300,400-Level Music Courses
HMU 350
Music of the Eastern Mediterranean
(3-0-3)
This course is an introductory survey of the music of the Eastern
Mediterranean as explored by Traditional and Modern Turkish music. It
explores the Balkan, Greek and Persian influences from earliest times
as well as Western composition and idioms. Modern jazz, rock, dance
and video influences will be examined as well.
HMU 387
African-American Popular Music
(3-0-3)
This course traces the development of black popular music from its
earliest roots in northwest Africa to the urban centers of the U.S.
HMU 392
Music Appreciation I
(3-0-3)
The development of listening techniques used to aid in the
appreciation of classical music; and analysis of representative
compositions covering the Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Modern
periods.
HMU 393
Music Appreciation II
(3-0-3)
A survey and analysis of representative composers through critical
listening and analysis of important music literature.
Prerequisites:
HMU 392
HMU 394
History of Jazz
(3-0-3)
Techniques in how to listen and what to listen for. History of the
idiom. Analysis of outstanding performances and styles.
HMU 395
Elementary Harmony
(3-0-3)
Course begins with a review of the rudiments of music (scales, modes,
key signatures, time signatures, rhythm, meter, intervals and basic
acoustical principles) and a review of important compositional trends
that have affected the course of Western musical history. Students are
then introduced to the triad and seventh chords in all inversions. All
theoretical study is accompanied by listening, score analysis and
actual writing. All incoming students should already know how to read
music (treble and bass clefs).
HMU 396
Advanced Harmony
(3-0-3)
HMU 397
Orchestration I
(3-0-3)
This course is an exploration of traditional orchestral instruments.
The student will learn fine details related to the characteristics of
instruments in the orchestral family with classroom examples of
masterpieces in the classical repertoire as well as by experiencing
either live demonstrations or sampled demonstrations by the
instructor. The student will learn the basics of expanding a piano
score to woodwind, brass, and string quartets.
HMU 401
Music Through Multimedia Technology
(2-2-3)
This course involves production tools available in hardware and
software utilized to make compositions and sound tracks for an array
of visual and live performance environments. The course provides an
introduction to these areas, offering background important to other
courses in the program that students may take in the future. Topics
include the music business, general recording studio protocol, MIDI
(Musical Instrument Digital Interface), basic recording techniques
with "ProTools," techno music production sequencing with "Digital
Performer," synthesizer history and programming, electronic music and
"synthestration," interactive applications such as "MAX," sound
design, digital sampling for visual art support with "Mach 5," and
sound-effect libraries, music programs for the Web: Quicktime, Real
Audio, and Windows Media Player applications, mastering with ProTools
"Plug-Ins," "Peak," "Roxio Jam" and "Toast," and "MP3" creation and
web uploading and distribution with e-commerce.
HMU 402
MIDI and Electronic Music
(2-2-3)
The Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) revolutionized the
production world of Electronic Music. This course will explore the
fine details of the code as well as the everyday studio and stage use
of the protocol. The student will explore all types of synthesis
techniques via keyboards, tone modules and software plug-ins. There
will also be an overview of traditional electronic music from the last
century to the present. In the weekly lab, the student will explore
the software and hardware interconnection process and create an
artistic experiment in electronic music as a final project.
HMU 403
Synthestration
(2-2-3)
Currently, the complexity of the tools of the trade, enable one person
to perform a non-linear symphony. The art of "Synthestration" is
commonly utilized in the motion picture and popular music
industries. Synthestration is the art of utilizing sound synthesizers
to emulate the sound of an orchestral instrument. In today's
competitive hi-tech musical instrument world, any musician can now
play virtually any sound from their performance device via the
integration of keyboard, string or pitch, and velocity to digital
converters. It has become quite mainstream for one musician to be
expected realize an orchestral score with synthesizes to give the
composer or the producer/director/client a sample of what the final
orchestra performance may be like. Often, the "synthestration" becomes
the final version in the contemporary market. This course will present
and analyze both aesthetic and artistic issues in the field. The
student will have the opportunity to create a digital performance of
their Orchestration class experiments in a weekly lab session as well
as on their laptop computer.
Prerequisites:
HMU 397
HMU 410
Audio Engineering Science I
(2-2-3)
In today's music composition world, artists may accelerate their
potential by having a basic understanding of sound recording
technology, since this competitive field is becoming more dependent on
composer-operated tools to generate the art. This course will give
students an understanding of the terms and basic skills needed to make
quality recordings of their art on the "Pro Tools" non-linear-based
system. Microphone, Monitor, Mixer, Digital Signal Processing
"Plug-Ins," Dynamics, and basic studio acoustics will be
explored. Students will meet in small groups for at least four hours a
week to execute organized studio "hands on" lab exercises. Students
will experience the producing and recording of a basic multi-track
song project at the completion of the course.
HMU 411
Audio Engineering Science II
(2-2-3)
Mixing consoles in project studios will be explored and more advanced
techniques in dynamics, equalization, reverberation, and signal
processing. Students will meet in small groups for at least four hours
a week to execute organized studio "hands on" lab exercises. Students
will experience the producing and recording of a more advanced
multi-track song project at the completion of the course.
Prerequisites:
HMU 410
HMU 450
Music Business
(3-0-3)
This course is an overview of the vast music business world and what a
real and successful producer must know to compete in today’s
commercial music environment. Topics include discovering an act,
training, development, music union memberships, performance, music
attorney expectations, management contracts, booking agents,
promoters, publishing deals, performance rights organizations,
production deals, recording studio management, record deals and
labels, interactive media, and web promotion and distribution. Guest
speakers may be invited to class and students may visit "indie" and
major label headquarters. All students will be encouraged to
participate in the student organized media label club.
HMU 490
Music Performance: Concert Band
(0.5 credits)
The study and performance of popular Concert Band repositories.
HMU 491
Music Performance: Jazz Ensemble
(0.5 credits)
The study and performance of modern music.
HMU 492
Music Performance: Stevens Choir
(0.5 Credits)
The study and performance of choral masterworks.
HMU 493
Music Through Multimedia and Technology
(3-0-3)
This lecture course, with interactive studio demonstrations, is an
introduction and overview of the world of multimedia. The student
explores the basics of audio, graphics, photography and video
production through the use of digital audio, midi and music
production, digital graphics, and photography and video software.
HMU 496
Music Performance: Private Lessons
(0.5 credits)
The student is required to play a musical instrument and is expected,
according to the audition process, to have moderate skills on their
primary instrument. The student may continue with private lessons on
their primary instrument or they may take lessons on their secondary
instruments. A faculty member or a professional in the tri-state, New
York City professional musicians area, may conduct regular lessons as
per the students level and artistic desires. The lessons may be on
campus, or the student may commute to the musicians training studio.
There will be one hour of lessons weekly with the instructor and the
student is expected to rehearse for at least four additional hours.
The lessons shall lead to a performance on campus during the same
semester. The performance may be solo or part of an ensemble.
HMU 497
Music Performance: Recital
(0.5 credits)
Each student is encouraged to either give solo performances or to join
a student ensemble and take part in a series of performances on campus
as well as in other metropolitan New York City stages. Many of the
performances will be recorded and marketed by the student run media
label. The student will need to attend weekly rehearsals and
participate in at least one performance each semester.