In this course, you will build upon the essential elements of music theory and composition learned in CTHA1, allowing you to further your own musical language. You will expand your knowledge Tonal Harmony topics while you create your own music. This advancement in music theory will support you in all of your musical endeavors, making the application of advanced techniques easier to use within your own compositions. After completing a strong review of CTHA1 topics, the course will move into secondary dominants, modulation techniques, mode mixture, the Neapolitan chord, and augmented 6th chords , and a thorough analysis of different scores in both contemporary and traditional settings. This course will give you the tools to develop and enrich your melody writing, presented through contemporary and traditional views , as well as the importance of different musical forms, harmonic function, and phrasing as compositional techniques. This music composition course will continue blending and exploring both traditional and contemporary harmony in order to give you a historical understanding of current topics. On a weekly basis, you will be asked to write musical pieces and analyze traditional scores Lesson 1.- Secondary Functions 1: Chromaticism, Altered Chords and Secondary Dominants Lesson 2.- Secondary Functions 2: Secondary Leading Tone Chords, Deceptive Resolutions Lesson 3.- Modulation using Diatonic Common Chords Lesson 4.- Other Modulatory techniques: Sequential, Direct and Monophonic Modulation. Modulation by Common Tone and Altered Chords Lesson 5.- Binary and Ternary Forms Lesson 6.- Mode Mixture Lesson 7.- The Neapolitan Chord Lesson 8.- Augmented Sixth Chords I : Italian, German and French Lesson 9.- Augmented Sixth Chords II Lesson 10.- Enharmonic Spellings and Modulation Lesson 11.- Further Elements of the Harmonic Vocabulary Lesson 12.- Final Project
Counterpoint 1
Counterpoint is the technique of writing independent melodic lines that work together to create effective music. This linear perspective has influenced some of the most popular songs and artists in the 20th century, including the music of the Beatles, Pink Floyd, David Bowie, and many other contemporary artists—even hip-hop and techno artists. The study of Counterpoint is essential knowledge for songwriters, composers, and musicians who want to strengthen their compositional skills.
This course explores the mechanics of basic contrapuntal technique, focusing on how melodies interact with one another. The course begins with writing a simple melodic line that works with an existing melody. You will then learn to add complexity, and you will study motivic manipulations of sequence, inversion, retrograde, and other variations. The course also explores various canonic techniques, including simple, mirror, crab, and mensuration canons. This course uses musical examples from the Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and 20th century periods
The goal of the course is to give you a broad overview of counterpoint and improve your compositional skills, regardless of stylistic preference.
At the end of each week, you will be asked to write a short piece of music
Lesson 1.- Introduction to Counterpoint and Review of Tonal Harmony Concepts
Lesson 2.- What is Counterpoint. The Single Melodic Line
Lesson 3.- Principles of Two Voice Counterpoint
Lesson 4.- Ratios, Phrases and Form
Lesson 5.- Non-Chord Tones
Lesson 6.- Motivic Manipulation
Lesson 7.- Writing Two Voice Counterpoint and Writing in Minor
Lesson 8.- Simple Canon at the Octave
Lesson 9.- Advanced Harmonic Techniques: Canon by Inversion. Canon at other intervals
Lesson 10.- Invertible Counterpoint
Lesson 11.- Advanced Motivic Manipulation. Riddle Canons. More elements of Form. Binary Form.
Lesson 12.- Imitative Counterpoint. Imitation and Puzzle.
Final Project​​
CTHA 2. Composition, Tonal Harmony and Analysis 2
- 12 Weeks