COURSE UNIT TITLE

: MELODIC AND HARMONIC STRUCTURE IN MODERN JAZZ THEORY I

Description of Individual Course Units

Course Unit Code Course Unit Title Type Of Course D U L ECTS
MAS 6189 MELODIC AND HARMONIC STRUCTURE IN MODERN JAZZ THEORY I ELECTIVE 3 0 0 6

Offered By

Music Proficiency in Art

Level of Course Unit

Third Cycle Programmes (Doctorate Degree)

Course Coordinator

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR ONUR NURCAN

Offered to

Music Proficiency in Art

Course Objective

This course aims to familiarize the students with the advanced concepts and elements of the structure of jazz melody and harmony in accordance with the modern approaches in jazz theory, and to supply them with the skills of analysis and synthesis using this knowledge.

Learning Outcomes of the Course Unit

1   Can identify various bebop scales.
2   Can show the functional relations in a chord progression using brackets and arrows analysis.
3   Can write the harmonic plans of Blues variations and Rhythm changes for a given key.
4   Can match related chords to common scales with alterations (harmonic major, harmonic minor, melodic minor #5).
5   Can use melody writing techniques on modes of scales with alterations.

Mode of Delivery

Face -to- Face

Prerequisites and Co-requisites

None

Recomended Optional Programme Components

None

Course Contents

Week Subject Description
1 Introduction: Review of fundamental concepts, rules, and methods of jazz harmony (chord-scale theory, prevalent scales and modes, chord construction with 3, 4 or more notes, chords with specific order of intervals, common chord progressions, structure of melodies, techniques for writing melodies over a harmonic plan)
2 (cont.)
3 (cont.)
4 (cont.)
5 (cont.)
6 Bebop scales
7 Brackets and arrows analysis
8 Blues scale, blues plan and its variations in jazz
9 (cont.)
10 Rhythm Changes
11 (cont.)
12 Common scales with alterations (harmonic major, harmonic minor, melodic minor #5) and their modes
13 (cont.)
14 (cont.)
15 Final exam

Recomended or Required Reading

Main references:
Levine, M. The Jazz Theory Book. Sher Music Co., 1995.
Miller, R. Modal Jazz Composition & Harmony. Advance Music, 2000.

Other course materials: Exercises and presentations prepared by the tutor

Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods

Each topic is explained on the staved board with sufficient examples, supported when necessary with piano, MIDI software on the computer, and excerpts from the repertoire. The students are assigned to apply it on examples they are given and/or they construct by themselves. The subject and application results are discussed. Short homework assignments are also regularly given.

Assessment Methods

SORTING NUMBER SHORT CODE LONG CODE FORMULA
1 MTE MIDTERM EXAM
2 ASG ASSIGNMENT
3 FCG FINAL COURSE GRADE
4 FCGR FINAL COURSE GRADE (RESIT) MTE * 0.30 +ASG * 0.25 +FN * 0.45
5 RST RESIT
6 RST RESIT MTE * 0.30 +.sinavASG * 0.25 +RST * 0.45


*** Resit Exam is Not Administered in Institutions Where Resit is not Applicable.

Further Notes About Assessment Methods

One (written) midterm exam, an average of 3 homework assignments and one final exam will be given. The questions will consist of the topics covered during the lessons. The students will use the paper given for the exam to answer the questions. The assignments to be evaluated are those demanded to be turned in (by a priori notice from the teacher), except for the regular ones.

Assessment Criteria

Written exams and assignments aim to measure whether the students have fulfilled the goals defined in the learning outcomes.

Language of Instruction

Turkish

Course Policies and Rules

To be announced.

Contact Details for the Lecturer(s)

0232 412 9557

Office Hours

Tuesdays 14:00-15:00

Work Placement(s)

None

Workload Calculation

Activities Number Time (hours) Total Work Load (hours)
Lectures 14 3 42
Preparations before/after weekly lectures 14 7 98
Preparation for midterm exam 1 2 2
Preparation for final exam 1 4 4
Preparing assignments 3 2 6
Final 1 1 1
Midterm 1 1 1
TOTAL WORKLOAD (hours) 154

Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes

PO/LOPO.1PO.2PO.3PO.4PO.5PO.6PO.7PO.8PO.9PO.10PO.11PO.12PO.13PO.14
LO.122
LO.232
LO.3212
LO.4235
LO.5415