Foundations of Music Composition

This unit introduces core music-theory, notation, and compositional skills needed to conceive, notate, and communicate short musical ideas. Students learn melodic and rhythmic construction, basic harmony and the circle of fifths, transcription and transposition, and the introductory use of composition technologies and legal/ethical practices to prepare simple scores and lead sheets for performance or production.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze relationships among modes, major/minor tonalities, the circle of fifths, consonance/dissonance, and chord functions to describe how they shape musical mood and direction.
• Apply notation and transcription skills using pencil, tablet, and software to create legible lead sheets, transposed parts, and simple scores in concert pitch.
• Demonstrate the ability to develop motifs, melodic phrases, and rhythmic ideas—using step-wise and skip-wise motion, varied meters, and basic formal structures—to produce short compositions or sketches for ensembles and media.
• Evaluate and select appropriate composition tools, recording workflows, and ethical/legal practices (including fair use and public domain considerations and basic AI composition tools) to prepare works for rehearsal, performance, or further production.