G1AU5

AURAL 5 TRANSCRIPTION
Week 1 – Course overview

Provider Code PRV12050 | Cricos Code 00665C | ABN 89 003 261 112
Things to know

Lecturer: Dr. Carlos Lopez

Carlos.lopez@aim.edu.au

-You can schedule a session with me to go over a

certain topic outside the allocated class time.

-You can also send me an email if you would like to

ask me quick questions related to the class or raise
any other issues with me.

-I’m super approachable and open to feedback and

suggestions, so reach out whenever you want.
Today’s objectives:

• Course presentation and overview

Unit information
https://aimusic.sharepoint.com/Academic/AcademicStudies/G1AU5/SitePages/G1AU5%20Unit%20Infor
mation.aspx

Transcription UNIT DESCRIPTION

This unit will build on skills students have acquired in Aural 4, while focusing on either transcription or
sight-singing. Students will also complete exercises designed to improve their ability to hear and
comprehend multiple auditory inputs and strengthen their overall aural skills.
Transcription exercises will be extended to include melodies in diatonic and non-diatonic modes, non-
diatonic chords, secondary dominants, modal mixtures, functional chord progressions and the rhythmic
dimension of music will be extended to include metric modulations.

This class will require students to undertake self-paced transcription activities each unit. The objective will
be to teach score transcription skills, including identifying instruments, laying out the score (including time
and key signatures and setting tempos etc.), starting the process, bass line transcription and harmonic
analysis, main melodic transcription, secondary lines and supporting harmony. Unit 5 students will be
provided with 5-8 short online tutorials, guiding the candidate through the processes with weekly
benchmark points. It is a self-guided/self-paced delivery with an expectation of 8-16 hours total student
input. The unit 5 student will be assigned a transcription from one of three areas and the unit 6 student will
be allowed to choose their own work from one that is of interest to them.
Learning outcomes
https://aimusic.sharepoint.com/Academic/AcademicStudies/G1AU5/SitePages/G1AU5
%20Unit%20Information.aspx

Transcription LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the successful completion of this unit, the student should be able to:
a. Transcribe complex melodic, harmonic and rhythmic material to a developing industry
level.
b. Interpret different genres and apply notational and theoretical skills to transcription
activities to a developing industry level.
c. Transcribe different layers of sound within a single work to a developing industry level.
d. Transcribe scales, cadences, intervals, chords, rhythmic and melodic excerpts to a
developing industry level
Assessments
https://aimusic.sharepoint.com/Academic/AcademicStudies/G1AU5/SitePages/G1AU5%20%20Assessments.aspx
Assessments
https://aimusic.sharepoint.com/Academic/AcademicStudies/G1AU5/SitePages/G1AU5%20%20Assessments.aspx

Assessment 1: Transcription Assessment (40%)

Description
This class will require students to undertake 8 hours of self-paced transcription activities each unit. The objective will
be to teach score transcription skills, including identifying instruments, laying out the score (including time and key
signatures and setting tempos etc.), starting the process, bass line transcription and harmonic analysis, main melodic
transcription, secondary lines and supporting harmony. Unit 5 students will be provided with 5 short online tutorials,
guiding the candidate through the processes with weekly benchmark points. It is a self-guided/self-paced delivery with
an expectation of 8-16 hours total student input. The unit 5 student will be assigned a transcription from one of three
areas and the unit 6 student will be allowed to choose their own work from one that is of interest to them.

Commencing in Week 3, the tutorials will include:

Formatting and style selection

The basics -bars, tempo, instrumentation and general layout.

Bassline transcription
Melodic parts
Accompanying sections.
For tutorials on transcription, please visit the "Transcription Tutorials" folder on the Academic studies page or
click here.
Assessments
https://aimusic.sharepoint.com/Academic/AcademicStudies/G1AU5/SitePages/G1AU5%20%20Assessments.aspx

Assessment 2: Transcription Examination (60%)

Description
A written examination will assess material covered in Weeks 1-8. The duration will be between 40 -45 minutes. An
additional minute will be provided as Reading Time prior to the commencement of the examination. Students are not
allowed to audibly hum, sing or tap during the examination.
Formative assessments
Formative assessments will let us know how prepared you are for the actual
assessments. They are an opportunity for students to receive feedback on a concept that
has not been fully understood before the actual exam takes place. They will also
increase your chances of getting good marks in the actual exams.

Formative assessment 1:
Week 3 - (in-class mock examination)

Formative assessment 2:
Week 9 - (in-class mock examination)
Class files
The General > Document Library tab will be our main place for finding the class files within
Teams. This folder is a direct link to the files in SharePoint.

G1AU5 Aural 5
transcription
 Week 1
Overview of topics
Topics

Explanation of the self paced-transcription assessment

Closed/Simple harmonic intervals above or below a starting note

Maj7 min7 min7b5 dim7 dom7 dom7#5 maj6 min6

6/8, 3/4 and 4/4 (four-bar examples only) as per Aural 4, now including quarter triplets and tied
rhythms

Major key progressions implementing secondary dominants

Bass Line and Seventh Chord Transcription: Minor key progressions implementing secondary
dominants
Assessments
https://aimusic.sharepoint.com/Academic/AcademicStudies/G1AU5/SitePages/G1AU5%20%20Assessments.aspx

Assessment 1: Transcription Assessment (40%)

Description
This class will require students to undertake 8 hours of self-paced transcription activities each unit. The objective will
be to teach score transcription skills, including identifying instruments, laying out the score (including time and key
signatures and setting tempos etc.), starting the process, bass line transcription and harmonic analysis, main melodic
transcription, secondary lines and supporting harmony. Unit 5 students will be provided with 5 short online tutorials,
guiding the candidate through the processes with weekly benchmark points. It is a self-guided/self-paced delivery with
an expectation of 8-16 hours total student input. The unit 5 student will be assigned a transcription from one of three
areas and the unit 6 student will be allowed to choose their own work from one that is of interest to them.

Commencing in Week 3, the tutorials will include:

Formatting and style selection

The basics -bars, tempo, instrumentation and general layout.

Bassline transcription
Melodic parts
Accompanying sections.
For tutorials on transcription, please visit the "Transcription Tutorials" folder on the Academic studies page or
click here.
Week 6 Assessment Materials
You can choose one track from the recordings that are available in this folder:
Book recommendation

NICHOLL, M. and GRUD, N.

Preparing Scores and Parts,
Berklee Press, 2007
Tempo/syle
Dynamics
Phrasing slurs and articulation
Slurs
Phrasing slurs and articulation
Grouping rhythmic figure separated by silences
 Grouping rhythmic figure separated by silences

Common mistake among Correct way:

students :
Accidentals
Week 1 Worksheet

Week 1 Objectives:

• Shifting subdivisions
• Quarter note triplets
• Dyads (if time allows)
Shifting subdivisions

Basic exercise for shifting subdivisions:

Shifting subdivision
Rhythmic transcription workshop: subdivision
Being able to subdivide the beat accurately is an essential musical skill. Many rhythmic patterns fall
in-between the beat, so musicians need to develop their ability to feel the different subdivisions.

Exercise:
1) Start by spelling out the subdivision of the rhythm to the click of a metronome.
2) Once you are comfortable changing the subdivisions, clap the top line while keeping your
subdivision going.
 Crotchet triplets

The triplet crotchet divides two beats into three

equal parts.

The rhythm of a triplet crotchet could also be

written or thought of in the following way:
 Crotchet triplets

Playing/transcribing quarter note triplets accurately can be achieved by thinking of the underlying triplet
pattern. Because the underlying structure of the pattern is a triplet subdivision, so keeping a “1-+-eh” in
your head while following the tempo of the song is essential to maintain rhythmic accuracy:

One-and-uh two-and-uh

2) Once the underlying subdivision is clear, the second stroke of the triplet crotchet can be subdivided
following the formula below:

One------uh two--and------
Crotchet triplets
The three strokes of the triplet can be obtained by tying the last quaver triplet of the first beat to the
first quaver triplet of the second beat. The second stroke is played on the “uh” of the 1st beat, and
the second note is played on the “+” of the 2nd beat:

One-------uh------------and------
(1)------------- (2)--------------

The resulting rhythm can then be notated as a crotchet triplet:

Crotchet triplets rhythmic transcription

Exercise 1: Four bars in 4/4

Crotchet triplets rhythmic dictation

Exercise 1: Four bars in 4/4

Dyads
Identify the notes played in the dyads. A starting note is given to you for each question

(quiz no.5)
Dyads (answers)
Identify the notes played in the dyads. A starting note is given to you for each question (quiz no.5)