Test I

The first test will cover everything in the course schedule through rock film. You need to have learned the material from the following Notes pages: Roots of Rock, The Independent Labels, Doo-wop, Girl Groups, Elvis Presley, Giants of the 50's, Roy Orbison, Franki Valli, Rock in Film, and Spinal Tap  plus additional material presented in class on Carl Perkins, Bo Diddley, Del Shannon, and Dion. It is particularly important for you to be able to identify and articulate style characteristics for artists and genres. For the independant labels, you need to know the founders, cities, and at least one artist for each label.

The listening portion will require you to identify styles OR specific artists so be sure to be familiar with the listening lists that correspond to the web pages listed above. The format of the test is primarily short answer but there will be at least one essay question.

Mid-term

You are responsible for ALL THE MATERIAL COVERED SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE SEMESTER  but the emphasis will be on the topics covered since the first test. The mid-term covers everything on the course schedule up through the British Invasion session. The format will be the same as the first test---short answer questions, listening, and essays.

To prepare for the mid-term review the first test and be sure to look at the notes pages for the sessions from Instrumental Classics through the British Invasion. You will be expected to know characteristics and representative groups  for Instrumental Classics, Protopunk, Soul, Motown, Funk, and British Invasion genres. You will also be responsible for information on Bob Dylan, The Byrds, Neil Young, Ray Charles, James Brown, and The Beach Boys. You should be prepared to write a short biography on any of the artists for whom there are separate web pages.

Regarding the listening, you will need to be able to identify any of the styles we have listened to so far and you will be expected to be able to recognize major artists such as the Beach Boys, Byrds, Dylan, Neil Young, Ray Charles, James Brown or the principal artists covered for the first test.

Test III

This test is not comprehensive---it covers only topics on the class schedule from the British invasion to Led Zeppelin. The format will be the same as the previous two tests; short answers, listening, and an essay or two. Review the web notes for the British invasion, Beatles, Rolling Stones, The Who, San Francisco Sound, The LA Connection, The Blues, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, and Led Zeppelin. Be able to recognize major artists from the listening lists and know characteristics of the blues.

Final Exam

Like the mid-term, the final is comprehensive. Most questions will deal with specific styles so make sure that you know the characteristics and representative groups for all the styles we have examined during the semester. There will be slightly more emphasis on the genres we have looked at since Test III, that is everything from Led Zeppelin onward. The listening will also be comprehensive but you will not have to identify artists---only styles. There will be a couple of essay questions related to genres. I would recommend looking over the first three tests again as some questions will come directly from them.