This series is one part of UC Irvine's Musicianship 15 ABC sequence for music majors. An understanding of music notation and basic musical terms is helpful but not required for these presentations. The math involved is basic. Pitch systems use mathematics to organize audible phenomenon for creative expression. The cognitive processes we develop through exposure to music comprise a kind of applied mathematics; our emotional responses to musical nuance grow out of a largely unconscious mastery of the patterns and structures in music. This series of presentations covers the basic mathematics and cognitive phenomenon found in the tonal system used in Western music and much of the music of the world. Over the course of several presentations we will explore basic concepts of pitch and frequency, the organizing rules of tonal systems, and the mathematical construction of basic scales and chords. The reasoning and purpose of equal temperament, the standard tuning system for tonal music, will be explored in this context. Presentations will include graphics and computer applications designed specifically to illustrate these concepts. UC Irvine’s OCW is a Web-based publication of the courses and course materials that support higher education. Educators are encouraged to use the materials for curriculum development, while students can augment their current learning by making use of the materials offered, and self-learners are encouraged to draw upon the material for self-study or supplementary use. Course materials offered on the UC Irvine Web site typically may be used, copied, distributed, translated and modified, but only for non-commercial educational purposes that are made freely available to other users. Each course shows its own license provisions, so please check carefully. In the openly licensed format, UCI contributes to global education at no marginal cost to itself beyond the already completed filming. Our own students also benefit by being able to review presentations and because it is available on YouTube, we don’t have to worry about maintaining it on course pages behind password protection. By making it open, another institution or professor can use some or all of the video presentations without even having to contact us for permission. So we are fulfilling the mission of a land-grant, public university effectively and efficiently.
Type of Material:
Online Course
Recommended Uses:
Self-paced larning
Homework
Individual
Technical Requirements:
Device capable of viewing YouTube videos
YouTube's current minimum system requirements are as follows:
In order to watch YouTube videos, make sure you have the most up to date browser, operating system, and a good Internet connection:
Most recent version of Google Chrome, Firefox, MS Edge, Safari, or Opera
Internet connection with 500+ Kbps
Additional info about viewing YouTube on mobile devices is available at:
Could be used as supplementary material for lower level music theory classes or as an applied example for a physics class
Target Student Population:
College General Ed, College Lower Division, College Upper Division
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:
Basic computers skills. Basic knowledge of music notation helpful but not necessary, Basic math skills
Content Quality
Rating:
Strengths:
This material takes a different approach to music theory that could work well with particular learning styles. A student that may struggle with traditional theory might respond well to this more physics based approach.
It also reinforces the 'why' behind how music works. An analogy might be how studying a second language can clarify how the grammar and syntax of the first language works by comparison and contrast.
Content is appropriate
Easy to Use
Content is Complete
Concerns:
Quality of audio recording varies by lecture video
Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool
Rating:
Strengths:
The concepts are clearly laid out and cogently explained. The material is also presented in a logical progression relative to the arc of information it covers
Concerns:
No major issues
Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty
Rating:
Strengths:
The material is very clearly explained and makes good use of visuals to clarify and reinforce concepts
Easy to use and navigate
Concerns:
No major concerns, but a couple of logistical considerations that could improve usability:
1) If possible, dividing the lectures into more equal time lengths could make it easier to use in an in-class environment
2) Sometimes the navigation behaved in an unexpected way - for example: clicking 'lectures' while watching a particular segment linked to a list of other courses rather than back to the list of lectures for this course.
Creative Commons:
Search by ISBN?
It looks like you have entered an ISBN number. Would you like to search using what you have
entered as an ISBN number?
Searching for Members?
You entered an email address. Would you like to search for members? Click Yes to continue. If no, materials will be displayed first. You can refine your search with the options on the left of the results page.
Searching for Members?
You entered an email address. Would you like to search for members? Click Yes to continue. If no, materials will be displayed first. You can refine your search with the options on the left of the results page.
