GET UP, STAND UP! HIGHER ORDER THINKING IN POPULAR MUSIC STUDIES by Mark Elliot Bergman A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of George Mason University in Partial Fulfillment of The Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Arts Community College Education Committee: ___________________________________________ Director ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ Program Director ___________________________________________ Dean, College of Humanities and Social Sciences Date: _____________________________________ Summer Semester 2015 George Mason University Fairfax, VA Get up, Stand up! Higher Order Thinking in Popular Music Studies A Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Arts at George Mason University by Mark Elliot Bergman Master of Music Yale University, 1997 Director: John O’Connor, Professor Department of Community College Education Summer Semester 2015 George Mason University Fairfax, VA This work is licensed under a creative commons attribution-noderivs 3.0 unported license. ii DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to my incredibly supportive wife, Rachel, and our two wonderful children, Avi and Zachary. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank my advisor, Dr. John O’Connor for his sage guidance throughout my doctoral studies. I am grateful to Professor Anthony Maiello for his musical mentoring and Dr. Leslie Smith for her support in preparing my dissertation. Thank you! iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Page List of Figures..................................................................................................................viii Abstract.............................................................................................................................. xi Chapter One ........................................................................................................................ 1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 1 Significance and the Need for the Method...................................................................... 4 The Canon’s Critics......................................................................................................... 6 Statement of the Problem .............................................................................................. 14 Research questions to be investigated........................................................................... 16 Delimitations and Limitations of the Study .................................................................. 17 Definition of Terms....................................................................................................... 18 Review of the Textbooks used in the Field................................................................... 27 Analyzing Analysis ....................................................................................................... 31 Fostering Higher Order Thinking.................................................................................. 33 Pedagogical Method...................................................................................................... 48 Implications for Practice ............................................................................................... 50 Summary ....................................................................................................................... 51 Chapter Two: Rhythm and meter...................................................................................... 53 Division ......................................................................................................................... 54 Subdivision.................................................................................................................... 55 Meter and Groove.......................................................................................................... 62 Building a Basic Rock Beat .......................................................................................... 66 Hyrdogen....................................................................................................................... 69 Compound Subdivisions ............................................................................................... 71 Syncopation................................................................................................................... 73 Assignments .................................................................................................................. 75 Chapter Three: Hooks....................................................................................................... 76 v Types of Hooks ............................................................................................................. 78 Melodic Hooks .............................................................................................................. 80 Methodology: Keys and Scales..................................................................................... 81 Notation......................................................................................................................... 84 Pentatonic Melodic Rhythmic Hooks........................................................................ 84 Pentatonic Writing Exercises................................................................................... 101 Blues Melodic Hooks .............................................................................................. 101 Blues Writing Exercises: ......................................................................................... 107 Triads in Melodic Hooks ......................................................................................... 107 Rhythmic Hooks.......................................................................................................... 112 Writing Exercise (Rhythmic Hooks) ....................................................................... 114 Lyrical Hooks.............................................................................................................. 114 Topical Hooks.......................................................................................................... 115 Lyrical Rhythmic Hooks ......................................................................................... 116 Vernacular and Colloquial Language...................................................................... 117 Multiple Meanings................................................................................................... 118 Writing Exercise (Lyrical Rhythmic Hooks)........................................................... 119 Sound Effect Hooks................................................................................................. 120 Chapter Four: Harmony and Melody.............................................................................. 123 Harmonic Theory (C Major) ....................................................................................... 123 Chord Progressions in C Major................................................................................... 126 Writing Exercise, C Major .......................................................................................... 130 Harmonic Theory (A minor) ....................................................................................... 130 Writing Exercise (A minor)......................................................................................... 135 Form (Verses and Choruses)....................................................................................... 135 Chords in the Chorus (Strength Chords)..................................................................... 141 “Hook” Progressions................................................................................................... 143 Writing Exercise (Chord Progressions)....................................................................... 147 Melody ........................................................................................................................ 148 Passing Notes .............................................................................................................. 151 Writing Exercise (Melody).......................................................................................... 153 Chapter Five: Transitional Structures ............................................................................. 154 vi The Middle Episode .................................................................................................... 161 Instrumental Solos....................................................................................................... 163 Pullback and Outchorus .............................................................................................. 164 Coda (a.k.a. Outro)...................................................................................................... 165 Collision ...................................................................................................................... 166 Putting It All Together ................................................................................................ 167 Chapter Six: Rhyming..................................................................................................... 169 Types of Rhymes........................................................................................................