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Music Theory Comprehensive, Part 11: Melody & Motives

Welcoming the world into music theory through non-pretentious classes.
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What you are going to learn

Welcome to the World of Music Theory. Don't Worry - It's Going to be Ok.

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.

This class is Part 11: Melody, Motives, and Phrases. It continues what would be the second semester of a college music theory class (according to the typical American academic system for learning music theory).
Here is a list of some of the topics we will cover:
  • Tools of Music Theory
  • Why phrases are important
  • Identifying Phrases
  • Finding Motives
  • Labeling Motives and Phrases
  • Melody Augmentation
  • Melody Diminution
  • Melody Inversion
  • Melody Extension and Truncation
  • Contour, Rhythm, Transposition, and Interval Alterations
  • Harmonizing altered melodies
  • Musical Sentences
  • Musical Periods
  • Antecedents
  • Consequents
  • Performing Phrases
  • Hypermeter
  • Phrase Rhythm
  • ...and much, much more!

Dr. J. Anthony Allen

Music PhD, Producer, Composer, Instructor, Professor, Author, & Ableton Certified Trainer. 
About
Dr. Allen is a professional musician, top-rated online instructor, and university professor. In 2017 the Star Tribune featured him as a "Mover and a Shaker," and he is recognized by the Grammy Foundation for his music education classes. He currently teaches at Augsburg University in Minneapolis, MN, Slam Academy, and Punkademic Courses.

Course reviews

These classes are the first good experience I've ever had with music theory and I found them well taught and easily intelligible. This means a lot to me. Going through grade school, some few decades ago, I had innumerable bad experiences with music theory. These classes by Jason made a huge difference and I found that, properly taught, I actually enjoy the subject and it has been easy to learn. I really  credit most of this to the style of teaching, so thank you!
- Michael Helmeste
Like a lot of Jason's courses, he packs in so much information. I thought I knew a lot about music, but in these music theory classes, I found out that I didn't know that much. He has filled in the gaps that I had and introduced me to a whole new world of music...I remember practicing scales when I was a kid taking trumpet lessons, but had no idea as to why the instructor wanted me to learn it...Now I know. I love how these courses have the worksheets at the end of the different sections, they really help to zero in on concepts...I bought all the courses on music theory after looking at the contents...Well done...
- Calvin Hood