Harmony I: Crash Course in Composing for Tonal Music

MUSC X 403.52

Introduce yourself to the power and nuance of harmony, study its use in classical symphonies, gain a foundational understanding of harmony, and create your own compositions emulating the harmonic lessons learned.

READ MORE ABOUT THIS COURSE

What you can learn.

  • Understand diatonic harmony in music
  • Apply theoretical concepts to your own compositions
  • Cover concepts such as use of scales, chord progressions, cadence types, and more
  • Study the scores of Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, and more to deepn harmonic understanding
  • Receive guidance from your instructor and enhance your portfolio

About this course:

The study of harmony has been the foundation of composers for centuries. This intensive crash course not only serves as a complete review of diatonic harmony but also teaches you how to apply theoretical concepts to your own compositions. Instruction consists of three stages: establishing a strong foundation in diatonic harmony, studying music scores of the great masters who demonstrate these techniques, and creating your own music compositions emulating what you have learned. Concepts covered include proper usage of scales; functional chord progressions and how they work; roman numeral analysis; how to create both regional and true modulation; creating chord inversions; cadence types; and proper notational practices dealing with rhythm, meter and score set-up. Scores studied include works by J.S. Bach, Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Mendelssohn and more. As you work on your own compositions, utilizing many of the concepts learned, you receive guidance from the instructor and gain the opportunity to build your portfolio.
Prerequisites
The ability to read music, knowledge of music notation, and an understanding of the fundamentals of music theory.

Contact Us

Speak to a program representative. Hours: Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm.

This course applies towards the following certificates & specializations…

Ready to start
your future?
By signing up, you agree to UCLA Extension’s Privacy Policy.

vector icon of building

Corporate Education

Learn how we can help your organization meet its professional development goals and corporate training needs.

Learn More

vector icon of building

Donate to UCLA Extension

Support our many efforts to reach communities in need.

Innovation Programs

Student Scholarships

Lifelong Learning

See More