Popular Music Theory Course Overview – Debut
Maximum Duration: 2 Terms (22 weeks)
Objectives - At the end of the term learners will be able to:
1. Understand music notation
2. Understand the elements of popular music harmony
3. Understand instrumental components and notation
4. Be able to identify music notation, harmony and instrumental
characteristics within a multi-instrumental score
Assessment Criteria - The learners can:
1.1 Identify notes up to one ledger note and keys up to one sharp on the bass
and treble clef
1.2 Identify whole, half, quarter and eighth-note rhythms and rests in 4/4 or
3/4 time signatures using bass, treble and percussion clefs
1.3 Identify elements of the stave
2.1 Identify and accurately reproduce major scales and related intervals
2.2 Identify and accurately reproduce simple triadic chords
3.1 Identify parts of musical instruments
3.2 Identify pitch, rhythm, instrument voices and techniques within
instrument-specific music notation
4.1 Identify pitch, keys, time signatures and rhythms within a multi-
instrumental score of two parts
4.2 Accurately complete a multi-instrumental musical score of two parts
Course Schedule:
Week No. Topic
1 Part 1 – Notation: Note Symbols & Time Values (up to e)
2 Part 1 – Notation: Time Signatures (4/4, 3/4)
3 Part 1 – Notation: Integration Activity – Rhythmic
reading (clapping), composition
4 Part 1 – Notation: Staff & Clefs (&, ? , / ), Notes on the
staff (Pitch on & & ? )
5 Part 2 – Harmony: Major Scales, Accidentals, Keys (C
Major, G Major) pt1
6 Part 2 – Harmony: Major Scales, Accidentals, Keys (C
Major, G Major) pt2
7 Part 2 – Harmony: Chords & Intervals (triads – chords &
arpeggios)
8 Part 1 & 2 Integration – Sight Reading / Sight Singing
simple melodies up to 5ths
9 Part 3 – Band Knowledge – Vocals
10 Part 3 – Band Knowledge – Piano & Keys
11 Part 3 – Band Knowledge – Guitar & Bass
12 Part 3 – Band Knowledge – Drum Kit
13 Integration Activity – Short Composition (melody
writing to I-V chord progression in 2 parts, Vocal
Melody w/Piano or Gtr chords in C Major)
14 Part 4 – Band Analysis: Vocals, Piano/Keys Notation
Prepared by: JL Malgapo, 2019
15 Part 4 – Band Analysis: Guitar & Bass Notation
16 Part 4 – Band Analysis: Drums Notation
17 Part 4 – Band Analysis: Practice Analysis (Workbook
Example 1)
18 Part 4 – Band Analysis: Practice Analysis (Workbook
Example 2)
19 Part 4 – Band Analysis: Practice Analysis (Workbook
Example 3)
20 Pre-Mock Exam Revision
21 Integration: Mock Exam (Workbook Sample Paper)
22 Integration: Mock Exam Revision
Prepared by: JL Malgapo, 2019