Graduate Studies Reports Access
Graduate Course Proposal Form Submission Detail - MUH6020
Tracking Number - 5217
Edit function not enabled for this course.
Current Status:
SCNS Liaison Notified of Graduate Council Approval - 2016-04-21
Campus: Tampa
Submission Type: New
Course Change Information (for course changes only):
Comments: Required for MA in Music Ed. GC Approved
Detail Information
- Date & Time Submitted: 2015-04-09
- Department: Music
- College: FA
- Budget Account Number: 240200
- Contact Person: Victor Fung
- Phone: 42311
- Email: fung@usf.edu
- Prefix: MUH
- Number: 6020
- Full Title: The History of Blues and Rock
- Credit Hours: 3
- Section Type: C -
Class Lecture (Primarily)
- Is the course title variable?: N
- Is a permit required for registration?: Y
- Are the credit hours variable?: N
- Is this course repeatable?: N
- If repeatable, how many times?: 0
- Abbreviated Title (30 characters maximum): The History of Blues and Rock
- Course Online?: O -
Online (100% online)
- Percentage Online: 100
- Grading Option:
R - Regular
- Prerequisites:
- Corequisites:
- Course Description: A study of the history of rock music: the essence of its musical language, its roots, evolution, styles, influences, social/cultural context, etc.
- Please briefly explain why it is necessary and/or desirable to add this course: Needed for program/concentration/certificate change
- What is the need or demand for this course? (Indicate if this course is part of a required sequence in the major.) What other programs would this course service? All MA in music education students will take this course
- Has this course been offered as Selected Topics/Experimental Topics course? If yes, how many times? No
- What qualifications for training and/or experience are necessary to teach this course? (List minimum qualifications for the instructor.) PhD or DMA in music or music education, or significant experience in the field of blues and rock history.
- Objectives: * To learn about the musical roots of Blues and Rock music well enough to hear and
identify echoes of antiquity in modern-day rock, pop, country and hip-hop music
* To become familiar with the music of this history through listening examples of
world music and American music
* To understand the historical situations which allowed for this music to be born in the
United States
* To understand Blues and Rock in a global/historical context, connecting certain
aspects of the music to traditions that are tens of thousands of years old.
* To develop an understanding of how many of today's musical genres are born of
ethnic and regional influences. The reason that music sounded different in New
Orleans than it did in Atlanta or the Mississippi Delta 50-100 years ago has much to do
with which traditions and ethnicities were predominant. These demographics have
always been in a state of flux.
* To understand that the musical language of Blues and Rock was essentially fully
developed by the year 1900, and that what follows is both the development of the
musical language and the social changes that allow for "Africanized" music to make its
way into mainstream American consciousness, and later world consciousness.
* To understand that the same dynamics that created racial and ethnic diversity in this
country have created hybrid musical styles that ultimately transcend ethnicity and
regionalism.
* To develop abilities in critical, inductive and deductive thinking and analysis, and to
create sound arguments to demonstrate such reasoning.
* To develop a healthy appetite for inquiry, not just for music which is new or new to
the student, but especially where it involves investigation and deconstruction of
familiar material.
* To develop performing abilities including basic blues, and elements of American
music traditions that lead to it, on keyboard and voice.
- Learning Outcomes: After successful completion of this course students will be able:
* The ability to place a never-before-heard example of blues or rock into a social and
historical context
* To have a working knowledge of 100 years of American folk music (blues and rock)
* To understand the practice of blues and rock as a tradition that combines European
and African traits
* To be familiar with the names, music and lives of the great pop/rock/blues artists of
this country, as well as other musicians and practices elsewhere in the world that
relate to them
* To have an understanding of the musical and social forces that helped create blues
and rock
* To understand the history and function of the musical instruments used in the
performing of blues and rock music
* To develop inquiry and analytical skills while at the same time developing the ability
to research, organize and write a paper to present analysis
* To begin a life-long career as a blues and rock enthusiast and researcher
* The ability to perform major/minor pentatonic scales, from a given starting note,
on keyboard and voice
* The ability to identify songs of a 12-bar blues form
* The ability to perform an accompaniment to a 12-bar blues using three chords on a
keyboard instrument
* The ability to solo over a 12-bar blues song on a keyboard instrument
- Major Topics: Blues and Rock music, blues musicians, musical instruments, music enthusiast, pentatonic scales, 12-bar blues form.
- Textbooks: None Required.
- Course Readings, Online Resources, and Other Purchases: Module 1 (53 points)
Introductions, goals and methods. Evolution and extinction of languages. Tracing
human migrations using genetics. Using the concept of genetic markers to trace the
dispersion of musical traits.
Videos: Spencer Wells, The Journey of Man (excerpts), YouTUbe, Where Does Music
Come From?
Reading: Orson Scott Card, The Unaccompanied Sonata (short story); Spencer Wells,
The Journey of Man, pp. 170-173.
Module 2 (55 points)
Early Music, pt. 1: Africa, Europe and the New World
Module 3 (128 points)
Early Music, pt. 2: Musical ingredients arriving in the Colonies; Melodic traits of
African and European melodies. Arabic Assans (call to prayer) and their relation to the
Afro-Arabic style. Rhythms (interlocking, syncopation, hemiola), the function of music
in African societies, the first Africans in America. Early African American music (fiddle
music, banjo,etc.).
Module 4 (55 points)
Early American Musical forms; 19th century American popular music (Minstrelsy, Parlor
music), and various forms of Early American spiritual music (shape-note singing, lining
hymns, spirituals)
Module 5 (84 points)
Song Families and Proto-Blues
Module 6 (93 points)
1920s: jazz, blues, country blues, folk and hokum
Module 7 (40 points)
1930s: Country Blues, Chicago, swing
Module 8 (95 points)
1940s: proto-rock and roll, electrification, Jump and R&B
Module 9 (97 points)
1950s: Brown vs. the Board of Education, Elvis, Rock and Roll proper
Module 10 (50 points)
1960s: Folk rock, Surf Music and Acid Rock
Module 11 (63 points)
1970s, Dance Rock and the Diversification of Rock
Module 12 (187 points)
1980, 90s and 00s: New trends and the effects on digital technology on Rock
You will have to search, research and download new (current) music. You may have to
spend upwards of $10 to do this, if you are paying $1 per song. Students who own a
lot of current music may not have to purchase any. Having access to songs by way of
YouTUbe, Spotify or some other service will not be of any help. Students need to
upload mp3s of the songs they are discussing in their writing assignments.
- Student Expectations/Requirements and Grading Policy: Grading:
Module 1 (Closes 1/18/15)
Quiz 1 13 points
Assignment: Paper: My favorite band/musical artist .. ..40 points
Module 2 (Closes 2/8/15)
Quiz 2 50 points
Assignment: Uploading an mp3 to Canvas 5 points
Module 3 (Closes 2/15/15)
Quiz 3 58 points
Assignment: Group Discussion: Early minstrelsy .25 points
Exam 1 ..45 points
Performance Assessment #1 100 points
Module 4 (Closes 2/22/15)
Quiz 4 45 points
Assignment: Choosing and uploading as song for formal analysis .10 points
Module 5 (Closes 3/1/15)
Quiz 5 34 points
Assignment: Formal analysis of a modern rock or pop song .50 points
Module 6 (Closes 3/8/15)
Quiz 6 36 points
Assignment: Group Discussion 2: Pop of 100 years ago 25 points
Exam 2 ..32 points
Performance Assessment #2 100 points
Module 7 (Closes 3/15/15)
Quiz 7 25 points
Assignment: Choose and upload a song for the Drone paper 15 points
Module 8 (Closes 3/22/15)
Quiz 8 35 points
Assignment: Paper: The Modern use of Drone Harmony 60 points
Module 9 (Closes 3/29/15)
Quiz 9 38 points
Exam 3 ..34 points
Assignment: Group Discussion 3 25 points
Performance Assessment #3 100 points
Module 10 (Closes 4/5/15)
Quiz 10 ..35 points
Assignment: Choose and upload a song for final paper .15 points
Module 11 (Closes 4/12/15)
Quiz 11 ..28 points
Assignment: Paper outline ...35 points
Module 12 (Closes 4/24/15)
Quiz 12 ..25 points
Exam #4 32 points
Performance Assessment #4 100 points
Assignment: Final Paper: the Living Traditions of Rock ..130 points
Total points possible: .. 1000 points
- Assignments, Exams and Tests: Grading:
Module 1 (Closes 1/18/15)
Quiz 1 13 points
Assignment: Paper: My favorite band/musical artist .. ..40 points
Module 2 (Closes 2/8/15)
Quiz 2 50 points
Assignment: Uploading an mp3 to Canvas 5 points
Module 3 (Closes 2/15/15)
Quiz 3 58 points
Assignment: Group Discussion: Early minstrelsy .25 points
Exam 1 ..45 points
Performance Assessment #1 100 points
Module 4 (Closes 2/22/15)
Quiz 4 45 points
Assignment: Choosing and uploading as song for formal analysis .10 points
Module 5 (Closes 3/1/15)
Quiz 5 34 points
Assignment: Formal analysis of a modern rock or pop song .50 points
Module 6 (Closes 3/8/15)
Quiz 6 36 points
Assignment: Group Discussion 2: Pop of 100 years ago 25 points
Exam 2 ..32 points
Performance Assessment #2 100 points
Module 7 (Closes 3/15/15)
Quiz 7 25 points
Assignment: Choose and upload a song for the Drone paper 15 points
Module 8 (Closes 3/22/15)
Quiz 8 35 points
Assignment: Paper: The Modern use of Drone Harmony 60 points
Module 9 (Closes 3/29/15)
Quiz 9 38 points
Exam 3 ..34 points
Assignment: Group Discussion 3 25 points
Performance Assessment #3 100 points
Module 10 (Closes 4/5/15)
Quiz 10 ..35 points
Assignment: Choose and upload a song for final paper .15 points
Module 11 (Closes 4/12/15)
Quiz 11 ..28 points
Assignment: Paper outline ...35 points
Module 12 (Closes 4/24/15)
Quiz 12 ..25 points
Exam #4 32 points
Performance Assessment #4 100 points
Assignment: Final Paper: the Living Traditions of Rock ..130 points
Total points possible: .. 1000 points
- Attendance Policy: Course Attendance at First Class Meeting Policy for Graduate Students: For structured courses, 6000 and above, the College/Campus Dean will set the first-day class attendance requirement. Check with the College for specific information. This policy is not applicable to courses in the following categories: Educational Outreach, Open University (TV), FEEDS Program, Community Experiential Learning (CEL), Cooperative Education Training, and courses that do not have regularly scheduled meeting days/times (such as, directed reading/research or study, individual research, thesis, dissertation, internship, practica, etc.). Students are responsible for dropping undesired courses in these categories by the 5th day of classes to avoid fee liability and academic penalty. (See USF Regulation Registration - 4.0101,
http://usfweb2.usf.edu/usfgc/ogc%20web/currentreg.htm)
Attendance Policy for the Observance of Religious Days by Students: In accordance with Sections 1006.53 and 1001.74(10)(g) Florida Statutes and Board of Governors Regulation 6C-6.0115, the University of South Florida (University/USF) has established the following policy regarding religious observances: (http://usfweb2.usf.edu/usfgc/gc_pp/acadaf/gc10-045.htm)
In the event of an emergency, it may be necessary for USF to suspend normal operations. During this time, USF may opt to continue delivery of instruction through methods that include but are not limited to: Blackboard, Elluminate, Skype, and email messaging and/or an alternate schedule. Its the responsibility of the student to monitor Blackboard site for each class for course specific communication, and the main USF, College, and department websites, emails, and MoBull messages for important general information.
- Policy on Make-up Work: No late work will be accepted.
- Program This Course Supports: MA in Music Education
- Course Concurrence Information: None.
- if you have questions about any of these fields, please contact chinescobb@grad.usf.edu or joe@grad.usf.edu.