Course

Applied Popular Theory I

Faculty
Language, Literature & Performing Arts
Department
Music
Course code
MUSC 1176
Credits
3.00
Semester length
15 Weeks
Max class size
30
Method(s) of instruction
Lecture
Course designation
None
Industry designation
None
Typically offered
To be determined

Overview

Course description
This course will introduce the student to a variety of concepts and practices, theoretical and applied, commonly found in many styles of popular music. The course will focus on popular music up to the mid-1960s. Exercises and assignments will include composing in a variety of styles and formats.
Course content
  1. Foundations:
    • Rhythm
    • Meter
    • Intervals, scales, keys
      • Major-minor system
      • Modes
      • Other scales
    • Chords
      • Triads
      • Sevenths
      • Extended chords
      • Other chords
    • Chord Symbols
      • Jazz / pop
      • Roman numeral
      • Other - Nashville, etc.
  2. Harmonic Practices:
    • Folk traditions (diatonic)
    • Pop traditions (diatonic / chromatic)
  3. Form:
    • Phrase constructions
    • Refrain forms
    • Sectional forms
  4. Written and aural analysis of selected repertoire from the following song styles:
    • 12-bar Blues
    • 16-bar folk songs
    • Popular American 32-bar forms
  5. Other topics:
    • Writing charts for a small ensemble
    • Basic instrumentation 
Learning activities

Lecture and practical demonstration

Means of assessment

Assessment will be based on course objectives and will be carried out in accordance with the Douglas College Evaluation Policy. 

The following is an example evaluation scheme:

Quizzes (minimum of 4)

20%
Assignments (minimum of 2) 30%
Midterm exam 20%
Final exam 20%
Professionalism 10%
Total 100%

Professionalism is assessed on consistent attendance, punctuality, taking responsibility for deadlines, constructive and considerate inter-personal communication and contribution to class discussion and group work. 

 

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the successful student will be able to:

  1. Understand and apply the core theoretical concepts used to create the characteristic sounds in popular music.
  2. Compose short examples within various idioms.
  3. Create simple charts, scores and parts.
  4. Demonstrate understanding of the idiomatic practices of popular music.
Textbook materials

The instructor may assign a textbook such as:

Harrison, Mark. Contemporary Music Theory - Level One: A Complete Harmony and Theory Method for the Pop and Jazz Musician, Hal Leonard, current edition.

Requisites

Prerequisites

No prerequisite courses.

Corequisites

No corequisite courses.

Equivalencies

No equivalent courses.

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.

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 1176
Alexander College (ALEX) ALEX HUMN 1XX (3)
Athabasca University (AU) AU MUSI 2XX (3)
Coast Mountain College (CMTN) No credit
College of the Rockies (COTR) No credit
Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) KPU MUSI 3550 (3)
Langara College (LANG) LANG ARTS 1XXX (3)
Nicola Valley Institute of Technology (NVIT) No credit
Northern Lights College (NLC) No credit
Simon Fraser University (SFU) SFU CA 1XX (3)
Simon Fraser University (SFU) DOUG MUSC 1176 (3) & DOUG MUSC 1276 (3) = SFU CA 142 (3) & SFU CA 249 (3)
Trinity Western University (TWU) TWU MUSI 100 (3)
University Canada West (UCW) No credit
University of British Columbia - Okanagan (UBCO) UBCO MUSC_O 1st (3)
University of British Columbia - Okanagan (UBCO) DOUG MUSC 1176 (3) & DOUG MUSC 1276 (3) = UBCO MUSC_O 103 (3) & UBCO MUSC_O 115 (3)
University of British Columbia - Vancouver (UBCV) No credit
University of Northern BC (UNBC) No credit
University of Victoria (UVIC) UVIC MUS 1XX (1.5)

Course Offerings

Winter 2025