We begin with the most fundamental question the course will ask: what is music? Not in the sense of listing its ingredients, but in a deeper sense — why does it exist across every human culture? Why does it produce such powerful emotional responses? And what does it mean to listen carefully?
By the end of this week you should be able to explain how the brain perceives and processes music, articulate why music produces emotional responses, and begin to describe what you hear using precise language rather than vague impressions. These habits of attention are the foundation everything else builds on.
Bring one song that matters to you — something you could put on right now. We'll share in pairs and then as a class. As you think about your choice, consider:
You don't need to analyze it in technical terms yet — that vocabulary is coming. The goal is to begin paying the kind of attention this course will teach you to pay.
Next week we begin building the analytical vocabulary we'll use all semester — the elements of music. Come to Week 2 having read Chapter 2 (first half) and ready to listen actively. The textbook includes embedded videos for Chapter 2; try to work through at least the pitch and melody examples before class.
The Song Analysis assignment (due Week 7, Oct 5–9) is introduced in Week 3 — start thinking now about a song you'd be interested in analyzing closely.