Open Music Theory
Open Music Theory
Common Course ID: [Course name/number linked to descriptor]
Instructor Name:
Abstract: This open textbook is being utilized in a [discipline] course for undergraduate [description if any] students by [Instructor's name] at [Educational Institution name]. The open textbook provides [brief description of highlights and any instructor supplements]. The main motivation to adopt an open textbook was [supply reason]. Most student access the open textbook in [format and/or access method].
Reviews: The book has been reviewed by faculty [give details].
Textbook Title: Open Music Theory
Description: Open Music Theory is a natively-online open educational resource intended to serve as the primary text and workbook for undergraduate music theory curricula. OMT2 provides not only the material for a complete traditional core undergraduate music theory sequence (fundamentals, diatonic harmony, chromatic harmony, form, 20th-century techniques), but also several other units for instructors who have diversified their curriculum, such as jazz, popular music, rhythm, counterpoint, and orchestration. This version also introduces a complete workbook of assignments.
Authors: Mark Gotham, Kyle Gullings, Chelsey Hamm, Bryn Hughes, Brian Jarvis, Megan Lavengood, and John Peterson
Cost savings: Previously used textbook Fundamentals of Music cost nearly $100.
MUSC 1100: Fundamentals of Music
Description: For students beginning their music education or needing a developmental course in preparation for Music Theory. Teaches fundamental music terminology, rhythm and clef reading, key signatures, intervals, chord construction, and principles of musical structure. Students who successfully complete this course will be more proficient in reading rhythm and meter, writing and hearing scales, intervals, and chords.
Learning outcomes:
1. Apply fundamental music descriptive and notation terminologies to music from a wide range of historical periods and genres.
2. Read pitches in the bass and treble clef, basic rhythms in simple and compound meters, and basic horizontal and vertical structures in music (including intervals and triads).
3. Write pitches in the bass and treble clef, basic rhythms in simple and compound meters, and basic horizontal and vertical structures in music (including intervals and triads).
4. Analyze pitches in the bass and treble clef, basic rhythms in simple and compound meters, and basic horizontal and vertical structures in music (including intervals and triads).
Students who take this course are typically first year music majors, minors, those working on the music technology certificate, and those who need a refresher before starting the Music Theory sequence.
Teaching and learning impacts:
- Dr. Rhodes collaborates more with other faculty.
- Dr. Rhodes uses a wider range of teaching materials.
- Dr. Rhodes believes their students' learning to have improved.
- Dr Rhodes believes their students' retention has improved.
- The unexpected results are students' willingness to invest in other things (i.e. music staff paper) because of no textbook cost.
OER Adoption Process
Dr. Rhodes adopted the OER textbook because it saved her students money and she felt more comfortable with this choice. Additionally, the textbook presented content in a format the instructor preferred. The instructor uses various websites such as YouTube lessons (twelve-tone), musicthetory.net, teoria.com, and hooktheory.com to supplement student learning. Dr. Rhodes recommends looking for OER first rather than searching for a textbook first.
Institutional Support for OER: Dr. Rhodes felt supported from the institution in adopting OER.
Student access: Students access the textbook online as well as the supplemental websites.
I am a music professor at Utah Tech University. I teach 1st year, music fundamentals, music theory, woodwind courses and lessons, music education courses, music practicum & supervise student teaching.
College is expensive. Students deserve to get a big bang for their buck. I am an available, active, caring teacher that provides more than one path to success in a course if needed. Students in the Music Education degree deserve to be treated as professionals from the beginning of their degree and they need to be supported in getting into the workplace as quickly and as well-prepared as possible.