University of South Carolina
School of Music

BAIN MUSC 115
Music Theory I

Summer 2026

MUSC 115 | Blackboard | Listening/Analysis
C O U R S E   M O D U L E S
1. Fundamentals
Review
2. Harmonic Schemas
in Popular Music
3 Diatonic Harmony
4 Sentences & Periods
Triangle icon Form in Popular Music
Online Resources

OMT2 Glossary

On Music Dictionary

News

Thanks for a great summer term!

Course Documents

  1. Syllabus (pdf)
  2. Daily Schedule
  3. Listening/Analysis
  4. Bibliography

Required Textbook (Open Access)

Mark Gotham, et al., Open Music Theory, Version 2 {OMT2} (Gotham, et al. 2023)

Assignments/Activities

See Blackboard

Course Materials

  1. Handouts
  2. The Nashville Number System
  3. Aspects of Popular Music (Moore 2016)
  4. Diatonic Harmony in Common-Practice Music
  5. Music Notation

Projects

  1. Chord Loop Project (pdf)
  2. Melody Harmonization Project (pdf)
  3. Form Project (pdf)

Activities

  1. CAI Activity #1 (Thurs., June 25): Scales & Key Signatures
  2. CAI Activity #2 (Thurs., July 2): Interval & Triads
  3. CAI Activity #3 (Wed., July 8): Seventh Chords & Speed Drills

Online Calculators

  1. Accidental Calculator {MT.net}
  2. Interval Calculator {MT.net}
  3. Scale Calculator {MT.net}
  4. Chord Calculator {MT.net}
  5. Roman Numeral Calculator {MT.net}

Music Theory Fundamentals Handouts

  1. Keyboard Diagram (pdf)
  2. Major and Minor Scales (pdf)
  3. Key Signatures (pdf)
  4. Intervals (pdf)
  5. Interval Size in Semitones (pdf)
  6. Interval Inversion (pdf)
  7. Two-Voice Counterpoint Symbols (pdf)
  8. Chord Types (pdf)
  9. Lead-Sheet Symbols (pdf)
  10. Transformational Triad Spelling (pdf)
  11. Four-Chord Schemas (pdf)
  12. Chord Inversions & Figured Bass (pdf)
  13. The Chorale Style (pdf)
  14. Embellishing Tones (pdf)
  15. Roman Numerals (pdf)

Links

Drane and Whelan, Tone Savvy – https://tonesavvy.com

Hanson, MusicCourseware.net – https://www.musiccourseware.net

Main References

See also: BAIN MUSC 115 Bibliography

Adams, Ricci. 2025. MusicTheory.net (MT.net). Available online at: <https://www.musictheory.net>.

Alvira, José Rodríguez. 2025. Teoria. Available online: <https://www.teoria.com>.

Feezell, Mark. 1998-2022. LearnMusicTheory.net (LMT). Available online at: <https://learnmusictheory.net>.

Gotham, Mark, et al. 2023. Open Music Theory, Version 2 (OMT2). Viva Press Publishing. Available online at: <https://viva.pressbooks.pub/openmusictheory/>.


Updated: July 30, 2026

Reginald Bain | University of South Carolina | School of Music
https://reginaldbain.com/vc/musc115s/