ABSTRACT

Comprehensive Aural Skills is a complete suite of material for both performance and dictation, covering the wide range of sight singing and ear training skills required for undergraduate courses of study. It provides a series of instructional modules on rhythm, melody, and harmony, and blends musical examples from the common-practice repertory with original examples composed to specifically address particular skills and concepts. Each module includes material for classroom performance, self-directed study, and homework assignments.

Features

    • A complete suite of aural skills material: Comprehensive Aural Skills is a combined sight singing and ear training textbook, audio, and companion website package.
    • Fully modular, customizable organization: Instructors can choose freely from the set of exercises in the book and supplemental material on the companion website to appropriately tailor the curriculum based on their students’ needs.
    • Engaging and idiomatic musical examples: Examples are selected and composed specifically for the didactic context of an aural skills classroom.
    • Dictation exercises for practice and assignment: Practice exercises include an answer key so students can work independently and receive immediate feedback, while homework assignments are given without a key.
    • Audio examples for dictation: The website hosts live recordings of acoustic instruments performed by professional musicians for each dictation exercise and homework assignment.
    • Supplemental materials for instructors: A wealth of material for class use and assignment can be found on the companion website.
    • Teachers’ guide: The guide includes answers for every homework assignment, brief commentary on each module’s content, tips for integrating written theory, and strategies on how to effectively teach new concepts and skills.

This updated second edition includes the following:

    • Revised rhythm and harmony module structure, now introducing foundational concepts more gradually.
    • Additional examples from the repertory in the harmony and melody modules.
    • New and improved recordings on the companion website.

part 1|62 pages

Rhythm

chapter Module 1|6 pages

Introduction to Simple Meters

chapter Module 2|5 pages

Simple Meters, Continued

chapter Module 3|7 pages

Rests and Ties

chapter Module 4|6 pages

Syncopation in Simple Meters

chapter Module 5|5 pages

Introduction to Compound Meters

chapter Module 6|7 pages

Compound Meters, Continued

chapter Module 7|5 pages

Syncopation in Compound Meters

chapter Module 8|8 pages

Triplets, Duplets, and Hemiola

chapter Module 9|5 pages

Compound Meters, Advanced Beat Patterns

chapter Module 10|6 pages

Asymmetrical and Mixed Meters

part 2|119 pages

Melody

chapter Module 1|9 pages

Steps within the Major Scale

chapter Module 2|7 pages

Steps within the Minor Scale

chapter Module 3|8 pages

Leaps within the Tonic Triad (Major and Minor)

chapter Module 4|9 pages

Leaps within the Dominant (Seventh) and vii°

chapter Module 5|9 pages

Further Diatonic Leaps

chapter Module 6|8 pages

Stepwise Chromatic Tones

chapter Module 7|9 pages

Motion to the Dominant

chapter Module 8|9 pages

Leaps to and from Chromatic Tones

chapter Module 9|9 pages

Modulation to Closely Related Keys

chapter Module 10|9 pages

Advanced Chromaticism

chapter Module 11|8 pages

Modulation to Distantly Related Keys

chapter Module 12|12 pages

Pentatonic and Diatonic Modes

chapter Module 13|5 pages

Other Modes

chapter Module 14|6 pages

Sets and 12-Tone Rows

part 3|93 pages

Harmony

chapter Module 1|5 pages

I(i) and V (1̂ and 5̂ in the Bass)

chapter Module 2|6 pages

IV(iv), ii6(°6), and ii (4̂ and 2̂ in the Bass)

chapter Module 4|5 pages

V7 and the Cadential 64 (5̂  in the Bass)

chapter Module 6|4 pages

vii°7 and Its Inversions and the Pedal 64

chapter Module 8|6 pages

Pre-dominant Seventh Chords—ii(ø)7 and IV(iv)7

chapter Module 9|7 pages

Applied Dominants 1—V7/V, vii°7/V, and V7/III

chapter Module 10|6 pages

Applied Dominants 2—V7/IV(iv) and vii°7/iv

chapter Module 12|8 pages

Modulation to Closely Related Keys

chapter Module 13|7 pages

Modal Mixture

chapter Module 14|4 pages

The Neapolitan (♭II)

chapter Module 15|6 pages

Augmented 6th Chords

chapter Module 16|6 pages

Modulations Using vii°7 and the ct°7