Theory 149 Lecture 1 Aug 25, 2025 — Syllabus & Core Policies (Quick Reference)

Course Essentials

  • Course: Theory 149 (University of Michigan); focus on tonal harmony, voice leading, and oral skills; heavy emphasis on singing, reading, and in-class activities.
  • Solfege overview: the system uses solfege syllables; for this class,
    • solfege mapping: the syllable 'doe' corresponds to the note C, and can cover any form of C (C, C#, C\flat).
    • Practice reading etudes aloud quickly to train pitch reading across clefs.
  • Clefs: start with treble and bass; plus C-clefs on various lines (soprano, mezzo-soprano, alto, tenor, baritone) used for range considerations.
  • Daily plan: the daily document outlines warm-up and class activities; you’ll read and work from PDFs in class.
  • Bring to class: staff paper and pencil; preferably a laptop/tablet for PDFs; large screen is helpful for scores; iPhones are typically too small for scores.
  • Materials: Harmony and Voice Leading (reference; don’t necessarily buy it); Internet Archive copy available; Wayne C. Petty’s Counterpoint Guide (free copy provided).
  • Platform: R2Z (r2zmusic.com) for practice assignments; unlimited attempts with instant feedback; designed to be flexible and helpful for mastery.
  • Course arc: unit on fundamentals (pitch, rhythm, meter, harmony), then strict counterpoint (species), then harmony/voice leading, analysis (figured bass, lead-sheet symbols), and finally a final composition project with a performance study.
  • In-class expectations: the course is sung-based; some instrument work may occur; the class is framed as oral skills with writing tied to analysis.
  • Attendance note: there is no formal attendance grade, but class presence is essential for understanding and completing assignments.
  • What to bring regularly: staff paper, pencil, and a device to view PDFs; printed music is optional.
  • Study culture: build a couple of study buddies for questions and quick help; email is not ideal for musical theory questions; use in-class office hours or colleagues for quick clarifications.

Grading and Assessments

  • Total points available: 50 points from Artusi-style assignments (Artusi run-throughs).
  • Artusi assignments: 30 tasks; roughly two problem sets per week (approximate pacing).
  • CPAs (Comprehension Participation Assignments): 10 tasks; in-class and collaborative.
  • Quizzes: 3 take-home, untimed quizzes.
  • Final project: final composition project with a four-week development and a performance study.
  • Overall structure: Artusi assignments contribute a large portion of the grade, CPAs provide ongoing mastery checks, quizzes assess comprehension, and the final project demonstrates integration.
  • CPA grading scale: P^+ = 100\%, P = 80\%, P^- = 60\%, 0 = 0\%.
  • No attendance grade, but missing class undermines your ability to complete tasks and understand instructions; participation in class is important.

Deadlines, Extensions, and Late Policy

  • R2Z deadlines (online practice): flexible; you can complete tasks anytime; there are suggested due dates, but late completion is allowed without penalty on R2Z; there is a built-in window for quizzes (usually a ~3 day window).
  • Strategy: you can finish all R2Z tasks at any time and touch them up later; however, staying current helps with quiz readiness.
  • CPAs: hard deadlines; typically Friday at 11:59 PM; then a one-week grace period is allowed for late submissions.
  • Late CPA penalty: 20% deduction for late CPA submissions within the grace period; no penalties for missing the deadline beyond that grace period once it expires.
  • Redos: CPAs can be revised and resubmitted to achieve a higher grade; the process is targeted (not a full redo).
  • Email policy: use class time to address questions; emailing for immediate problem-solving is discouraged because music theory questions are easier to handle in person with staff/piano demonstrations.
  • Extensions: extensions are effectively managed through the CPA system; for R2Z, extensions are not typically needed as the system supports flexible timing.
  • Important reminder: do not rely on email for urgent clarifications about homework; come to class or office hours for explanations.

Materials, Tools, and Resources

  • Staff paper and a pencil are recommended; have a physical copy for writing in class when needed.
  • Technology: laptop or tablet preferred for viewing PDFs and scores; phones are usually not adequate for score reading.
  • Textbooks/References:
    • Harmony and Voice Leading (reference; not required to purchase).
    • Wayne C. Petty's Counterpoint Guide (free copy provided; used for counterpoint instruction).
  • R2Z: enroll now at R2ZMusic.com; Enrollment code is provided under the course materials; there is a grace period to begin before payment is required.
  • Canvas: course schedule and announcements will be posted; you’ll receive notifications for course schedule updates.

Course Content and Structure

  • Unit 1: Core music literacy — pitch, rhythm, meter, harmony fundamentals.
  • Unit 2: Strict counterpoint (species counterpoint) — explicit rules for two-voice writing; used for navigation of tonal space and analysis.
  • Unit 3: Harmony and voice leading — chord progressions, rough and numeral analysis, figured bass, lead-sheet symbols (including jazz chord labels).
  • Final project: composition project developed through in-class work and multiple iterations; includes a performance study.
  • Practice and performance: expect frequent in-class singing; instrumental participation may occur; emphasis on oral skills alongside theoretical writing.
  • Schedule notes: there will be days the instructor is away for talks; those days will be noted so you don’t come to class expecting instruction.

Class Culture and Engagement

  • Networking: form study buddies for quick questions outside of class.
  • Office hours: you’re encouraged to attend class for direct instruction; email is not ideal for music theory questions.
  • Communication: you’ll typically receive guidance and feedback in class or during office hours rather than through email.
  • Instructor persona and course tone: the class mixes humor with policy explanations; the aim is to keep a rigorous but engaging environment.

Quick Reference: Key Numbers and Terms

  • Points and tasks: 50 Artusi points, 30 Artusi assignments, 10 CPAs, 3 quizzes, final project (≈ 4 weeks).
  • Deadlines: CPAs due on a hard deadline with a 1\text{ week} grace period; late CPA penalty up to 20\%.
  • R2Z: unlimited retries and instant feedback; quizzes have a window (typically ~3 days).
  • Quotes and symbols:
    • P+ = 100\% , P = 80\% , P- = 60\% , 0 = 0\%.
  • Time markers: Friday 11:59 PM is a common CPA deadline; meanwhile, R2Z tasks are flexible.
  • Clefs: treble, bass, and C-clefs on various lines (soprano, mezzo-soprano, alto, tenor, baritone).
  • Texts: Harmony and Voice Leading (reference); Petty Counterpoint Guide (required for reference; free copy provided).