Inside Room 907, an intimate group of Upper School students sat behind keyboards, ready to commence their Music Theory class.
Students in this FOCUS course examine the fundamental elements of music—dissecting what it entails to create the melodies we hear. The course description states that “music theory helps us begin to answer the question of why and how music evokes certain emotions in us as listeners. Studying music theory will provide you with a deeper understanding of your craft as a singer, instrumentalist or songwriter, as well as enrich your experience of listening to music. If we think of music as a kind of magic, we can think of music theory as the science behind that magic.”
In Unit 1, students learned major and minor scales. A scale is a series of consecutive notes spanning an octave, following a fixed pattern of whole and half steps, and the students practiced writing them using various notes (eighth, quarter, half, etc.). They also wrote eight-bar melodies in varying time signatures using different scales.
Now in the midst of Unit 2, the students continued with a study of modes, which is a “tweaked” version of a scale. “It was common in medieval and renaissance music,” explained Upper School Music Teacher Elizabeth Adler. “But sometimes it will make its way into contemporary music.”
To start the class, students were asked to transpose modes starting on different notes. “It’s all about patterns,” Ms. Adler said, “and can be a bit brain breaking because it sounds slightly off from what we’re used to.”
Ms. Adler provided a list of modes on the board, including the relationship to its parallel major and minor scale. For example, Dorian is a natural minor scale with a raised 6. Mixolydian is a major scale with a lowered 7.
To “raise,” the students knew, means to move your finger to the sequential key to the right. This typically indicates a sharp, by using the black key, but, sometimes, your finger moves to another white key. (E to F, for example.) The number indicates which note gets changed. To “lower,” your finger moves left and typically shifts the note flat by using a black key.
Using modes, Ms. Adler explained, is a specific choice in music. The sound is often “otherworldly” and evokes a specific mood or feeling.
The students worked quietly and independently throughout the period, using “MuseScore” to complete their assignment. Once finished, Ms. Adler examined their work to ensure it was correct. “You’re doing so well!” she remarked to her students. “This is really good.”
Next, Ms. Adler wrote another assignment on the board. This time, students were asked to write a 16-bar composition in a mode other than Ionian or Aeolian. The mode should be transposed so its root note is C, and students should start and end their composition on C.
Again, the group eagerly got to work, sharing their methods with their teacher and classmates. Once finished, a few students transferred their learning to the guitar!