Another Free Coursera Course

[outteh]

This one looks like it might be more along the lines of what we thought we would get out of the Theory course. Especially like the look into blues and chord progressions.

Developing Your Musicianship

[Tiasdad]

Are you looking at joining now with 2 weeks to go till the end or waiting for the Oct 13th course?

Seems a good course, I'll be up for it

[outteh]

Oct 13th start! Can't do too much a once, even though I can multitask, there's no hurry.

[Mark Bliss]

I have heard good things and high recommendations for this course. Already registered and probably in!
(This may hinge on whether I regain enough of my sanity from the last one!)

[outteh]

I think, based on the course content, this is going to be much more educational and interesting than the theory course. I could be wrong, haven't seen how is instructor presents, but!,,,,,,,

[shakin_fingers]

I just completed the current run of this course, at the same time as the Edinburgh one. I should admit that I didn't take the final exams for either, partly due to family vacation and partly because I'd signed up to learn, which I'd (mostly) achieved.

The Berklee course is a lot slower than the Edinburgh one. Even the lectures are slow: I spent many with the player ramped up to 1.5x. The most complex it ever got for me was having to distinguish major 7ths and dominant 7ths by ear. And it turned out that I could do that.

The presenter's style may divide opinions - I found him a little over-keen to "twinkle" (try him, see if you agree).

Not a waste of time, but keep your expectations low and you won't be disappointed.

Mike

[mick]

I've just spent 2 evenings looking through all the video's. I didn't bother with quizzes and things so have no right to comment on those, but I can say that it looks to be a solid down to earth program. I think maybe this should have come before the last (theory) one because it concentrates on a more specific part of music making and would've become a basis for some of the theory questions. There's nothing complicated and the instructor goes over some/all things with diligence. You may want to hit the "go a bit faster" play button that Shakin Fingers mentioned so I would recommend looking at the videos at least and go from there, so go ahead and do it.

[Mark Bliss]

Thanks for the review and tips Mike and Mick. (Not sure what twinkle refers to, but we'll see whats in store next month.)
I am satisfied to learn little bits here and there, the intensity of some of the theory fundamentals class was a bit too much for a full time employed continuing learner.

[mick]

music theory.net

If you ever need to revise your note reading type the above address (Copy/paste not working) and select: exercises > note reading.
Top right corner of the screen click EDIT for different clefs (bass treble alto etc).

For anyone interested that's reading this, here's something on SCALE SPELLINGS that should've been included in the theory classes (IMHO) to help with some of the questions. Had this been covered I'm sure some of the questions would have been easier for many.

Scales have 7 letters and none are written twice, (apart from the octave on the end) so to avoid confusion of whether a note is to be written Ab or G# (the same black key) simply write the letters first with no #'s or flats.
Here's A flat major without the #'s or flats: A B C D E F G A
Using the tone - tone - semitone - tone - tone - tone - semitone sequence now add the flats (because its a A flat scale. Ab Bb C Db Eb F G Ab

Pick the 1 - 3 - 5 tones and you have the Ab triad chord. Ab C Eb. - easy!

Now you can also work out the I IV V I chord sequence.
Ab Db Eb Ab. All other triad chords in the scale are minor Bb minor C minor F minor. forget the 7th as its always a diminished triad so in this case its G dim.
Use the same method for any scale and you can work out the I IV V every time.

[Mark Bliss]

Agreed, MusicTheory.net. awesome resource.

The information as you present on scales was largely in there, but it wasn't presented in a way that put the picture together very well IMO. I like your version, its clean and simple.

Overall I think the weakness of the course was really a lack of a sense of building any foundation to work on. They threw a lot of pieces to a puzzle around and never fit much of it together. I have studied much better resources on the subject. But they tried very hard and I got some new things from it. Perspective.

[outteh]

Don't forget, this course is coming up soon, if your interested!

[Tiasdad]

This course has started !!! There's still time to join as it's only a few days in

I've finished the first weeks lectures and quizzes and found it fairly simple but my wife was not too happy with the encouragement to sing out loud ... she now needs headphones lol

[mick]

AHA! As I'm in Yorkshire that explains the strange noises coming from a neighboring county.

[TrevsAudio]

Wazzat?

There'll always be an England...

[Mark Bliss]

Also, don't miss this one! (Check the video out for topical clarification!)
https://www.coursera.org/course/20cnwm

I'm currently taking two at once. Clearly I am out of my mind.