Musicianship 1: listening and reading, pitch and rhythm

About this course

The course introduces the language of music through pulse, time patterns, tempo, time signatures, rhythm notation, melody and harmony. It covers note names, staff notation, tones and semitones, intervals, major and natural minor scale construction, and the idea of an aural key centre. Teaching combines tutor explanation and demonstration with listening, singing, clapping, rhythm playing, staff-notation writing and ear-training practice. Participants also work with active listening and singing to connect written symbols with musical sounds.

What you'll learn

• Read and write basic staff notation
• Identify and use note names, intervals, tones and semitones
• Recognise and work with pulse, metre, tempo and common rhythm patterns
• Construct major and natural minor scales
• Sing pitch and rhythm patterns and perform written rhythms
• Follow a score and use ear training in musical practice

Is this course right for you?

The course is intended for beginners and novice musicians, including singers and instrumentalists. Participation involves group classroom exercises such as listening, singing, clapping and playing rhythms, alongside written work and tutor-led explanation.

• Suitable for learners beginning to study musicianship
• Relevant to both singers and instrumentalists
• Includes active participation in listening, singing, clapping and rhythm exercises

Before you go

• Learners should bring manuscript paper, a pencil and an eraser.
• Course materials will be supplied in class and made available through Google Classroom.
• Learners may wish to record parts of the class.