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Com230
Songwriting
Elective — 3 units
Through listening, analysis and imitation of
a wide range of genres, this elective course
focuses on techniques used to write songs that
have stood the test of time. Considerations
including form, song title and lyrics, and melodic,
harmonic and rhythmic content are covered and
applied to students’ original work.
3 hours lecture
Com330
Counterpoint
2 units
Contrapuntal techniques and styles of seventeenth-
and eighteenth-century instrumental
and vocal music, providing a solid foundation
for voice leading. Includes the writing of cantus
firmus, two- and three-part species counterpoint,
and combined species in three voices, in
major and minor modes. Analysis of a range of
important contrapuntal work including the canons,
inventions and fugues of J.S. Bach.
2 hours lecture
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Com335
Jazz Composition
3 units
A concentrated writing course utilizing the
compositional styles and techniques of the
master composers as a point of departure
in creating new work. Composers studied
include Ellington, Parker, Silver, Mingus,
Monk, Coltrane, Hancock, Henderson, Shorter,
Brecker, Liebman, Grolnick, Pastorius, Towner
and more. Melodic, harmonic and rhythmic
techniques employed in the music of Mozart,
Beethoven, Brahms, Debussy and other relevant
past masters are also examined and applied
to students’ work. Prerequisites: Mus110B or
equivalent, or consent of instructor.
3 hours lecture
Com336
Jazz Arranging
3 units
A one-semester introductory course on basic
jazz arranging techniques for the small ensemble.
Students learn ranges and characteristics of
instruments, rules for notating rhythm, how to
lay out a score, how to write for the rhythm section,
how to compose melodies and chord progressions,
how to set a melody to chords, how
to voice chorale-style chords, how to harmonize
a moving melodic line with two to five voices,
and various ways of addressing form. Required
texts: Jazz Arranging and Composing — a Linear
Approach, by Bill Dobbins; Inside the Score, by
Rayburn Wright. Students are assigned three to
five arranging projects. The final project is an
arrangement for five horns and rhythm section.
Each student’s final arrangement is recorded.
3 hours lecture
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