Course

Keyboard Harmony I

Faculty
Language, Literature & Performing Arts
Department
Music
Course Code
MUSC 1162
Credits
1.50
Semester Length
15 weeks
Max Class Size
16
Method(s) Of Instruction
Lecture
Tutorial
Typically Offered
To be determined

Overview

Course Description
In this course, the student will learn basic keyboard harmony skills including harmonization of melodies, figured bass, transposition, improvising, score reading and simple accompanying.
Course Content

Score reading - learn to read both vocal and instrumental scores up to four parts including transposing instruments.

Transposition - learn to transpose melodies and two-part piano pieces to closely related keys.

Figured bass - learn the basics of realizing a diatonic figured bass using block and broken chords and non-harmonic passing and neighbour tones.

Harmonization of melodies - use diatonic and chromatic harmonies in keyboard style.

Improvisation - create phrase-length melodies, create melodies over a given harmonic pattern, create accompaniment patterns for a given melody.

Learning Activities

Instruction methods include lecture with demonstration and supervised practice.

Means of Assessment

The grade will be calculated on the basis of progress made in the various aspects of the course:

  • 40% of the mark will be based upon class work
  • 20% of the mark will be based on regular quizzes (one per week)
  • 15% of the mark will be allotted for an in-class midterm examination
  • 25% of the mark will be allotted for an in-class final examination

Attendance

As this is a skill-oriented course, regular attendance is required in order to develop fluent keyboard skills. Therefore, 100% attendance is desired. The failure to attend regularly will result in the reduction of a final grade as shown below:

  • 3 unexcused absences: minus 10%
  • 6 unexcused absences: minus 15%
  • students who miss 30% or more of scheduled class time will receive a final grade of UN (unofficial withdrawal)
Learning Outcomes

The successful student will learn the fundamentals of keyboard harmony incuding harmonizing melodies, realizing figured bass, transposing, improvising and basic accompanying.

Textbook Materials

A list of recommended textbooks and materials is provided on the Instructor’s Course Outline, which is available to students at the beginning of each semester.

An example is: Brings, Allen, et al. A New Approach to Keyboard Harmony, 1st Edition, W.W. Norton, 1979.

Requisites

Prerequisites

Open to students in the Music Diploma program, or by permission of instructor.

Corequisites

None

Equivalencies

None

Course Guidelines

Course Guidelines for previous years are viewable by selecting the version desired. If you took this course and do not see a listing for the starting semester / year of the course, consider the previous version as the applicable version.

(Current)

Course Transfers

These are for current course guidelines only. For a full list of archived courses please see https://www.bctransferguide.ca

Institution Transfer Details for MUSC 1162
Capilano University (CAPU) CAPU MUS 1XX (2)
Coast Mountain College (CMTN) No credit
College of the Rockies (COTR) No credit
Coquitlam College (COQU) No credit
Northern Lights College (NLC) No credit
Simon Fraser University (SFU) SFU CA 1XX (1)
University of British Columbia - Okanagan (UBCO) No credit
University of Northern BC (UNBC) No credit
Vancouver Island University (VIU) Individual audition required

Course Offerings

Winter 2025