Digital Photography

REQUIRED MATERIALS:

  • Reliable access to a computer and internet
  • Students should have access to a digital camera (a digital single-lens reflex [DSLR] or a mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera [MILC] is recommended). If they do not have access to a camera, they can use a smartphone camera.
  • Tripod (optional)
  • Access to editing software (Adobe Photoshop, GIMP, Pixlr, or other)

Contemporary Keyboarding: Foundations 2 – UC APPROVED

COURSE OVERVIEW:

Lesson 1: Key of D

  • Key of D
  • Inversions
  • Damper pedal

Lesson 2: The Blues

  • Blues chords
  • 12 bar blues
  • The blues scale
  • Blues improvisation

Lesson 3: Key of B-flat

  • Key of B-flat
  • B-flat inversion practice
  • B-flat chords improvisation
  • Improvisation exercises

Lesson 4: Additional Theory Concepts

  • Sixteenth notes
  • Compound vs. simple meter
  • 6/8 time signatures

Lesson 5: Seventh Chords

  • 7th chords
  • Diatonic 7th chords in C
  • Chord accompaniment
  • Ear training

 

REQUIRED MATERIALS:

  • Working instrument
  • Reliable access to a computer and internet
  • Recording device for recording assignments (phone, tablet, camera, computer, etc.)

Contemporary Keyboarding: Foundations 1 – UC APPROVED

COURSE OVERVIEW:

Lesson 1: Major and Minor Five Finger Patterns

  • Piano mechanics
  • Note identification review
  • Octave practice
  • Major and minor five finger patterns

Lesson 2: The Chromatic Scale

  • Chromaticism
  • Chromatic scale
  • Major diatonic triad exercise

Lesson 3: Improvisation

  • Improvisation in the key of F
  • Triplets
  • Diminished and dominant 7th chords
  • Chord practice

Lesson 4: Developing Your Technique

  • Technique exercise
  • Composition assignment
  • Improvisation exercise

Lesson 5: Syncopation and Expanded Notation

  • Syncopation
  • 1st and 2nd endings
  • Improvisation with syncopation

 

REQUIRED MATERIALS:

  • Working instrument
  • Reliable access to a computer and internet
  • Recording device for recording assignments (phone, tablet, camera, computer, etc.)
  • Course Materials: musictheory.net (no cost)

 

Bass Guitar: Foundations 2 – UC APPROVED

COURSE OVERVIEW:

Lesson 1: Articulations

  • Dynamics
  • Staccato and legato
  • Bends
  • Vibrato
  • Harmonics

Lesson 2: Expanding Your Range on the Fretboard

  • Playing scales up the neck
  • Playing arpeggios up the neck

Lesson 3: Note Identification Practice

  • Strategies for learning the fingerboard
  • Advanced scalar patterns

Lesson 4: Intervals

  • Interval Patterns
  • Major scale in thirds
  • Combining thirds and scale fragments
  • Embellishing your bass line

Lesson 5: Improvisation

  • Beginning improvisation
  • Beginning transcription
  • Transcription practice

 

REQUIRED MATERIALS:

  • Working instrument
  • Reliable access to a computer and internet
  • Recording device for recording assignments (phone, tablet, camera, computer, etc.)
  • Tuner (electronic tuner, computer program, or phone app are all suitable)

Bass Guitar: Foundations 1 – UC APPROVED

COURSE OVERVIEW:

Lesson 1: Minor Scales

  • Major scale review
  • Scale patterns
  • Melodic minor scale
  • Harmonic minor scale
  • Natural minor scale

Lesson 2: Keys

  • 12 keys
  • Key signatures
  • Tonality

Lesson 3: Diatonic Chords

  • Diatonic chords
  • Chord progression practice
  • Learning songs by ear

Lesson 4: Arpeggios

  • Arpeggios
  • C Major diatonic triads
  • Seventh chords

Lesson 5: Adding Style to Your Bass Line

  • Hammer-on
  • Pull-offs
  • Slides
  • Ghosted/Muted notes

 

REQUIRED MATERIALS:

  • Working instrument
  • Reliable access to a computer and internet
  • Recording device for recording assignments (phone, tablet, camera, computer, etc.)
  • Tuner (electronic tuner, computer program, or phone app are all suitable)

 

Ukulele: Foundations 2 – UC APPROVED

COURSE OVERVIEW:

Lesson 1: D Major

  • D Major Scale
  • Scale review
  • Ear training
  • Practice habits and routines

Lesson 2: B Minor

  • Alternate tuning
  • B minor scale
  • Interval study
  • Ear training

Lesson 3: B-flat Major

  • B-flat major scale
  • Interval study
  • Ear training
  • String-skipping

Lesson 4: G Minor

  • G minor scale
  • Interval study
  • 5/4 time signature
  • Eighth-note triplets
  • Slurs—hammer-ons

Lesson 5: A Major

  • A major scale
  • Interval study
  • Seventh chords
  • Ear training

Lesson 6: F-sharp Minor

  • F-sharp minor scale
  • Ear training
  • Cut time
  • History
  • Performance review

 

REQUIRED MATERIALS:

  • Working instrument
  • Reliable access to a computer and internet
  • Recording device for recording assignments (phone, tablet, camera, computer, etc.)
  • Course Materials: musictheory.net (no cost)

Ukulele: Foundations 1 – UC APPROVED

COURSE OVERVIEW:

Lesson 1: C Major

  • Review of Basics 1
  • C major scale
  • Interval study
  • Ear training
  • Barre chords
  • History

Lesson 2: A Minor

  • A minor scale
  • Diatonic chords
  • Interval study
  • C. al Fine
  • History

Lesson 3: F Major

  • F major scale
  • Diatonic Chords + chord progressions
  • Double-stops
  • Ear training
  • History

Lesson 4: D Minor

  • D minor scale
  • Interval study
  • Ear training
  • “Tag-the-end”
  • Composition

Lesson 5: G Major

  • G major scale
  • S. al Fine
  • 1st and 2nd endings
  • Swung eighth notes
  • Slurs—slides and pull-offs
  • History

Lesson 6: E Minor

  • E minor scale
  • Interval study
  • 6/8 time signature
  • History

 

REQUIRED MATERIALS:

  • Working instrument
  • Reliable access to a computer and internet
  • Recording device for recording assignments (phone, tablet, camera, computer, etc.)
  • Course Materials: musictheory.net (no cost)

Guitar: Foundations 2 – UC APPROVED

COURSE OVERVIEW:

Lesson 1: The Blues

  • Guitar history
  • The B7 chord
  • The blues

Lesson 2: The Pentatonic Scale and Introduction to Soloing

  • Concept review piece
  • The open E-minor and A-minor pentatonic scales
  • Soloing

Lesson 3: Open Power Chords

  • Guitar history
  • Concept review piece
  • Open power chords
  • Variations on open power chords

Lesson 4: Movable Power Chords

  • Concept review piece
  • Movable power chords with roots on the fifth and sixth strings
  • Memorizing notes on the fifth and sixth strings

Lesson 5: Barre Chords

  • Concept review piece
  • Guitar history
  • Barre chords
  • 12th fret harmonics
  • Performance review

 

REQUIRED MATERIALS:

  • Working instrument & pick
  • Reliable access to a computer and internet
  • Recording device for recording assignments (phone, tablet, camera, computer, etc.)
  • Tuner (electronic tuner, computer program, or phone app are all suitable)
  • Metronome
  • Capo

Guitar: Foundations 1 – UC APPROVED

COURSE OVERVIEW:

Lesson 1: Common Fingers and Guide Fingers

  • Basics 1 concept review
  • Basic open chords
  • Common fingers
  • Guide fingers

Lesson 2: Dyads

  • Concept review piece
  • Dyads
  • Guitar history

Lesson 3: Transposition

  • Concept review piece
  • Diatonicism and chords
  • Chord clock
  • Capo theory

Lesson 4: Alternating Bass

  • Concept review piece
  • Alternating bass
  • Variations on alternating bass

Lesson 5: Fingerpicking

  • Concept review piece
  • Guitar history
  • Fingerpicking
  • Fingerstyle accompaniment
  • Travis picking

 

REQUIRED MATERIALS:

  • Working instrument & pick
  • Reliable access to a computer and internet
  • Recording device for recording assignments (phone, tablet, camera, computer, etc.)
  • Tuner (electronic tuner, computer program, or phone app are all suitable)
  • Metronome
  • Capo

Bass Guitar: Basics 2 – UC APPROVED

COURSE OVERVIEW:

Lesson 1: Learning Bass Lines Efficiently

  • Notes on the third string
  • 3/4 time signature
  • Identifying song form
  • Pickup bar
  • Bass history
  • Performance review preparation

Lesson 2: Muting Technique and Closed Position

  • Bass history
  • Notes on the fourth string
  • Muting technique and closed position
  • Right hand exercises

Lesson 3: Accidentals

  • Accidentals
  • Enharmonic equivalents
  • Developing effective practice habits
  • Bass history

Lesson 4: Dotted Quarter Note Rhythms

  • Bass history
  • Dotted quarter note rhythms
  • The tie
  • Repeat sign

Lesson 5: Major Scales

  • Major scale construction
  • 5-fret shapes
  • Applying scales during practice
  • Bass history
  • Performance review

 

REQUIRED MATERIALS:

  • Working instrument
  • Reliable access to a computer and internet
  • Recording device for recording assignments (phone, tablet, camera, computer, etc.)
  • Tuner (electronic tuner, computer program, or phone app are all suitable)

Contemporary Keyboarding: Basics 2 – UC APPROVED

COURSE OVERVIEW:

Lesson 1: Intervals and Range Expansion

  • Melodic intervals
  • Harmonic intervals
  • Crossing over to expand range

Lesson 2: The Dotted Quarter Note

  • Piano history
  • Dotted quarter notes
  • Expanded intervals
  • More dynamics
  • Improvisation

Lesson 3: Accidentals

  • Accidentals
  • Improvisation
  • Composition
  • Performance review preparation

Lesson 4: Major Scales and Key Signatures

  • Stepwise motion
  • Scales and key signatures
  • Scale practice

Lesson 5: Primary Chords and Triad Construction

  • Triad formation
  • Primary chords in F
  • Primary chords in G
  • Composition
  • Performance review
  • Final exam preparation

 

REQUIRED MATERIALS:

  • Working instrument
  • Reliable access to a computer and internet
  • Recording device for recording assignments (phone, tablet, camera, computer, etc.)

Ukulele: Basics 2 – UC APPROVED

COURSE OVERVIEW:

Lesson 1: Demystifying the Fretboard (the chromatic scale)

  • Octaves
  • The musical alphabet
  • Accidentals
  • Half- and whole-steps
  • The chromatic scale
  • Performance review preparation

Lesson 2: From Chromatic to Diatonic (the Key of C)

  • Chromatic scale review
  • Scales and keys
  • Extracting a major scale
  • C major scale/key of C major

Lesson 3: Building Harmony

  • Introduction to harmony
  • How to build triads
  • Triads in the key of C
  • Common chord progressions

Lesson 4: Reading and Playing Standard Notation

  • Introduction to standard notation
  • Elements of standard notation
  • Advantages and disadvantages of standard notation
  • Playing material

Lesson 5: More Strumming and Rhythms

  • Reviewing strumming
  • Reviewing rhythm
  • New note durations and rhythms
  • Alternate strumming
  • Pick-up measure
  • 3/4 time signature
  • Playing material

Lesson 6: From One Key to Another (the Keys of G & F)

  • Review of the chromatic scale
  • Review of scales and keys
  • G major scale/key of G major
  • Triads in the key of G
  • F major scale/key of F major
  • Triads in the key of F
  • Playing material

Lesson 7: From Major to Minor (the Keys of A Minor, E Minor and D Minor)

  • Review of the chromatic scale
  • Review of scales and keys
  • A minor scale/key of A minor
  • E minor scale/key of E minor
  • D minor scale/key of D minor
  • Playing material

Lesson 8: Ukulele History

  • Origin of the ukulele
  • Pre-WWII
  • Post WWII to present
  • Performance review

 

REQUIRED MATERIALS:

  • Working instrument
  • Reliable access to a computer and internet
  • Recording device for recording assignments (phone, tablet, camera, computer, etc.)
  • Course Materials: musictheory.net (no cost)
  • Tuner (electronic tuner, computer program, or phone app are all suitable)
  • Pick

Bass Guitar: Basics 1 – UC Approved

COURSE OVERVIEW:

Lesson 1: An Introduction to the Bass Guitar

  • Bass guitar history
  • Parts of the bass guitar
  • Types of basses
  • Bass guitar equipment
  • Holding the bass guitar
  • Fingerboard diagrams
  • Tuning

Lesson 2: Playing on the Fretboard

  • Warm-up stretches
  • Fingerstyle plucking
  • Using a pick
  • Left hand position
  • Finger permutations
  • Your first bass line

Lesson 3: Reading Tablature and Rhythms

  • Bass history
  • Tuning the bass to itself
  • Introduction to notation
  • Using the staff and reading rhythms
  • Rests
  • Reading tablature

Lesson 4: Introduction to Standard Notation

  • Standard notation—pitch
  • Notes on the first string
  • First string étude
  • Bass history

Lesson 5: Bass Guitar Maintenance

  • Bass history
  • Bass guitar care and maintenance
  • Notes on the second string
  • Dotted half note rhythm

 

REQUIRED MATERIALS:

  • Working instrument
  • Reliable access to a computer and internet
  • Recording device for recording assignments (phone, tablet, camera, computer, etc.)
  • Tuner (electronic tuner, computer program, or phone app are all suitable)

Contemporary Keyboarding: Basics 1 – UC APPROVED

COURSE OVERVIEW:

Lesson 1: An Introduction to the Keyboard

  • Piano history
  • Types of pianos
  • Setting up to play
  • Sounding notes on the keyboard
  • Rhythm and timing
  • Time signatures

Lesson 2: Reading Notation

  • Pitch notation and the grand staff
  • C-position
  • Right hand exercises
  • Left hand exercises
  • Both hands together
  • Improvisation introduction

Lesson 3: Hands Together

  • Piano history
  • Middle C position
  • Combining C and middle C positions
  • Eighth notes

Lesson 4: Moving Hands

  • Low G-position
  • Dynamics
  • Tempo indication
  • Composition
  • Dotted rhythms
  • 3/4 time

Lesson 5: Open and Close Hand Position

  • Piano history
  • Reading pitch notation efficiently
  • Identifying random notes quickly
  • Articulation

 

REQUIRED MATERIALS:

  • Working instrument
  • Reliable access to a computer and internet
  • Recording device for recording assignments (phone, tablet, camera, computer, etc.)

Ukulele: Basics 1 – UC APPROVED

COURSE OVERVIEW:

Lesson 1: Introduction to the Ukulele

  • Types of ukuleles
  • Parts of the ukulele
  • Holding the ukulele
  • Tuning the ukulele
  • Understanding the fretboard
  • Playing your first notes
  • Ukulele care

Lesson 2: Playing Chords

  • How to read chord diagrams
  • How to finger chords
  • Strumming
  • Switching between chords
  • How to name and say chords
  • Playing material

Lesson 3: Reading and Playing Rhythms

  • Introduction to rhythm
  • How to use a metronome
  • Note durations
  • Time signature and counting rhythm
  • Tempo
  • Playing material

Lesson 4: Reading and Playing Tablature

  • Tablature introduction
  • Elements of tablature
  • Advantages and disadvantages of tablature
  • Playing material

Lesson 5: The Sound of Silence

  • Introduction to rests
  • Using notes vs. rests
  • Introduction to ties
  • Playing material

 

REQUIRED MATERIALS:

  • Working instrument
  • Reliable access to a computer and internet
  • Recording device for recording assignments (phone, tablet, camera, computer, etc.)
  • Tuner (electronic tuner, computer program, or phone app are all suitable)
  • Pick

Guitar: Basics 2 – UC APPROVED

COURSE OVERVIEW:

Lesson 1: Full Chords and Strum Patterns

  • Alternate strumming
  • Five strum patterns
  • D7 chord
  • Full G, C, D, and E minor chords
  • Playing two chords per measure
  • Performance review preparation

Lesson 2: Playing in Other Time Signatures

  • 3/4 Time
  • Two chords per measure in 3/4
  • Simple meter
  • Other time signatures
  • Pickup measure
  • The tie in strumming notation

Lesson 3: The G Major Scale

  • Guitar history
  • G major scale
  • Dotted quarter note
  • Anticipated chord changes
  • Notes on the fourth string

Lesson 4: The C Major Scale

  • Guitar history
  • Notes on the fifth string
  • C Major Scale
  • Notes on the sixth string

Lesson 5: A Deeper Understanding of the Fretboard

  • Fretboard understanding
  • Chromatic scale
  • Major scale construction
  • “Say and Play” warm up
  • Beyond the 12th fret

Lesson 6: Keys and Key Signatures

  • Keys and key signatures
  • Minor scale construction
  • Relative scales
  • Theory assignments
  • Performance review
  • Preparing for your final exam

 

REQUIRED MATERIALS:

  • Working instrument & pick
  • Reliable access to a computer and internet
  • Recording device for recording assignments (phone, tablet, camera, computer, etc.)
  • Course Materials: musictheory.net (no cost)
  • Tuner (electronic tuner, computer program, or phone app are all suitable)
  • Metronome
  • Capo

Guitar: Basics 1 – UC APPROVED

COURSE OVERVIEW:

Lesson 1: An Introduction to the Guitar

  • Guitar history
  • Types of guitars
  • Parts of the guitar
  • Holding the guitar
  • Plucking and picking
  • Hand health
  • Tuning the guitar

Lesson 2: Playing With Both Hands

  • Left hand position and fingering
  • How to read music diagrams
  • Fretting warm up
  • Strumming
  • G, C, and D chords

Lesson 3: Reading TAB and Rhythms

  • Warm up exercises
  • Beats and rhythm
  • Reading rhythms
  • How to read tablature
  • Reading rests
  • Guitar care
  • String replacement

Lesson 4: Reading Notes on the First and Second Strings

  • Notes on the first string
  • First string études
  • Notes on the second string
  • Second string études
  • Dotted rhythms

Lesson 5: Standard Notation Fundamentals

  • Standard notation
  • Up picking
  • Alternate picking
  • Rhythm assignments
  • The tie

Lesson 6: Accidentals

  • Guitar history
  • Accidentals
  • Notes on the third string
  • Syncopation

 

REQUIRED MATERIALS:

  • Working instrument & pick
  • Reliable access to a computer and internet
  • Recording device for recording assignments (phone, tablet, camera, computer, etc.)
  • The Rhythm Trainer (John Blank; http://www.therhythmtrainer.com)
  • Tuner (electronic tuner, computer program, or phone app are all suitable)
  • Metronome