedback, Day 2: Adjective/Noun Collisions, Exercise 5.1: Adjective/Noun Collisions, Exercise 5.2: Adjective/Noun Collisions, Exercise 5.3: Working from Adjectives to Nouns, Exercise 5.4: Working from Nouns to Adjective, Discussion 5.1: Metaphor—Adjectives and Nouns, Assignment 5: Metaphor—Adjectives and Nouns, Recap

Week 6 – “Metaphor—Nouns and Verbs”, Jul 30th – Aug 5th
Introduction, Working with Nouns and Verbs, Giving Feedback, Day 2: Noun/Verb Collisions, Exercise 6.1: Noun/Verb Collisions, Exercise 6.2: Noun/Verb Collisions, Exercise 6.3: Working from Nouns to Verbs, Exercise 6.4: Working from Verbs to Nouns, Discussion 6.1: Metaphor—Nouns and Verbs, Assignment 6: Metaphor—Nouns and Verbs, Recap

Week 7 – “Metaphor—Expressed Identity”, Aug 6th – Aug 12th
Introduction, Working with Nouns, Working with Expressed Identity, Giving Feedback, Exercise 7.1: Noun/Noun Collisions, Exercise 7.2: Noun/Noun Collisions, Exercise 7.3: Creating Noun/Noun Collisions, Exercise 7.4: Creating Noun/Noun Exercises, Discussion 7.1: Metaphor—Expressed Identity, Assignment 7: Metaphor—Expressed Identity, Recap

Week 8 – “Metaphor—Linking Qualities”, Aug 13th – Aug 19th
Introduction, Words in Families and Keys, The Relationships Between Ideas, and Target Ideas, Giving Feedback, Exercise 8.1: Linking Qualities and Target Ideas, Exercise 8.2: Linking Qualities and Target Ideas, Exercise 8.3: Linking Qualities and Target Ideas, Exercise 8.4: Linking Qualities and Target Ideas, Discussion 8.1: Metaphor—Linking Qualities, Assignment 8: Metaphor—Linking Qualities, Recap

Week 9 – “Finding Linking Qualities”, Aug 20th – Aug 26th
Introduction, Determining Essential and Linking Qualities, Giving Feedback, Exercise 9.1: Finding Linking Qualities and Target Ideas, Exercise 9.2: Linking Qualities and Target Ideas, Exercise 9.3: Linking Qualities and Target Ideas, Exercise 9.4: Linking Qualities and Target Ideas, Discussion 9.1: Finding Linking Qualities, Assignment 9: Finding Linking Qualities, Recap

Week 10 – “Working Both Directions”, Aug 27th – Sep 2nd
Introduction, Reversing Metaphor Direction, Exploring Through the Lens of the Target Idea, Another Sample Prompt, Giving Feedback, Exercise 10.1: Working Both Directions with a Target Idea, Exercise 10.2: Working Both Directions, Exercise 10.3: Exploring Through the Lens of the Target Idea, Exercise 10.4: Working Both Directions on a Target Idea, Discussion 10.1: Working Both Directions, Assignment 10: Working Both Directions, Recap

Week 11 – “Continuing to Work Both Directions”, Sep 3rd – Sep 9th
Introduction, Reversing Direction through Linking Qualities, Giving Feedback, Exercise 11.1: Exploring a Prompt Through the Lens of Your Target Idea and Vice Versa, Exercise 11.2: Exploring a Prompt Through the Lens of Your Target Idea and Vice Versa, Exercise 11.3: Exploring a Prompt Through the Lens of Your Target Idea and Vice Versa, Exercise 11.4: Exploring a Prompt Through the Lens of Your Target Idea and Vice Versa, Discussion 11.1: Continuing to Work Both Directions, Assignment 11: Continuing to Work Both Directions, Recap

Week 12 – “The Grand Finale”, Sep 10th – Sep 16th
Introduction, Preparing for your Final Project, Discussion 12.1: Final Project, Final Project: Sharing Your Voice, Recap

Here is what I put together for my final project. We had the option to write an essay or a song based on the prompt of “Earthquake”. I opted to write a song. Photo by Shefali Lincoln on Unsplash

Valentine 

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Here’s something that I wrote for a timed exercise in the Creative Writing: Finding Your Voice class that I’m taking this term. My wife liked it so much she thought I should post it on my site. So here it is.

Do you remember the first time that I asked you? To be mine? To be my one and only, my valentine? It wasn’t actually on Valentines Day, but sometime later in 2008. When our eyes met and my heart couldn’t escape. Nothing has changed in all the days since, other than that I love you more than I thought I could, I’m convinced. The days and nights flew by, filled with tenderness and passion, in ways that I had always hoped for, yet could have never imagined. Everything was new and felt like an adventure. Even places I had been to a thousand times offered new treasures. The colors were so vivid and ever so bright, even in the darkness there seemed to be light. Food never tasted so delicious or so scrumptious, were these just the responses of endorphins on our systems or something more auspicious? I had no idea of what was to come, that soon, before long our lives would become one. I am so happy and forever grateful that you are my love, companion and friend, all of which I hope will never end. You have brought so much to my life and I am so proud to call you my wife. Thank you, Valentine.

UA

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A few months back I got some plug-ins from Universal Audio and man, they are something. Sonically and visually, just fantastic. And now that they have native versions through their Spark platform that don’t require specialized hardware to run, things just got even better.

I’m still getting familiar with each plug-in’s feature set so as to find the right settings for the right situation, but I love what I’m already able to do with them. To help things out, UA has some fantastic tutorials on their YouTube channel, I particularly like their quick tips series.

Thanks, UA!

Talk About It

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One of the highlights of the Spring 2022 Term was a collaboration I did with fellow Berklee Online students Brianna Bernhard and Myrone Davis as part of the Songwriting for Film and TV course we were in.

The song features Brianna’s amazing vocals, Myrone’s keyboard parts and me handling the rest of the production. We each added bits to the melody and lyrics, but it was Brianna who brought it all together in the final version. I really like this and think it turned out well.

Thank you, Brianna and Myrone, for making something this cool with me!

Photo by Wilhelm Gunkel on Unsplash: unsplash.com/@wilhelmgunkel

Berklee Online – Reflection

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The one thing, perhaps more than anything else, that I have learned from taking these Berklee Online courses is that they are not the “end all be all”. Meaning, it’s not “take this class and afterwards you’ll be able to do all this cool stuff, just like the pros.” It’s more like “here’s this area of interest/study and this is how to start learning how to do it.” It then is up to each of us to continue on our own once the course is over.

That is the part that I am struggling with. How do I create a sustainable practice routine that is easy to do in terms of time and effort, reinforces and develops the areas that are important to me and can be maintained regardless of what else is going on in my life.

I’ve written about the value of doing something 5-10 minutes a day, and have had some success continually doing something regularly over the span of a few months. Yet, the number of things I try to focus on for 5-10 minutes expands into multiple subjects and ends up taking 1-2 hours to get through. This is often where it ends. Other parts of my life start to require more of my energy and attention in terms of time, these daily routines drop off, get neglected and are soon forgotten.

I think if I can develop a dead simple plan and say “this is it, this is the only thing that I will commit to doing on a daily basis for x amount of time, no matter what” then I might have a chance.

If my Ear Training for Live Performance instructor Allan Chase can still be doing the same ear training exercises he started doing in 1978 then I can do something on a daily basis, too!

Berklee Online – Term 10

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This was really a good term for me, which is pretty remarkable given the fact that I really didn’t enjoy the previous term and that I doubled the number of classes taken.

This time around I took Contemporary Techniques in Music Composition 2, Ear Training for Live Performance, Introduction to College Writing, and Songwriting for Film and TV.

Each course was very challenging, yet rewarding, in their own ways. I will go into detail on each class in separate posts.

Thanks for another great term, Berklee!

Contemporary Techniques in Music Composition 2

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I actually really enjoyed Contemporary Techniques in Music Composition 2, much more than CTMC1. Perhaps I already had an idea of what to expect this time around, or maybe it was due to the way the material was presented or just the type of material that was covered.

In any event, this course ended up being a highlight of the term for me and I really enjoyed the pieces that I came up with for it. I’ve added a SoundCloud playlist highlighting some of the pieces towards the end of this post.

Here’s what was covered in the twelve weeks.

Week 1 – “Extended Techniques for Strings, Winds, and More”, Apr 2 – Apr 8
Introduction, Meet and Greet, Writing for Strings: Expanding Harmonics, Glissando, Seagull Effect, Exercise 1.1: Transcribe a Melody with Harmonics, Discussion 1.1: Gyorgy Ligeti’s String Quartet No. 2, More String Effects: Pizzicatos, Bow Techniques, Beyond the Fingerboard, Bow Techniques, Extended Techniques on Violin, Discussion 1.2: Lachenmann’s “Pression”, Extended Techniques for Winds, Quiz 1.1: Identify the Extended Techniques, Extended Techniques for Harp, Extended Techniques for Accordion, Assignment 1: Compose Using Extended Techniques, Recap

Week 2 – “Microtonality and Tunings”, Apr 9th – Apr 15th
Introduction, Temperaments and Tunings, Equal Temperament and Just Intonation: a Brief Explanation, Workshop: Equal Temperament and Just Intonation, The Microtonal Pioneers, Ben Johnston and La Monte Young, Harry Partch and John Luther Adams, Alois Haba, Charles Ives, Ezra Sims, Enno Poppe, Jon Catler, Workshop: Microtonality Perception, Notation and Instrumental Limitations, Workshop: Order the Standard Notation Microtone Accidentals, Workshop: Order the Sims-Maneri Accidentals, Discussion 2.1: Limits of Microtonal Composition, Microtonality and Notation Software, Assignment 2: Microtonal Composing, Recap

Week 3 – “Writing for Voice”, Apr 16th – Apr 22nd
Introduction, How Our Voice Works, Vocal Registers and Ranges: A Quick Review, Vocal Registers, Bel Canto, Writing for Voice Today, Discussion 3.1: Vocal Techniques, Text Setting: Playing with Meanings, Discussion 3.2: Text Setting, Text Setting in Practice, Twentieth Century Text Setting, Exercise 3.1: Text Setting, Assignment 3: Vocal Composition, Recap

Week 4 – “Serial Music”, Apr 23rd – Apr 29th
Introduction, Historical Context: The Need for Something New, Discussion 4.1: Atonal Music, The Core Concepts of Serialism, Expanding the Row: Transposition and Canonic Transformations, Exercise 4.1: Transposition, Inversion, Retrograde, and Retrograde Inversion, Transformations and the Magic Square, Exercise 4.2: Twelve-Tone Row, Series as a Theme, Rhythmical Devices and Serial Counterpoint, Other Serialisms: Total Serialism and Beyond, Discussion 4.2: Serial Music, Assignment 4: Serial Techniques, Recap

Week 5 – “Process Music/Textures and Soundscapes”, Apr 30th – May 6th
Introduction, What is a Texture?, Monophonic, Homophonic, Heterophonic, Polyphonic, Quiz 5.1: Identify the Texture Type, Texture in the Twentieth Century: The Context, Composing with Texture/I: Morphing, Composing With Texture/II: Stratification, Micropolyphony, Discussion 5.1: Texture and Your Listening Experience, Assignment 5: Texture-Based Piece, Recap

Week 6 – “Minimal Music”, May 7th – May 13th
Introduction, Core Concepts/I: Silence, Limited Material, Repetition, Core Concepts/II: Texture and Tonality, Core Concepts and Techniques/I: Phasing (Steve Reich), Motive Transformation (Philip Glass), Workshop: Clapping Music, Core Concepts and Techniques/II: Motive Transformation (Philip Glass), Other Minimalists: Rzewski, Adams, Laurie Anderson (2.40 Glass), Discussion 6.1: Your Perception of Minimal Music, Assignment 6: Composing Minimal Music, Recap

Week 7 – “More Rhythmic Devices”, May 14th – May 20th
Introduction, Expanding Meter/I: Polymeter and Charles Ives, Expanding Meter/II: Metric Modulation and Elliott Carter, Expanding Meter/III: Metric Modulation in Practice, Exercise 7.1: Metric Modulation, Other Uses in the Twentieth Century: Serial Rhythm, Accelerando/Rallentando Patterns, Rhythm and Meter/I: Polyrhythm, Rhythm and Meter/II: Hemiola, Rhythm and Meter/III: Polyrhythm and Non-Western influence, Discussion 7.1: Rhythm and Pitch, Exercise 7.2: Compose a Polyrhythm, Assignment 7: Rhythm, Recap

Week 8 – “Postmodernism, Musical Quotation, and Appropriation”, May 21st – May 27th
Introduction, What is Postmodern Music?, Quotations and Classical Music: a Never-Ending Idyll, Quotation in the Twentieth Century/I: The Early Years, Quotation in the Twentieth Century/II: After 1945, Exercise 8.1: Identify the Quotations, Pushing to the Limit: Multiple Quotes and Humor, Quotation vs. Music Appropriation: Imitating Style, Discussion 8.1: Quotation, Assignment 8: Past as Present, Recap

Week 9 – “New Tonality, New Spirituality”, May 28th – Jun 3rd
Introduction, Looking at the Past, Hinting at Tonality, Discussion 9.1: Neo-Tonality, Tonality as Spirituality: Pärt, Tavener, Discussion 9.2: New Spirituality, Assignment 9: New Tonality, Recap

Week 10 – “Spectralism”, Jun 4th – Jun 10th
Introduction, What is Spectralism?, The Precursors: Proto-Spectralists, The Spectral Composer at Work: Basic Techniques and Terminology, Discussion 10.1: Grisey’s “Partiels”, More Techniques and Terminology, Software Tools: Preparing for your Assignment, Assignment 10: Sound Analysis Composition, Recap

Week 11 – “The Early Pioneers of Electronic Music”, Jun 11th – Jun 17th
Introduction, Noise, Electricity, and Experimentalism: Electronic Music and Sonic Arts, The Early Electronic Instruments: Theremin and Ondes Martenot, Discussion 11.1: The Role of Technology, The US: Minimalism and other Experimentalisms, Germany: Elektronische Musik, France: Pierre Schaeffer and Musique Concrète, Hands-On: The Key Techniques of Early Electronic Music, Workshop: Composing Tape Music Today, Assignment 11: Compose a Collage Piece, Recap

Week 12 – “Looking Ahead”, Jun 18th – Jun 24th
Introduction, Tape, Instruments, and Live Electronics, Composing with Live Electronics, Music and Multimedia, Music Installation, Beyond Spectralism and Minimalism: Saturiation Music and Totalism, Discussion 12.1: The Future of Composition, Assignment 12: Write for String Quartet, Recap

Ear Training for Live Performance

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Ear Training for Live Performance was the class that I was looking forward to taking the most for Term 10. It was an excellent course with a lot of information (sometimes felt like too much).

I feel very fortunate to have had the course author, Allan Chase, as our instructor. He always gave thoughtful and meaningful feedback, sometimes in great detail. It was clear that this class and the subject matter being covered was very important to him.

For my part, there were some days where it felt as if I had never done any ear training before, and then other days where I could “hear” most things clearly and accurately in my mind. Perhaps the biggest challenge I’m facing at this point will be coming up with a regular practice routine that continues to strengthen what I’ve developed up until now.

Here’s what we covered over the twelve weeks.

Week 1 – “Building Connections: Inner Hearing, Voice, and Instrument”, Apr 2 – Apr 8
Introduction, Meet and Greet, Singing Basics for Ear Training for Live Performance, Workshop: Pitch Matching, Major Scales, Solfege, Your Voice and Inner Hearing, Workshop: Reviewing Movable-Do Solfege, Solfege and Inner Hearing, Workshop: Solfege and Inner Hearing, Workshop: Call and Response with Voice and Instrument, Rhythmic Vocabulary: Recognizing, Reading and Writing the Building Blocks of Rhythm, Conducting Primer, Workshop: Performing Basic One-Beat Rhythms, Quiz 1.1: Identifying One-Beat Rhythms, Discussion 1.1: Playing what You Hear, Assignment 1: Playing and Singing Major Scale Material and Composing Rhythms, Recap

Week 2 – “Major Scale Interval Exploration”, Apr 9th – Apr 15th
Introduction, 3/4 and 2/4 Conducting Patterns, More Major Scale Intervals: Indirect Resolutions, Bass Lines, and Leaps, Indirect Resolutions with V7 to I Accompaniment, Using Songs to Identify Intervals, Workshop: Major Scale Intervals and Patterns, Diatonic Major Scale Bass Lines, Identifying Common Major-Key Bass Lines and Patterns in Music, Workshop: Which Bass Line Is It?, Expanding Our Rhythmic Vocabulary, Workshop: Rhythms and Rests, Workshop: Sight Singing Melodies, Discussion 2.1: Identification Techniques, Assignment 2: Melodic Phrases, 3/4 Transcription, Recap

Week 3 – “Minor Keys and Cut Time”, Apr 16th – Apr 22nd
Introduction, Minor Keys and Scales, Natural and Harmonic Minor Scales, Tendency Tones in Minor, Workshop: Solfege Ladder Warm Up, Workshop: Minor Key, 2/2 meter: Cut Time, Workshop: Samba Rhythms, Discussion 3.1: Minor vs. Major, Assignment 3: Minor Key and 2/2 Rhythms, Sight-Singing Performance, Recap

Week 4 – “More Minor Scales”, Apr 23rd – Apr 29th
Introduction, Le vs. La and Te vs. Ti in Minor, Workshop: Identify the Type of Minor Scale, Line Clichés, Workshop: Identify the Line Cliché, Workshop: Sing a Mixed Minor Warm-Up Routine, Discussion 4.1: Ear Training Challenges and Practice Routine, Assignment 4: Minor Scales, Recap

Week 5 – “Minor Pentatonic Scale and the Minor Blues Scale”, Apr 30th – May 6th
Introduction, Minor Pentatonic Scales, Workshop: Minor Pentatonic Scale, Blue Notes and the Minor Blues Scale, Workshop: Sing and Play Blues Scale Melodies, Syncopated Eighth Notes, Ties, and Anticipations, Workshop: Syncopation, Swing Feel and Syncopation, Workshop: Sing Syncopated Rhythms in 4/4, 3/4, and 2/4 while Conducting, Discussion 5.1: Provide Examples, Assignment 5: Pentatonic and Blues Sounds, Recap

Week 6 – “Major Pentatonic and the Melodic Language of Blues”, May 7th – May 13th
Introduction, Major Pentatonic Scale, Workshop: Major Pentatonic Call and Response, Major Blues Scale, Workshop: Major Pentatonic and Major Blues Scale Melodies, Mixed Blues Scales: Minor and Major, Workshop: Chromatic Solfege Ladder, Workshop: Identify the Scale, Exercise: Mid-Term Sight Singing Exam Preparation, Discussion 6.1: Blues Tonality, Assignment 6: Major Pentatonic Sounds, Recap

Week 7 – “The Mixolydian Mode and More Syncopated Rhythms”, May 14th – May 20th
Introduction, Mixolydian Melodies, Workshop: Warm Up Using Solfege Ladder, Exercise: Call-and-Response, Tied Sixteenth Notes and Sixteenth-Note Syncopations, Workshop: One-Bar Examples with a Metronome, Discussion 7.1: Mixolydian Mood, Assignment 7: Mixolydian, Timed Video Assessment Technology Test, Midterm: Sight-Singing Performance, Recap

Week 8 – “The Lydian Mode”, May 21st – May 27th, Introduction, Lydian Tendency Tones, Workshop: Lydian with Solfege Ladder, Workshop: More Lydian Melodic Work-Out, Workshop: Lydian Juke-Box, Mixed 8th- and 16th-Note Syncopations and Ties, Workshop: Syncopated 8th- and 16th-Note Duet, Discussion 8.1: The Brightest Mode, Assignment 8: Lydian, Recap

Week 9 – “The Phrygian Mode, Flat II and Ra, the Spectrum of Modes”, May 28th – Jun 3rd
Introduction, Phrygian Activity, Workshop: Melodic Recognition and Inner Hearing Using the Solfege Ladder, Exercise: Call-and-Response, The Spectrum of Modes, Workshop: Identify The Mode, Mixed 8th-Note and 16th-Note Syncopations in 3/4 and 2/4, Discussion 9.1: Modal Spectrum, Assignment 9: Phrygian, Recap

Week 10 – “Mixed Modes”, Jun 4th – Jun 10th
Introduction, Singing, Playing, and Recognizing Mixed-Mode Melodies, Workshop: Solfege Ladder Warm-Up with Mixed Major and Minor Modes, Workshop: Sing and Play Phrases in Mixed Major and Minor Modes, Workshop: Recognizing the Sounds of Mixed Modes, Eighth-Note Triplets, Workshop: Sight-Read Triplet, 8th- and 16th-Note Rhythms, Getting Ready For Next Week’s Sight-Singing Final, Workshop: Sight Singing Practice, Discussion 10.1: Inner Hearing in Mixed-Modes, Assignment 10: Mixed Modes, Recap

Week 11 – “The Spectrum of Modes and Polyrhythms”, Jun 11th – Jun 17th
Introduction, Mixed Modes and All Twelve Notes, Melody with All Twelve Notes, Exercise: Solfege Ladder Warm Up, Sight-Singing through the Spectrum of Modes, Mixed-Mode Call and Response with Longer Melodic Ideas, How to Improvise a Modal Spectrum Warm-Up, Exercise: Improvise a Melodic Warm-Up, Quarter-Note Triplets and 3:2 Polyrhythms, Workshop: Mixed Triplet Performance, Introduction to Polyrhythms, Discussion 11.1: Final Project, Assignment 11: Spectrum of Modes and Rhythmic Study, Final: Sight-Singing Performance, Recap

Week 12 – “Practice Techniques and Final Project”, Jun 18th – Jun 24th, Introduction, Ear Training Review: Recognizing all Twelve Notes, All the Intervals, Workshop: Solfege Ladder, Workshop: Chromatic Call and Response, Rhythm Review, Further Horizons, Discussion 12.1: Continued Study, Assignment 12: Design and Share an Ear Training Exercise and Final Project, Recap