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Go at your own pace
7 Sessions / 1 hours of work per session
Skill Level
Beginner
Topics
Music Theory, Reading Music, Music Notation, Music Education

Not available for purchase in India

Open for Enrollment

Music Theory Level 1: Part Four

Open for Enrollment
You can also start immediately after joining!

Would you like to enroll?

Enrollment for this course has closed. But you can enroll in a future offering (please select)

Enrollment has closed

Go at your own pace
7 Sessions / 1 hours of work per session
Skill Level
Beginner
Topics
Music Theory, Reading Music, Music Notation, Music Education

Not available for purchase in India

Course Description

Welcome to Music Theory Level 1: Part Four

Modes and Counterpoints


In this course you will learn all about musical modes, how they are used, and how composers have used them throughout history. You will also begin an exploration of counterpoint. This course forms part of the complete Music Theory Fundamentals Guide.


This is a class designed for the average person who is ready to take their music career (or music interest) and turn it into a business. Whether you are an active musician, an aspiring musician, or an aspiring music manager or agent - this class is perfect for you.


For years I've been teaching Music Theory in the college classroom. My approach to music theory is to minimize the memorization. Most of these concepts you can learn by just understanding why chords behave in certain ways. Once you understand those concepts, you can find any scale, key, or chord that exists. Even invent your own. If you've tried to learn music theory before, or if you are just starting out - this series of courses is the perfect fit.


In Part 4: Modes and Counterpoints, we will cover:

  • My approach to Music Theory
  • Tools you will need to learn Music Theory quickly and efficiently
  • How Modes Work
  • The History of Modes
  • Identifying the Musical Modes
  • Incorporating modes into popular music
  • Analysis of popular and classical music, including the Simpsons TV Theme Song, and the Beetles.
  • Interval Exploration
  • Compound Intervals
  • Rules for Inversion
  • Augmented Intervals
  • Diminished Intervals
  • Enharmonic Equivalence
  • Labeling Dissonance
  • Counterpoint in Species
  • The Rules of Counterpoint
  • Compositing with Counterpoint
  • Types of Contrapuntal Motion
  • Creating music with Counterpoint


You will not have another opportunity to learn Music Theory in a more comprehensive way than this. All the tools you need to successfully learn Music Theory are included in this course and the entire course is based on real-life experiences - not just academic theory.


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Praise for Courses by Jason Allen:

⇢ "It seems like every little detail is being covered in an extremely simple fashion. The learning process becomes relaxed and allows the complex concepts to get absorbed easily. My only regret is not taking this course earlier." - M. Shah

⇢ "Great for everyone without any knowledge so far. I bought all three parts... It's the best investment in leveling up my skills so far.." - Z. Palce

⇢ "Excellent explanations! No more or less than what is needed." - A. Tóth

⇢ "VERY COOL. I've waiting for years to see a good video course, now I don't have to wait anymore. Thank You!" - Jeffrey Koury

 "I am learning LOTS! And I really like having the worksheets!" - A. Deichsel

⇢ "The basics explained very clearly - loads of really useful tips!" - J. Pook

⇢ "Jason is really quick and great with questions, always a great resource for an online class!" M. Smith

Reviews
schedule

This course is in adaptive mode and is open for enrollment. Learn more about adaptive courses here.

Session 1: Getting Started (December 18, 2024)
Before we jump in, let's learn a little bit about how we are going to learn. There are a few free tools I like to use that will help you learn music theory.
4 lessons
1. Welcome Overview
2. Tools We Need
3. Review Scales
4. Review Diatonic Chord Progressions
Session 2: Modes (The Musical Modes, AKA The Church Modes) (December 25, 2024)
We've learned how to work with the major scale and the minor scale. But what if there was more than that? More possible "types" of scales? There are - and they are called Modes.
10 lessons
1. Overview Of Modes
2. How Modes Work
3. History Of Modes
4. Ionian Mode
5. Dorian Scale
6. Phyrgian Mode
7. Lydian Mode
8. Mixolydian
9. Aeolean Mode
10. Locrian Mode
Session 3: Using Modes (January 1, 2025)
Now that we know what modes are, we should look at how to use them, and how other composers have used them.
4 lessons
1. Old To New Again
2. Simpsons Theme
3. Choir Example
4. Eleanor Rigby
Session 4: Deeper Into Intervals (January 8, 2025)
In previous classes in this series, we've learned a lot about intervals. But not everything. In this section we will cover some gaps and introduce some new intervals.
9 lessons
1. Melodic Vs Harmonic Intervals
2. Visual Landmarks
3. Compound Intervals
4. Major Minor Perfect Intervals
5. Inversions Of Intervals
6. Summary Of Intervals So Far
7. Augmented And Diminished Intervals
8. The Tritone
9. Enharmonic Equivalence
Session 5: Consonance and Dissonance (January 15, 2025)
Now that we've explored some more dissonant intervals, we should talk about how the consonant and dissonant intervals work together.
4 lessons
1. Constant And Dissonance
2. Resolution
3. Interval Classes
4. Analyzing Intervals
Session 6: Introduction to Counterpoint (January 22, 2025)
Counterpoint is one of the most important concepts in writing music. Many composers claimed the study of counterpoint was even more important that the study of harmony.
7 lessons
1. Connecting Melodic Intervals
2. First Species Counterpoint Rules
3. Connecting Harmonic Intervals
4. Types Of Contrapuntal Motion
5. Parallel Fifths and Octaves
6. What Is Counterpoint
7. Species Of Counterpoint
Session 7: Writing Note-To-Note Counterpoint in Strict Style (January 29, 2025)
Now that we know the basic rules, we will dive in and write our own piece!
6 lessons
1. Beginning And The End
2. The Middle
3. Reminschnieder
4. All The Rules
5. What Next
6. Thanks Bye
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Learning Outcomes

Below you will find an overview of the Learning Outcomes you will achieve as you complete this course.

Instructors And Guests
What You Need to Take This Course

Students should be enthusiastic about music, but do not need to be producers or musicians. No prior experience is needed in music - All are welcome!

I'll be using a piece of software in this course that I would like students to get. Don't worry - it's free! And works on Mac and PC computers. I'll tell you more in the first few videos.

Additional Information

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