Jazz and the American Popular Song

As a new music student, you are embarking on an adventure through musical time and history. This journey will be much more pleasurable if one first becomes familiar with some basic musical concepts and the Elements of Music. Bear in mind that most new experiences require some initial adjustment and insight. The process is similar to traveling to a distant land for the first time: You are instantly immersed in a different culture and surrounded by people who speak a new and unfamiliar language and follow unfamiliar customs. This new experience could be either very rewarding or quite unbearable depending on your perspective. If you were not prepared for this journey, your naive responses and actions might bring you embarrassment or instill the anger of others. These new ideas will be introduced gradually, systematically and actively, so for now, focus on learning the fundamental elements of music and their related terms. Welcome to Jazz and the American Popular Song!