MUSIC 151 HISTORY OF ROCK MUSIC

Spring 2020

 

INSTRUCTOR CONTACT INFORMATION

Instructor:        Dr Sonya Schumann

Email:               sschumann@sdsu.edu

Office:              M273

Office Hours:     MWF 10-11AM and TTH 12:30-2:30PM, available via Zoom, Skype, or in-person

Course Overview

COURSE CONTENT:            

Immediate Access Course: Some or all of the required course materials for this class are provided in a digital format by the first day of classes and are free through the add/drop date.  Your SDSU student account will then be charged a special reduced price for use of the materials for the remainder of the semester unless you opt-out of the content by 11:59 PM on the add/drop date. Please visit www.shopaztecs.com/immediateaccessfor additional information about Immediate Access pricing, digital subscription duration, print add-ons, opting out and other frequently asked questions.

Important Note:

This History of Rock class will deal with human responses both physiological and psychological to music. It will deal with U.S. and World history, as well as societal factors from the 19^th and 20^th centuries. The material presented in this course content in addition to being historical can be graphic/direct and may elicit discomfort to some.

You should be aware that this course content contains – in both lecture and class video presentations – subject matter that contains nudity, verbal obscenities, and explicit references to: human sexual/physiological responses to music, the societal impact of war, racism, drug and alcohol abuse, and references to religious beliefs and God. If you feel uncomfortable with this material or at any time become uncomfortable YOU SHOULD WITHDRAW FROM THE CLASS BEFORE THE ADD/DROP DEADLINE.

ASSESSMENT NOTE: This course requires the use of LockDown Browser for online exams. Watch this short video to get a basic understanding of LockDown Browser and the webcam feature.

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This course presents an aural and historical study of the music of rock musicians. The principal focus will be on the music with analysis. Secondary emphasis is placed on the sociological, political, and economic conditions which so heavily influenced this genre’s development. Active, directed listening will be the primary function of online guided learning. Out-of-class, ‘real world’ activities will include music listening and concert attendance.

 

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

1. Categorize and identify basic musical elements and terminology used in rock music.
2. Identify and recognize the basic song form/s (musical structure) that are used in Rock/Blues music.
3. Assemble a chronology of musical and social events leading to the development of Rock Music.
4. Identify the technological evolution of electronic instruments and the music recording process as they relate to Rock music history.
5. Evaluate and assess the historical lineage of Rock Music and its artists with American and World history from 1950 to the present.

 

Enrollment Information

PREREQUISITE:

None

 

ADD/DROP DEADLINE:

January 31, 2020

 

Please note, to continue enrollment in this course, you must sign the class agreement document. If you have not signed the agreement by 16:59 PST on January 31, you will be automatically dropped from this course. The agreement can be found on the course Canvas site, under Assignments: Syllabus Agreement.

Technical Support for Canvas

Canvas support is found at 619-483-0632. In-person student support for Canvas is provided by the Library Computing Hub, located on the 2^nd floor of Love Library. They can be reached at 619-594-3189 or hub@mail.sdsu.edu

TEXT AND MATERIALS

REQUIRED TEXTBOOK:

Covach, John and Andrew Flory What’s That Sound? An Introduction to Rock and Its History 5^th edition

 

With the exception of the hard-copy book, you will access all learning resources via Canvas. Each lesson module has a ‘Learning Resources’ section in Canvas that includes clickable URLs for the required readings, videos, etc. A bibliographic list of this course’s learning resources (which will be helpful when you want to cite one of our readings in a paper) and a list of supplementary texts is on our Canvas site.

 

ONLINE LEARNING AND TECHNOLOGY:

This is an online course. You are responsible for your own connectivity. Information Technology, or IT, challenges can come up. Be prepared for them.  Please be assured that if/when problems occur on the SDSU end you will not be penalized.  However, when problems occur on your end, the story is different.  YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR COMPUTING NEEDS. To succeed in the online learning environment, keep in mind the following requirements:

• A computer - PC or Mac - with a stable Internet connection. Higher speed Internet connections (cable modem, DSL) are strongly recommended.
• Basic computer skills - email, surf the Internet, and create basic word processor files.
• A reliable email address that will not change from the beginning until the end of the semester.
• A "technology back-up" plan. Students should plan out an alternative location to do assignments and quizzes in the event their computer or Internet connection is not working!
• Distance learning courses require as much time as traditional (classroom) instruction. The primary difference is that online instruction allows flexibility.
• Self motivation. Online students must be "self starters" and have the ability to work with a minimum of supervision. Students who procrastinate are rarely successful in distance learning courses.

When problems occur on your end, you must fix them prior to any course deadlines. You can go to the Library Computing Hub in the Love Library for help or to use their computers; call (619) 594-3189; email hub@sdsu.edu. The instructor cannot provide IT support.

Course Structure

The course is organized into several sections or ‘modules’, each followed by an online section test.

To do course work, simply go to Canvas, enter the relevant module (starting with 1), and work through the modules within the section by completing assigned items (readings, videos, etc.) in the order presented. Throughout each module, you will complete some ‘learning and self-assessment activities’ such as quick quizzes or reflective writing to spot-check your learning. At certain points, you will be reminded to work on a larger assignment, separate from the chronological course material. Then, in the designated exam window, take the section exam. Afterward, simply move on to the next section or part of the course.

Please note that although you may work at your own pace within a given section, making this course ideal for anyone with a complicated schedule, you must complete all work by the end of the day (23:59 hours) on the closing dates provided.  Deadlines keep students on track and ensure that the workload entailed in this course—for you, for me, and for our TA (if we have one)—is evenly distributed for the duration of our time together.

Students are also required to:

• Make use of the online course materials available via Canvas. Access to these materials is available once you have registered to the course.
• Participate in asynchronous online discussions.
• Check email on a daily basis.
• Complete readings and assignments by the dates indicated on the syllabus.

LIKE ALL OTHER RULES SET OUT IN THIS SYLLABUS, the work completion deadline rule applies to EVERYONE. I cannot extend deadlines or waive requirements for students who overextend themselves. Please think twice about enrolling if you anticipate being overtaxed by other courses or obligations, or if you have a history of trouble with deadlines or with following written instructions.

 

EMAIL:

SDSU does not share your phone number or address with me. The only way that I can communicate with you is via email. It is your responsibility to ensure that you can receive email from Canvas (and it is your responsibility to check for email regarding the course). Make sure that your email address within the system is correct.  Some email systems block Canvas mailings as if they are spam. If you can’t find Canvas emails, check your spam folders, and be sure to mark these emails as safe!

When sending me email, you must INCLUDE YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME IN THE SUBJECT LINE. You also must INCLUDE THE COURSE NAME/NUMBER in the subject line too. I generally answer email upon receipt. However, for general inquiries, you must allow for a 24-hour turnaround (not including holidays and weekends). Email does sometimes go awry: If you do not hear back from me in due time, please try again with a different heading (in case the original was recognized as spam) and/or find me in office hours.

 

NETIQUETTE:

Netiquette is online etiquette. It is important that all participants in online courses be aware of proper online behavior and respect one another.

Use appropriate language for an educational environment:

• Use complete sentences
• Use proper spelling and grammar
• Avoid slang and uncommon abbreviations
• Do not use obscene or threatening language

Remember that the University values diversity and encourages discourse. Be respectful of differences while engaging in online discussions. Find SDSU’s netiquette guidelines at this link: http://its.sdsu.edu/learning-management-system/student-netiquette. For more information about Netiquette, see The Core Rules for Netiquette by Virginia Shea.

Course Schedule

Module	Description	Due Date	Est. hours
1	Music Fundamentals and the World Before Rock and Roll	February 21	7
2	The Birth of Rock and the Beginning of Soul	February 21	6
Exam 1		February 20-21	2
3	The Beatles, the British Invasion, and the American Responses	March 6	7
4	Motown and Psychedelia	March 13	7
Exam 2		March 12-13	2
5	Black Pop, Reggae, and Disco	March 27	7
6	Mainstream Rock, Punk, and New Wave	April 10	7
Exam 3		April 9-10	2
7	MTV, Heavy Metal, Indie Rock, and the Birth of Rap	April 24	6
8	Alternative Rock and Widening Gaps	May 1	5
9	The 2000’s	May 8	6
Exam 4		May 7-8	2

Course Assessment and Grading

All work, including exams, must be received on time to count toward your grade. Times as stated refer to San Diego or Pacific Standard Time. This is the time standard used by Canvas’s internal clock. Our standard ‘deadline’ time is 23:59 hours. This does not mean you should press ‘submit’ at 23:59 hours. You need to allow time for internet traffic, just as you need to allow time for freeway traffic and parking (etc.) when you have to appear somewhere on time. I would suggest submitting by 23:30 hours (11:30 pm). DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE. Please be aware that deadlines placed on Sundays at 23:59 hours (vs. at the close of business on Friday) are placed there as a courtesy to working students; weekend and night-time help with content-related questions or technological problems is not guaranteed. In the face of either, deadlines remain in effect.

Proctored Online Exams

Online exams and quizzes in this course require proctoring in-person or online. All students must review the syllabus and the requirements for proctoring to determine if they wish to remain in the course. 

Students will be required to have a webcam (USB or internal) with a microphone when taking an exam or quiz. Students understand that this remote recording device is purchased and controlled by the student and that recordings from any private residence must be done with the permission of any person residing in the residence. In some instances, students may be required to grant desktop-level permission to the instructor or online proctors to ensure the academic integrity of their exam.

The University library offers secure settings for test taking and students with concerns may discuss the location of an appropriate space for the recordings with the instructor. Taking exams at work or in busy public settings is not recommended.

Students should also ensure that they have a high-speed internet connection (preferably wired, or a wireless network not shared by many users). Please be aware that heavy Internet traffic might slow down or otherwise interfere with your connection if you are using a public or workplace wireless connection. If you must use public or workplace Internet access, please test your computer at the same time of day that you will take your exam. Please use either Chrome or Firefox on a laptop or desktop; mobile devices (smart phones) are not supported.

Additional setup information will be provided by your instructor prior to taking the proctored exam. If you have any questions about taking a proctored exam, please contact your instructor prior to the scheduled exam time.

 

STRUCTURE AND GRADING

1. Exams (4)………………………………………..…………….…....30%
2. Assignments…….…………….………………………………….…20%
3. Quizzes.......…………………….…………………………………….20%
4. Artist Report ………………….…………………………………….10%
5. Concert Experience…….…………………….………………..…10%
6. Mix Tape…...….……………………………….……..……….…….10%

Percentage	Letter Grade	Grade pts
0-59.9%	F	0
60-63.9%	D-	0.7
64-66.9%	D	1
67-69.9%	D+	1.3
70-73.9%	C-	1.7
74-76.9%	C	2
77-79.9%	C+	2.3
80-83.9%	B-	2.7
84-86.9%	B	3
87-89.9%	B+	3.3
90-93.9%	A-	3.7
94-100%	A	4

 

A: EXAMS 30% (300 pts total)

Exams (4 at 100 pts each) will be given at the ends of large units. Each exam will include multiple choice questions and a listening portion meant to test your familiarity with the music analyzed and listened to in that unit. Exams are not cumulative. The lowest exam grade will be dropped at the end of the semester. There will be no make-up exams offered, for any reason.

Canvas will close them at 23:59 hours (midnight) on the last date indicated for the test in question. Taking exams in person is an option. This option is made available to eliminate concerns about time limits, internet failures, and any other issues. I make myself available for in-person exam proctoring on the last date indicated for the test in question. To avail yourself of this option, please email me at least 24 hours beforehand so that I can insure enough copies of the exam.

Please see ‘Exam Instructions’ on Canvas, under Pages.

 

B: ASSIGNMENTS 20% (200 pts)

Assignments are assigned within Modules, or can be located under ‘Assignments’ on Canvas. Assignment points are awarded for Canvas activities completed and accrued as the course progresses. Assignments will have a gradual increase of value over the course of the semester, as you become more comfortable with absorbing the musical material. The assignments ask you to apply, practice, or otherwise demonstrate and self-assess what you have just learned. The aim of completing these assignments is to gain practice and hone understanding so that you do as well as possible on the graded work you will submit. Please see rubrics available on Canvas for each assignment. Due dates are clearly stated on Canvas.

Each module’s activities must be completed by 23:59 PST of the due date of a Module. Points will only be given for activities completed on time.

 

C: QUIZZES 20% (200 pts)

Quizzes (8 at 25 pts each) will occur at the end of each module and are required to be completed before continuing to the next module. Each quiz will include multiple choice, true/false, and short answer questions pertaining to the module. Canvas will allow for quizzes to be taken up to 3 times, and the highest grade of the three attempts will be kept. If you attempt less than three times, the highest grade of the attempts will be kept. The quizzes are designed to help you prepare and build for the exams at the end of each unit. Quizzes will be open until a module is closed. Your answers to quizzes will be made available after your final attempt or the closing of a module, whichever occurs first.

Each module’s quizzes must be completed by 23:59 PST of the due date of a Module. Points will only be given for quizzes completed on time. 

 

D: ARTIST REPORT 10% (100 pts)

For this writing assignment, select an artist or group (composer, performer, conductor, band, etc.) and write a short report of approximately two full typed pages (700-word minimum). Write in complete sentences. Reports will be turned in as a PDF on Canvas and will be subject to a plagiarism detector such as Turnitin.com. Your review will be graded out of 100 possible points.

Your report must contain the following information:

• The name of the artist or group
• Birth and death dates (if applicable)
• Time period and genre of artist’s main output
• Choose one work of the artist (e.g. piece of music or performance) upon which to elaborate
• Briefly describe the artist’s impact on you personally, and what the artist uses to achieve this
• Socio-cultural impact of the artist on their contemporaries and the generations to follow
• A minimum of five reputable sources using Chicago Style citations

See Artist Report Assignment on Canvas for rubric, due date, and more information.

 

E: CONCERT EXPERIENCE 10% (100 pts)

For this short writing assignment, you will be required to attend one music concert and write a review of approximately one full typed page (500-word minimum). This assignment must be submitted in person to the music office. If you cannot deliver this assignment to the music office, you may mail it to me, with a timestamp verifying that it was delivered to a mail facility by the due date/time. Staple your ticket stub and program to the concert experience. Your review will be graded out of 100 possible points. This assignment is due to the music office by the final class day of the semester.

Your report must contain the following information:

• The name of the group or performers, and/or the conductor
• The title and composer for each piece performed
• Describe instruments used in the concert, and detail genre/time period for each piece. “Set the stage.”
• Describe the emotion you associate with each piece. What did the composer do to create that feeling? Use terminology learned in Module 1, such as melody, harmony, tempo, instruments, dynamics, texture, form, consonance or dissonance.

See Concert Experience Assignment on Canvas for rubric, due date, and more information.

 

F: MIXTAPE 10% (100 pts)

For this assignment, you will create a playlist. Your playlist must have two ‘sides’. Side A and Side B must include at least 30 minutes of music each, for a total of at least one hour of music. When creating your playlist, you are creating a musical journey – a story of your own making, using music that already exists in the world. Also due with your playlist is a song list that includes the following information:

• A title for your mix tape
• The name of the group or performers, and/or the conductor
• The title, composer, and date for each song recording
• Why this song was included in your playlist; what does this song signify to you? Is its placement in your playlist order important in some way? Did you feel connected to specific elements of music within the song? Use terminology learned in Module 1, such as melody, harmony, tempo, instruments, dynamics, texture, form, consonance or dissonance.

See Mixtape Assignment on Canvas for rubric, due date, and more information.

 

Academic Honesty

The University adheres to a strict policy regarding cheating and plagiarism. These activities will not be tolerated in this class. Become familiar with the policy and what constitutes plagiarism. Any cheating or plagiarism will result in failing this class and a disciplinary review by the University. These actions may lead to probation, suspension, or expulsion.

Examples of Plagiarism include but are not limited to:

• Using sources verbatim or paraphrasing without giving proper attribution (this can include phrases, sentences, paragraphs and/or pages of work)
• Copying and pasting work from an online or offline source directly and calling it your own
• Using information you find from an online or offline source without giving the author credit
• Replacing words or phrases from another source and inserting your own words or phrases
• Submitting a piece of work you did for one class to another class

Turnitin

Students agree that by taking this course all required papers may be subject to submission for textual similarity review to Turnitin.com for the detection of plagiarism. All submitted papers will be included as source documents in the Turnitin.com reference database solely for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of such papers. You may submit your papers in such a way that no identifying information about you is included. Another option is that you may request, in writing, that your papers not be submitted to www.turnitin.com. However, if you choose this option you will be required to provide documentation to substantiate that the papers are your original work and do not include any plagiarized material.

Students with Disabilities

If you are a student with a disability and believe you will need accommodations for this class, it is your responsibility to contact Student Ability Success Center at (619) 594-6473. To avoid any delay in the receipt of your accommodations, you should contact the Student Ability Success Center as soon as possible. Please note that accommodations are not retroactive, and that I cannot provide accommodations based upon disability until I have received an accommodation letter from Student Ability Success Center. Your cooperation is appreciated. 

Starting Fall 2019 all accommodated exams will be booked through SASC Connect, an online portal for Student Ability Success Center. Paper booking forms will not be accepted.

Student Services:

A complete list of all academic support services is available on the Academic Success section of the SDSU Student Affairs website.

For help with improving your writing ability, the staff at the SDSU Writing Center is available in person and online.

Counseling and Psychological Services offers confidential counseling services by licensed psychologists, counselors, and social workers. More info can be found at their website or by contacting (619) 594-5220. You can also Live Chat with a counselor http://go.sdsu.edu/student_affairs/cps/therapist-consultation.aspx between 4:00pm and 10:00pm, or call San Diego Access and Crisis 24-hour Hotline at (888) 724-7240.

Student Privacy and Intellectual Property

Students maintain intellectual property rights to work products they create as part of this course unless they are formally notified otherwise.

Students will be notified at the time of an assignment if copies of student work will be retained beyond the end of the semester or used as examples for future students or the wider public.

Copyright Policy

SDSU respects the intellectual property of others and we ask our faculty & students to do the same.

It is best to assume that any material (e.g., graphic, html coding, text, video, or sound) on the Web is copyrighted unless specific permission is given to copy it under a Creative Commons License.  More information about the use of copy written material in education as part of the TEACH Act and Copyright Fair Use Guidelines. Whenever possible, you should attribute the original author of any work used under these provisions.