Familiar Foundations

Familiar Foundations: A New Approach to Introducing Pitch-Class Set Theory

Familiar Foundations seeks to solve the growing barriers to teaching atonal music theory, particularly using pitch classes by using familiar materials to lay a firm foundation and deepen understanding of traditionally difficult content. The introduction of pitch-class theory in music curricula often presents a steep learning curve, discouraging many students in the theory classroom. Traditionally, pitch-class set theory is taught alongside – or even as a prelude to - atonal music, positioning it as a tool for analyzing unfamiliar and seemingly chaotic musical material which many of our students are encountering for the first time. This dual introduction —new analytical methods and new musical styles—creates multiple barriers to understanding. The Familiar Foundations method addresses this challenge by introducing pitch-class concepts through familiar, tonal music, such as Bach chorales, a Chopin prelude, or the string quartets of Haydn and Mozart. By presenting pitch-class analysis as both an addition to and an alternative for traditional harmonic analysis, students can build connections with known material, easing their transition to atonal music. This approach also clarifies similarities and distinctions among chordal structures, deepening students’ grasp of the system’s functions and benefits while simultaneously crafting a deeper understanding of the intervallic relationships in many commonly-used structures in music. First implemented in 2023, the Familiar Foundations method yielded immediate improvements in student comprehension and has since been adopted by faculty at several universities. Though many may see stepping backwards in music history as a detour, the positive feedback in the classroom and deeper immediate understanding of atonal theory more than make up for the time spent setting a firm foundation with familiar musical materials. This paper details the development and execution of the Familiar Foundations method and provides sample materials for its application. It is the author’s hope to build on this method and further develop applications for the methodology.