Workshop topics:

Folk Theory

These workshops are adapted from the Music Skills module taught by Stewart for 3 years on the Folk Degree at Newcastle University. They aim to develop notational and aural skills from the particular perspective of the folk musician, building up an understanding of the musical forms underpinning traditional music and aiding comprehension of the theory associated with it. Subject matter includes:

1. Foundations of Harmony

• – harmonic series
• – chord construction

2. Foundations of Melody

• – harmonic series
• – major scale
• – tones & semi-tones
• – “Church modes”
• – intervals – the tri-tone
• – “Gapped Modes”
• – “Exotic scales”

3. Rhythmic Constructions

• – time signatures
• – pattern recognition
• – tune forms

4. Keys and Key Signatures

• – identifying tone centres
• – majors and minors
• – modal key signatures

5. Melodic Construction

• – pattern recognition
• – melody and words
• – ornamentation
• – contour

6. Harmonic Construction

• – diatonic and chromatic approaches
• – chord families
• – chord progressions
• – cadences

7. Composition in a Folk Idiom

• – melody lines
• – harmonic structure
• – bass lines
• – inner parts

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