ET 212 EAR TRAINING 4

Instructor: John Funkhouser

Mailbox: Ear Training Office

Email: jfunkhouser@berklee.edu (try this first)

Office: 899 Boylston Street, 2nd floor

Course Chairs:
Allan Chase, Chair
aschase@berklee.edu
899 Boylston St., 2nd floor

Phone: 617-747-2831 (office)

Office hours: Tuesdays, 10:00-10:50pm

Fridays, 11:00-11:50pm

Roberta Radley, Assistant Chair

rradley@berklee.edu
899 Boylston St., 2nd floor

Course Description: Continuation of ET 211 Ear Training 3. Advanced development of

ear training skills through performance and recognition activities. Selected chromatic
syllables are presented through core melodic motives, forming the basis of melodic
reading, melodic dictation, and the study and recognition of common harmonic models.
In addition to the study of chromaticism, modulation will also be explored. Continued
study of advanced rhythmic concepts. Continued study of common harmonic
progressions that include secondary and substitute dominants. Continued study of
conducting patterns and common music notation.
Course Objective: Ear Training 4 is the fourth in a series of four required courses that
are designed to help you learn essential musicianship skills applicable to all styles of
music: the ability to accurately recognize, imagine, remember, and notate musical
sounds, and the ability to read music notation. Through guided practice of ear training
techniques, your musical perception and performance will become more accurate and
you will become more fluent in translating sound into notation and notation into sound.
The techniques for learning ear training moveable-do solfege, conducting, counting
systems, and dictation techniques are time-tested aids for the development of these
musicianship skills. The skills you will learn will be useful in composition, arranging,
production, learning new repertoire, and bandleading; improvisation and musical
interaction in performance; and improved music perception in listening.
When you successfully complete Ear Training 4, you will have developed sight-singing
and dictation skills giving you mastery of rhythms in 3/2, 6/4, 5/4, 5/8, 7/4, 7/8, and
changing time signatures; and of metric modulations, double-dotted notes, 4:3
polyrhythms, divided triplets, and quintuplets and sextuplets. You will be able to perform,
recognize, and transcribe complex rhythms and chromatic melodies accurately using
moveable-do solfege syllables and conducting patterns. You will be able to recognize
and transcribe chords with tensions, chromatic chord progressions involving secondary
dominants, modulating chord progressions, and some secondary II-V progressions and
substitute dominants. After completing Ear Training 4, you will be prepared to take Ear
Training electives.

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Required Textbook: Ear Training 4 Workbook: 2nd Edition by Scott DeOgburn, Tony
Germain, Mitch Haupers, Steve Prosser, Roberta Radley, and Dave Vose (2007,
Berklee).
Homework and Quizzes: Homework in performance and dictation will be assigned and
checked regularly. Preparation of singing exercises and sight-singing practice will be
asked for on a regular basis. Melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic dictation and interval and
chord recognition quizzes will be given. Approximately one hour of out-of-class
preparation per hour of class is required.
Midterms: March 6 - 13
Final Exams: May 1 - 8
Projects: Projects may be assigned and grades will be averaged in as specified.
Grading: The usual scale of 0 to 100 will be used for all evaluations, and the usual
Berklee letter-grade correspondences will apply. The following table shows grade
expectations related to the quality of performance in singing with solfege syllables and
conducting:
A (90-100)
B (80-89)
C (70-79)
D (60-69)
F (0-59)

A "perfect" performance, correct in intonation, rhythm, articulation, and

style, done with confidence and without stopping.
Above average; performance slightly flawed in one area, or with an
interruption.
Performance flawed in one area, or slightly flawed in two, or with
interruptions, but still a definitely recognizable musical performance.
Below average, but still an acceptable musical performance.
A musically unacceptable performance.

Final Grade Determination: Assuming no more than three absences are recorded (see
below), the course grade is determined by averaging grades earned, weighted as
follows:
20% Homework: dictation, recognition, and transcription assignments (graded
pass/fail), and prepared singing with solfege syllables and conducting.
30% Quizzes and Projects: prepared melodies with solfege syllables and conducting,
prepared rhythms spoken with conducting; melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic
dictation and recognition. Projects as assigned.
20% Midterm Exam: Performance (prepared and sight singing, including conducting
and solfege syllables) and dictation and recognition of melodic, rhythmic, and
harmonic material.
30% Final Exam: Performance (prepared and sight singing, including conducting and
solfege syllables) and dictation and recognition of melodic, rhythmic, and
harmonic material.
Late Work: Late assignments and quizzes will be discounted as follows:
Up to one week late: 10% off (example: A becomes B)
One to two weeks late: 20% off (example: A becomes C)
Two or more weeks late: no credit (all grades become zero)

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Please note: C (75) is much better than zero. It is very strongly in your interest to turn in
all work within two weeks after the due date.
Unless otherwise specified, all written dictation homework will be graded pass/fail.
Completed homework assignments turned in on time will receive 100% credit.
Learning Disabilities
If you need support or academic assistance because of a learning issue, you may be eligible for
academic accommodations through the Counseling and Advising Center. For more information,
contact the CAC at 617-747-2310, at extension 2310 on campus, or visit 939 Boylston Street.
Attendance and Participation: Consistent attendance, punctuality, preparation, and participation
are expected and will be reflected in your grade. Beginning with the first scheduled meeting,
attendance is required in all classes, private instruction, instrumental labs, and ensembles.
Classes, labs, and ensembles are scheduled to start promptly on the hour and end at ten minutes
before the hour. Late arrival is both unprofessional and disruptive.
Attendance and lateness will be recorded; beginning with the fourth absence, 10% per absence
will be subtracted from the course grade you have earned.
Because there is no substitute for participation in the classroom experience, the Ear Training
department does not normally distinguish between excused and unexcused absences. However,
if exceptional circumstances arise due to a medical, personal, or family emergency, you should
notify the Counseling Center and your instructor as soon as possible to discuss your options. If
you have conflicting college obligations, discuss them with your teacher as far in advance as
possible. Documentation of medical, personal, or family emergencies or college conflicts may be
required in special cases where an excused absence is considered.
Missing an exam may result in a grade of zero for the exam. If you will be absent from an exam
due to a medical, personal, or family emergency, you must notify the instructor in advance if
possible, or as soon as possible under the circumstances. Exams will be made up only in
extraordinary cases, at the discretion of the instructor.
Arriving late to class two times is equivalent to one absence from class.
Your full attention and participation during class are expected and required. Use of cell phones,
computers, or other electronic devices, reading or writing that is unrelated to the class, eating a
meal, or other distractions are not allowed because they diminish your learning and are disruptive
to the class. If there are special circumstances, please discuss them in advance with the
instructor.
If you have excessive absences, you may initiate withdrawal from the class, receiving a grade of
W, or you may receive the grade of F at the end of the semester.
Withdrawal policy
You may withdraw from this class by completing a Student-Initiated Withdrawal from a Class form
at the Office of the Registrar. The withdrawal form must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar
before the end of the 9th week of classes in Fall and Spring semesters, or the end of the 8 th week
in the 12-week Summer Session. If you submit the withdrawal form by the deadline, you will
receive a grade of W for the class. Withdrawing from a class cannot be done after the deadline

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The instructor will not withdraw you from the class for any reason (including absence) or submit
the form for you. It is your responsibility to withdraw from the course.
If you withdraw from this class, you continue to be financially responsible for the class and are not
eligible for a tuition refund or replacement course. Please be aware that withdrawing from a class
may affect scholarship, financial aid, and/or international student visa status. If you receive
financial aid or veterans benefits, your eligibility for aid may be reduced by withdrawing. If you
are an international student, you may jeopardize your F-1 visa status.
In case of doubt about your status and options, ask the instructor, department chair and/or the
Counseling & Advising Center.

Deadline for Course Withdrawal: 4:00 PM Friday, March 27.

Berklee College of Music Class Recording Policy
The use of technology in the classroom is determined by the teacher of the class. This
includes using a laptop, phone, tablet, or other device to take notes, record any portion
of the class, or take photographs.
The College respects the privacy of individuals, as well as the creations of individuals
(students, teachers, and all others), including those shared or performed in a class. As
such, the audio recording of a class may be done only with the prior consent of the
faculty member and, in many situations, the other students in the class as well.
Students may not create a video recording of a class, except in compelling situations as
determined by the teacher of the class and with the permission of the teacher and all
students in the class.
Class recordings are restricted for use only by the student who creates the recording.
Students may not post or share the recording of a class without the written permission
of the person(s) recorded and/or the creator of the intellectual content. A student who
posts or shares the recording of a class without all necessary permissions will be subject
to disciplinary action by the College.
The Colleges Acceptable Use Policy, which can be found in the Policy Handbook for
Students and online at: http://www.berklee.edu/student-conduct-policies/acceptableusepolicy, states in part that "Community members are prohibited from posting on or
transmitting through any online network . . . objectionable material of any kind . . ." This
includes posting of class recordings without the written permission of the person(s)
recorded and/or the creator of the intellectual content.
In addition, the state of Massachusetts forbids the recording of private conversations
without the consent of all parties. Massachusetts's wiretapping law is often referred to
as a "two-party consent" law, which makes it a crime to secretly record a conversation,
whether the conversation is in-person or taking place by telephone or another medium.
This law also applies to secret video recording when sound is captured.

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EAR TRAINING 4
Topical Course Outline
Chapter 1
RhythmConducting; performance; review of 16th note patterns; double dotted
quarter notes; four over three note grouping
MelodyPractice method for sightsinging; introduction to chromaticism; Fi and
Se
HarmonyV7/V; tension 9
Chapter 2
Rhythm3/2 and 6/4 meters
MelodyLi and Te
HarmonyV7/IV; tension 13
Chapter 3
Rhythm5/4 and 7/4 meters
MelodySi and Le
Solfege ExercisesLydian, Phrygian, minor and major tetrachord patterns
HarmonyV7/VI; tension b9.
Chapter 4
RhythmChanging time signatures with constant quarter note
MelodyRi and Me
HarmonyV7/III; tension b13
MIDTERM EXAM
Chapter 5
Rhythm5/8 and 7/8 rhythms
MelodyDi and Ra
Solfege ExercisesChromatically altered tetrachords; donminant 7th chords
HarmonyV7/II; tension #9
Chapter 6
RhythmChanging time signatures with constant eighth note
MelodyModulation; parallel major and minor keys; keys related at 4th, 5th, and
2nd intervals.
HarmonySubV7/I; tension #11
Chapter 7
RhythmMetric modulation
MelodyModulation; relative major and minor keys; keys related at 3rd intervals
HarmonyV7/I altered; chord tome b5.
Chapter 8
Rhythm32nd notes; divided quarter note triplet; artificial groupings; quintuplets
and septuplets
MelodyReview
HarmonyReview
FINAL EXAM

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