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Tufts University, Music Department, Fall 2016

MUS 186 Ethnomusicology in Theory and Practice
Prof. David Locke (david.locke@tufts.edu, office tel: 617-627-2419)

Course Description and Overview
Intended for undergraduate music majors, ETP introduces the ideas, methods, and fields
of inquiry of the discipline of Ethnomusicology ("the study of people making music") and
surveys humankind's world, ethnic, folk and traditional musics ("WEFT"). The topic of
analysis of musical style runs throughout the course, with emphasis on the system of
listening known as Cantometrics. Individual projects into a local music-culture will
provide experiential learning about doing Ethnomusicology and being an
Ethnomusicologist.
The semester has two units. Unit One, which fills most of the term, will be for (a)
survey of WEFT, (b) study of Cantometrics, and (c) exposure to Ethnomusicological
theory. Unit Two is devoted to student projects, which actually should begin from the
first day of the course.
Class periods will be student-centered, i.e., students will be expected to make
frequent in-class presentations and generally take an active role in dealing with course
material. Under the rubric "Participation," being prepared for and engaged in class is a
significant component of the course grade.

Course Materials
Syllabus and Assignments
-See TRUNK course site; expect no paper handouts.
-Please do reading, listening, and other assignments prior to the class period indicated
on the syllabus

Text
-Titon, Jeff, general editor. ePack: Worlds of Music: An Introduction to the Music of the
World's Peoples, Loose-leave Version, 6th edition + MindTap Music, Cengage Learning
http://services.cengagebrain.com/course/site.html?id=1475105

Other Print Materials
-See TRUNK course site.

Cantometrics
-See folder on TRUNK course site for all audio, text and graphics.

Lilly Music Library and Tisch Library
-No materials on Reserve but regular collections should be used, as needed.

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Course Objectives
1. Familiarization with the world's major musical traditions
We will use the textbook Worlds of Music (WOM) as our method of introduction to
important aspects of humankind's music-cultures, such as musical style, musical
instruments, musical history, and musical genres. The goal is to develop a foundation of
knowledge that can be used in thinking comparatively about music-cultures, as well as
an exposure to the way scholars study the planet's diverse musical traditions and
contemporary situations.

2. Critical thinking about doing analysis and description of diverse global styles of music
We will learn a method of musical analysis known as Cantometrics that aspires towards
a culturally neutral way to hear features of musical style. We will think critically about
this method and compare it to other approaches to detailed consideration of what is
sometimes called TMI, or "the music itself."

3. Having an experience of doing music ethnography
Experiential learning-by-doing a field-based project about "people making music," to
quote Jeff Titon, the general editor of WOM.

4. Consideration of the meaning and value of music for human life
Using information gained in the course to contemplate grand questions that can be
simplified to, "Why music?"

Course Requirements
Test on Worlds of Music, TH November 10
-Terms/vocabulary for regional musical traditions
-Listening identification of WOM musical examples
-Short answer questions on specific regional musical traditions
-Essay that compares several music-cultures

Cantometrics Portfolio
-Diary/journal of self-study experience of learning the measures of song style
-Log of self-administered tests on measures of song style
-Cantometric analysis of two musical examples from the "Consensus Tape" to be chosen
in consultation with Prof Locke and students in the class
-Creative and critical thinking: suggestion of new measures of song style, assessment of
Cantometrics system of listening analysis

Music-culture Research Project
-Topic approved by Prof. Locke
-Field study using ethnographic methods such as observation, participant-observation,
and interview
-Text study using monographs, journals, A/V materials, periodicals, social media and
other online sources
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-Submitted as a document in appropriate format approved by Prof Locke such as

podcast, online mini-monograph, and/or written paper
-Oral presentation during final week of semester (December 6 or 6)

Participation
-Homework assignments
-In-class contribution to discussion and "being present"
-Attendance (to earn "straight A" zero unexcused absences; contact Prof. Locke by email
with valid reason)

Grade Formula
Test on WOM 35%
Cantometrics Portfolio 25%
Music-culture Project 25%
Participation 15%

Policy on Screens in Class
Unless specially noted by Prof. Locke, please do not use mobile computing and
communication devices during class period. Thanks.

Schedule of Assignments
-See below.

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Note on assignments in Worlds of Music (WOM)

The goal of reading and listening assignments in WOM is not detailed mastery of the
information but an overview of salient features of music-culture, music history, musical
style, musical instruments, and so forth. Building a foundation of "global music
literacy," so to speak, will facilitate comparison of differences and unities among the
world's musics. Each chapter of WOM also exemplifies the work of ethnomusicologists
in a given region of the world and the sorts of issues and questions in play.
The plan is to move rapidly through the textbook, one chapter per week. Each
week, all students should skim the entire chapter. Frequently, individual students will
be assigned a specific musical audio example for special focus and presentation in class.
Students will be expected to seek information beyond the textbook to share with
members of the class and/or to listen more closely to "their example" and share analytic
insights and personal aesthetic or emotional responses.


Unit One:
The Study of Music-Culture; Survey of World Music; Cantometrics

TU 09/06 Music-culture
WOM CH1
WOM CH11 (Read now for ideas about project)

TH 09/08 Song Style
WOM CH1
Cantometrics: ongoing during Unit One

TU 09/13 Native America 1: Different Styles
WOM CH2

TH 09/15 Native America 2: Navajo Music-culture
WOM CH2

TU 09/20 The Arab World 1: Takht
WOM CH10

TH 09/22 The Arab World 2: Bedouin culture
WOM CH10

TU 09/27 Music of Indonesia 1: Central Java
WOM CH7

TH 09/29 Music of Indonesia 2: Bali; Alex Dea, Guest Presenter
WOM CH7

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TU 10/04 South India 1: Many Musics

WOM CH6

TH 10/06 South India 2: Classical Music
WOM CH7

TU 10/11 Latin America 1: The Quichua
WOM CH9

TH 10/13 Latin America 2: Nueva Cancion
WOM CH9

TU 10/18 Africa 1: Shona Mbira; Fradreck Mujuru and Erica Azim
WOM CH3

TH 10/20 Africa 2: Agbekor
WOM CH3

TU 10/25 China 1: Popular Music; Prof. Li Xin, Guest Presenter
WOM CH8

TH 10/27 China 2: Solo Instrumental Traditions
WOM CH8

TU 11/01 Europe: Musyka Podhala
WOM CH5

TH 11/03 Black America: Music of Worship, Work, and Play
WOM CH4

TU 11/08 No class; Friday schedule

TH 11/10 Test


Unit Two:
Doing Ethnomusicology

TU 11/15 Discovering and Documenting
Due: Cantometrics self-study
WOM CH11 (Re-read)
"Collecting," by Bruce Jackson in Fieldwork, University of Illinois Press, 1987: 29-51. (PDF
on TRUNK)

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TH 11/17 Observing
"Phenomenology and the Ethnography of Popular Music," by Harris Berger in Shadows
in the Field, Oxford University Press, 2008. (PDF on TRUNK)

TU 11/22 Interviewing
"The Tape-Recorded Interview" by Sandy Ives, University of Tennessee Press, 1995. (PDF
on TRUNK)

TH 11/25 THANKSGIVING

TU 11/29 Thematic Question
"Theories Forged in the Crucible of Action," by Anthony Seeger in Shadows in the Field,
Oxford University Press, 2008. (PDF on TRUNK)

TH 12/01 Project Work 1

TU 12/06 Project Presentations 1

TH 12/08 Project Presentations 2

MO 12/12 All grades work due