Jazz Theory & Improvisation
 

Syllabus

If you are able to free yourself through expression in music, it must be jazz.  And even the greatest players are only fortunate enough to experience that freedom for a couple of minutes at a time.  Jazz is the only music in the Western world in which the most risk yields the greatest results.
 Keith Jarrett
 

Contact Information
Professor José Bowen
 Office: New North Performing Arts Suite (old UIS area)
 Office Phone:  202-687-0969 (direct)
 Email: bowenja2@muohio.edu
 Office Hours: Tuesday and Thursday 1:30-2:30 and by appointment

You do not need an appointment to see me.  I am in the office when I am not teaching most Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.  There should also be time after class most days to answer questions.  However, if you want more than a minute, try an appointment; I go to lots of meetings, but you can always call me in the office or email me.  You can call me at home if it can't wait, but please remember that I have a family.  Please try not to call before 9am or after 9pm.  (Remember, I'm a musician.) Home Phone: 703 749 0130.  Call me, I will always make time for you.

Course Aims and Objectives
 (1) In this course, you will learn how jazz (and lots of pop music) works.  You will become familiar with the basic rhythmic, harmonic, melodic and formal conventions of jazz.  You need NO previous experience other than facility on an instrument and an understanding of scales (or ARTM 141).

(2) You will also learn the basic scale, key and chord theory, which is applicable to all Western music.  You should leave this course with an understanding of how chords and scales work and the ability to manipulate them in real time.

(3) At the end of the course you should be able to identify some of the different instruments and the different types of ensembles used in jazz and pop music.

(4) This is a theory course (and not a repertoire or history course), but you should still learn a bit of new music. The styles of jazz and pop are as varied as they are in all of classical music; some of it you will like and some you will hate.  Just as you wouldn't assume that anyone who likes Brit Pop likes Heavy Metal, don't assume that everyone who likes ?jazz? will like both Woody Herman and Ornette Coleman.  Hopefully, this course will give you some tools to appreciate, analyze and critique a variety of new music on its own terms.

(5) The most important aim is to allow you to improvise jazz in a variety of settings and styles.

Class Format

Lecture/Drill  11:40-12:55 Tuesday and Thursday NN MR
Lab/Jams   10:15-11:30 Tuesday OR Thursday OR TBA NN MR

During the first few weeks you'll be placed into groups so that you'll get more playing time.  We'll probably set up one group on Tuesday and one group on Thursday.  Everyone will need to come to all lectures and to one combo session per week.
 

Schedule of Topics

Week 1, August, 28: Introduction
 Background
 Intervals and Scales
 Swing Rhythms
  Drills:
 a) Interval Review
 b) Swing Rhythms
   c) Reeves CD, Tracks 2 & 3
  Reading:
   Reeves CB: pages 3-17, 279-286 or Reeves CJI pages 1-24, 305-306
(Note we are using the 2nd edition of this book titled Creative Beginnings (CB) but the 3rd edition is called Creative Jazz Improvisation (CJI).  Last year they ran out of the CB and so some folks had to use CJI.  I am leaving both numbers, just in case you got the wrong edition.)
  Further Study (optional):
Mark Levine, Jazz Theory (pages 3-12)
Listen to Stan Getz

Week 2, September 2 & 4: Theory in Real Time
 Circle of Fifths as Geography
 Playing and Thinking Scales
 «Special Session: Piano Scale Fingering
  Drills:
   a) Keys and Degrees
   b) Multi-octave scales through all keys
   c) Reeves CD, Tracks 2, 3 & 4
  Reading:
   ReevesCB: Chapter 4 (pages 21-39) and pages 286-291
   or  ReevesCJI: Chapter 4 (pages 31-43)
  Further Reading (optional):
   Mark Levine, Jazz Theory  (pages 95-102)

Week 3, September 9 & 11: Basic Harmony
 Practice Test: Circle of Fifths
 Basic Harmony I: The Four Triads
 Diatonic Triads
 Harmony in Real Time
  Drills:
   a) Diatonic Progressions in all Keys (at the piano)
   b) Diatonic progressions with inversions in all keys (at the piano)
   c) Add Left Hand Roots (for pianists)
 d) Swing multioctave scales through all keys
   e) Reeves CD, Track 5
  Reading:
   ReevesCB: Chapter 5 (pages 40-60)
   or  ReevesCJI: Chapter 5 (pages 44-57)
 Week 4, September 16 & 18: Seventh Chords
 «Timed Test: Circle of Fifths (10 points) September 16
 Basic Harmony II: Seventh Chords
 Practice Chord Test
 Special Session: Bass Lines
  Drills:
   a) Diatonic Seventh Progressions in Triads (at the piano)
   b) Swing multioctave scales through all keys
   c) Reeves CD, Track 6
  Further Study (for pianists especially)
   d) Diatonic Seventh Progressions with Inversions
   e) Add Roots in Left Hand
  Reading:
   ReevesCB: Chapter 6 (pages 61-80)  or CJI: Chapter 6 (pages 58-70)

Week 5, September 23 & 25: ii-V-I
 «Timed Test: Chord Analysis (10 points) September 23
 Functional Harmony
 Special Session: LH Piano Voicing (3rd and 7ths)
  Drills:
   a) Diatonic Seventh Progressions in Triads (at the piano)
   b) Oral Analysis
   c) Running the Changes
   d) Running the Changes with Swing
   e) Reeves CD, Track 6
  Further Study (for pianists especially)
   f) use 3rd and 7th only in LH
   g) or use 3rd and 7th in RH and bass notes in LH
  Reading:
   ReevesCB: Chapter 7 (p. 81-112) and 292-303 or CJI: Ch 7 (p.  71-94)
  Further Reading (optional):
   Mark Levine, Jazz Theory  (pages 15-23)

Week 6, September 30: Bobby McFerrin in the House
 October 2: Jazz and Pop Sounds
 Timed Test: Tune Analysis (10 points)  October 2
 Individual Instruments  (Trumpets, Trombones, Saxes, Guitars)
 Jazz and Pop Ensembles
 Listening to Jazz: Aesthetics

Week 7, October 7 & 9 Consolidation & Rhythm
 Practice Habits & Speed
 Head Arrangements & Idiomatic Rhythmic Patterns
 Practice Test: Tune Analysis
  Drills:
   a) Oral Analysis, Running the Changes & Swing
   b) Rhythmic Patterns
   c) Reeves CD, Track 7
  Further Reading (optional):
   Mark Levine, Jazz Theory  (pages 246-256)

Week 8 October 14 & 16: Moving to Melody
Moving to Melody: Chord Tones and Weighted Scales
New Melodies for Old Tunes
 Special Session: LH Piano Voicing (5th and 7ths) & Basic Rhythms
  Drills:
   a) Weighted Scales
   b) Rhythmic Patterns with Chord Tones
   c) Reeves CD, Tracks 2-7
  Further Study:
   Mark Levine, Jazz Theory  (pages 113-170)
 

Week 9, October 21 & 23: Tune Structures and Review
 32 Bar AABA Tunes  (Start Compositions)
 Special Session: Two-Hand Comping
  Drills: (keep doing this after the midterm!)
   a) Oral Tune Analysis
   b) Running the Changes (Multioctave Scales)
   c) Running the Changes -- Add Swing
   d) Rhythmic Patterns
   e) Piano & Guitar ­ Play all Chords
   f) Piano ­ Practice Voicing Drills (3rd and 7th in L.H.)
   g) Chord Tone Drills (Swing)
   h) Rhythmic Patterns with Chord Tones
   i) Weighted Scales I (stop on chord tones)
   j) Weighted Scales II (chord tones with filler)
   k) Repeat e-j for both tunes and ii-V-I drills
   l) Reeves CD, Tracks 2-7
 

Week 10, October 28 & 30: Midterm
 «Midterm Performed Assessment: Running the Changes & Swing (20 points)
  Reading:
   Reeves: Review Chapter 4-7  (same in Reeves CJI)
  Make sure you have read and understand all of this.
   Continue with Reeves tracks 11-14.
After this exam, you will be expected to have MASTERED all of the material up to now.
 

Week 11, November 4 & 6: Blue Notes and The Blues
 Blue Notes and 9 Note Scales
 DRAFT Composition Due in Class (2 points)  November 6
  Drills:
   a) Weighted Scales with Blue Notes
   b) Rhythmic Patterns with Chord Tones & Blue Notes
  c) Hearing the Blues
  Further Reading (optional):
   ReevesCB: Chapter 11 (pages 191-224)
   ReevesCJI Chapter 8 (pages 95-109)
   Mark Levine, Jazz Theory  (pages 246-256)

Week 12, November 11: The Blues
 No Class November 13
Blues Progression & ?Blues Scales?
  Drills:
   a) Weighted Scales with Chord Tones & Blue Notes
   b) Swing Rhythmic Patterns
  c) Hearing the Blues
  Reading:
   ReevesCB: Chapter 8 (pages 115-135)
   or ReevesCJI Chapter 10 (pages 125-149)
 Further Study:
  Listen to all of the Blues forms on SCCJ
   Mark Levine, Jazz Theory  (pages 219-236)

Week 13, November 18: Rhythm Changes
 November 20: Bobby McFerrin -- Composing
 Rhythm Changes
 Special Session: Piano Short Chords
  Drills:
   a) Rhythm Changes
   b) Consolidated Scales and Rhythms
 Reading:
  ReevesCB: Chapter 9 (pages 136-160)
  or ReevesCJI: Chapter 11 (pages 150-162)
  Further Study:
   Kernfeld, What to Listen for in Jazz (pages 39-73)
   Mark Levine, Jazz Theory  (pages 237-244)

Week 14, November 25: Altered Chords and Scales
 « Composition Due Tuesday November 25 in Class (18 points)
 Dominant Alterations
 Substitution, Addition & Octatonics
 Special Session: Altered Voicings
  Drill:
   a) Weighted Scales with Blue Notes & Altered Scales
   b) Rhythmic Patterns with Chord Tones & Blue Notes
 Reading:
  ReevesCB: Chapter 10 (pages 161-190) or CJI: Ch 9 (pages 110-124)

Week 15, December 2 & 4: More Altered Scales and Modes
 Altered Major and Minor Chords
 Other Scales & Modes
 Further Reading:
  ReevesCB: Chapter 12 (pages 225-245) and Chapter 13 (pages 246-278)
  ReevesCJI: Chapter 19 (pages 256-274) and Chapter 14 (pages182-195)
 Note: Reeves CJI includes two more chapters (17 and 18) on altered scales,
 « Final: Graded Concert Performance (30 points)
 Friday December 5,  1:15 pm McNeir
Note: This syllabus has been altered based upon my experience at Georetown in the last few years, where I have had to slow down and take out some material.  If this is a more experienced class, we can always add more topics!

Other Possible Topics:
 Licks & Listening
 Pentatonics
 Other Voicings
 Diminshed Chords and Scales
 Free Jazz and Other Conceptual Approaches
 

Course Materials:

1. Jazz Theory Text with CD
  Scott D. Reeves, Creative Beginnings: An Introduction to Jazz Improvisation (Prentice Hall, 1997)  $56 USED (WITH CD)
  Prentice Hall are scum.   I thought this book was overpriced at $58, and I've just seen that they jacked up the price to $78!   (When I first chose it, it was the ONE book in my pile of stuff that didn't have a price on it, but it was the best.)  The problem is that the drills are the CD are really good and the tunes and charts are useful too.  There is a copy in the library and I will go over all of the theory in class.  If most of this looks totally familiar, then you might save a little money and just buy 2.a and 3a below. (Note that on this CD, unlike most, the drills are sensible and not too fast!)  This book and 2a below are our basic texts.

2. Fake Book
I'll pass out some tunes, but you will need to have a book of tunes before you know it.
 a. The Real Easy Book: Tunes for Beginning Improvisers (Sher Music Co, 2003)
  This was compiled from materials we used at Stanford by one of my former students there.  It is cheap and has good stuff.  But note: It comes in the KEYS of C, B flat, E flat, and Bass Clef: GET THE PROPER KEY FOR YOUR INSTRUMENT!  (This is easier to do in the bookstore and more confusing in the online bookstore, but probably easier using one of the many good jazz web sites like www.jazzbooks.com

 b. The Ultimate Jazz FakeBook compiled by Herb Wong (Hal Leonard, 1988) ($40)
  The bigger Sher books (below) are probably better quality (they often give you more information like bass lines and second horn lines) but you'd need to buy all four volumes ($160) to get the standards in this one book.  This is probably the best value for a first gig book.

 c. The New Real Book Vol. 2 (Sher Music Co.) ($38) KEYS of C, Bb or Eb
  This has fewer standards and more pop and fusion jazz.  The Standards Real Book from Sher, doesn't yet come in different keys and I think this volume has the best spread of jazz tunes from the other three volumes of their New Real Books.  They are all good, but if you all have the same one, it will be easier on gigs.
 
3. Play-Along CD and Book Sets (optional)
  The CD in the Reeves book will get you started, but you'll probably want to practice a wider range of material pretty soon.  There are a wide range of Jamie Aebersold Play-Along CDs in the library, but you'll probably also want to buy at least one of these.  These (in order) are the four sets we'll probably use most often, but you can wait to buy them as they are at different levels.  You'll know in a couple of weeks which will be the most useful for you.  D is in the bookstore.

 a. Jamie Aebersold Book and CD set Vol. 44 Autumn Leaves  ($14)
 b. Jamie Aebersold Book and CD set Vol. 75 Coutdown to Giant Steps  ($22)
 c. Jamie Aebersold Book and CD set Vol. 25 All-Time Standards  ($22)
 d. Jamie Aebersold Book and CD set Vol. 70 Killer Joe  ($14)

4. Supplemental Reference Texts (very optional)

 a. Mark Levine, The Jazz Theory Book (Sher Music Co., 1995) $38
  This is the best book on the market.  It has much more stuff than we can cover in a semester and it goes very quickly through the basics.  We'll dip into this book from time to time, but it gives you most of what you ever need to know to be a jazz professional.

 b. Mark Levine, The Jazz Piano Book (Sher Music Co.,1989) $28
  This was Mark's first book and it isn't as good or a thorough as the later book above, but it is orientated towards piano players.  So if you are looking for voicings, this is the best place to start.

5. Music Paper (Any will do, but you'll eventually need some.)

6. Jazz CDs (optional)
  In order to be a jazz player you need to listen; you are what you hear.  There is plenty of stuff in the library, but if you want to start building your collection, you can do no better than start with:

 a. Ken Burns Jazz Collection  (5 CDs)
  With the Smithsonian collection out of print, this is the best and cheapest way to get started hearing a variety of jazz sounds.  It is available everywhere and if you are relatively new to jazz, you should own this.

 b. Stan Getz: Any CD but start with Anniversary (EMARCY 838 769-2)
  Stan the Man is awesome partly because he makes so much melody with so few ?out? notes, shakes, and honks.  By the middle of the course of you will understand most of Stan's harmonic language and so he is a great role model.  In other words, you can go further out if you want, but you don't have to; perfecting what you learn here will be enough.

 How to Study for this Course
Georgetown currently employs a 5+5 semester system.  Most of your courses are 3 units like this one.  In general, we assume that means 3 hours of class time and 6 hours out of class per week, but Georgetown uses ?50 minute hours? so you have 150 minutes of class time and 300 minutes of study time to give 7.5 hours/class/week.  That's well under a 40-hour week, which is pretty good and explains how a former roommate of mine made it to the pub by 6 every day.

I will try to assign you 4 hours of out-of-class work per week (that gives you at least an extra hour to sleep). I'll build in time for your exam review and projects as we go along, so do not get behind or you will suffer.  Especially in a course like this one where understanding is not enough, you need to be able to DO it easily before we move on.  The aim of the course is to enable you to SPEAK JAZZ in real time.  ALL DRILLS ARE CUMULATIVE!  If you have not mastered the material from the previous week, let me know, as you will not be able to move ahead in most cases.

Most of your work will be with your instrument.  You do not have to practice much everyday, but a little bit of review every day will really make a huge difference by the end of the course.  We should have new practice facilities in the Library soon, but we'll have to wait and see.  Good luck!

Assessment:
 Timed Written Exams (3x10)
  Circle of Fifths Test  10
  Chord Analysis  10
  Tune Analysis 10
 Midterm Performed Assessment  20
 Draft Composition 2
 Composition 18
 Final Performance 30

You also need to get out and hear some live jazz; go to at least three concerts.  We'll also organize at least one off-campus visit to a jam session in the city.

Most of you have probably not taken too many courses where most of the grade is based upon performance and new skills.  While obviously the more experienced players have some advantage, most of your grade will be based on how well you master the material we cover in this course.  Even with no previous experience of jazz you should be able to get an ?A.?  Here are details of the assessments.
 

Timed Written Exams)     30 points

You will be given a practice run for each of these tests, which will be in the exact form of the actual test.  Ideally, we would test all of these skills orally and in a practical situation, but this is much faster: each test will take only a few minutes.  You already know much of the information on which you will be tested.  In order to make this information useful to you, however, you need to know it instantly.  While some of what makes this jazz or pop theory is usage (conventions like using 6th or 7th chords), it is speed which turns theory into practice.  Here are samples of all of the tests:
(a) Timed Test 1: Circle of Fifths: Given in class Tuesday, September 16 (10 points)

There will be 20 questions like this and you will have 2 minutes.

1. How many sharps in the key of E? _________
  In order, they are___________________________

2. Going from the key of Ab to the key of F,
 add/subtract ____ flats/sharps.  In order they are______________.
 
 

(b) Timed Test 2:  Chord Analysis: Given in class Tuesday, September 23 (10 points)

1. How do you spell:
Dm7= __________  (Sample Answer: D,F,A,C)

Eflat7__________ F#Maj.7______
 
2. Provide function and keys for these chords:
Amaj7 = I in A (ex.) Em7____ Dmaj7___

3. Answer:
iii in G= ____ IV in E= ____ vi in Bflat= ____
 
 

(c) Timed Test 3:  Tune Analysis: Given in class Tuesday, October 2 (10 points)
Analyze the following progressions with keys followed by Roman numeral chords.  Group chords together if they are in the same key. Indicate (below) the two most common tones for sustained melody notes and slur together any common pitches.

Example:  Ebm7   Ab7     CM7  =    Db: ii     V          C: I

1. FM7 Am7 D7 Gm7 C7 Am7 D7 Cm7 F7 BbM7 Abm7 Db7 GbM7 Em7 A7
F:  I      G: ii   V   F: Ä
 
 

Midterm Performed Assessment     20 points
Given in class: Tuesday October 28 and 30

This is really an excuse to give you some individual attention and make sure that everyone understands the basic concepts.  We'll look at a new tune and I'll ask you to analyze it and then to ?run the changes? with me.  You will need to be able to play a complete chorus in time playing in the correct key.  A long series of swing eights is acceptable, but extra points will be given for stopping on chord tones and using idiomatic rhythms.  We will practice this exam in class, but here is the actual grade sheet so you will know what is coming.
 Midterm Performance October 28 & 30 (20 Points)  NAME

1. Oral Analysis of Changes (5 points)
 Slow and one chord at a time (1 point)
 One chord at a time, but faster and with mistakes (2 points)
 Fast but with mistakes (3 points)
 One mistake (4 points)
 Fast, Key plus Chord, no mistakes (5 points)

2a. (HORN PLAYERS ONLY)  Play the Head  (5 points)
 Stay in the correct bar (1 point)
+most of the notes (2 points)
 +most of the rhythms (3 points)
 All of the notes and rhythms (4 points)
 + Swing and idiomatic shifts (5 points)

2b. (PIANO, GUITAR & BASS PLAYERS) Play the chords or bass line (5 points)
(Piano players should use 3rd and 7th voicings.  Root position chords = -1.)
 Mostly correct notes, but very slow (1 point)
Mostly correct, but a little slow (2 points)
` In time, but with mistakes (3 points)
 Chords (or bass line) in time with no mistakes (4 points)
 + Idiomatic rhythms (5 points)
(guitar and piano=chords off the beat; bass = smooth lines with accent on 2 and 4)

3. Scales through Keys with Swing (right hand only for piano) (5 points)
 Correct Keys, but not smooth or too slow (1 point)
 + In time, smooth (no return to roots), but poor swing (2 points)
 +With good swing (3 points)
 +With good change of directions and no stopping (4 points)
 +Speed (5 points)

4. Solo over changes (5 points + 1 bonus option)
 Correct Keys, but not smooth or too slow (1 point)
 +In time, smooth (no return to roots), and good swing (2 points)
 +Stopping and Jumping between Chord Tones (3 points)
+Speed and Good Rhythm (4 points)
 +Melodic Ideas which Return or Develop  (5 points)
Piano players can gain 1 extra point by playing LH chords while soloing.
Other players can gain 1 extra point from fabulous use of weighted scales.
18-21 = A
16-17 = B
14-15 = C
12-13 = D
11 = Fail
Combo Assignment Preferences:
 

 
Composition     20 points
Draft due in class: Tuesday, November 6 (2 points)
Final project due in class Tuesday, November 25 (18 points)
 

The basic assignment is to produce a lead sheet composition (probably not a blues).  The composition does not need to be ?arranged? with backgrounds etc., although you might want to consider a coda.  (Extra points will be given for easy to understand and play ?extras.?) You should though, consider harmonized horn parts if you are using multiple horns.  The score must be neat and come with transposed parts ready for performance.  We will perform all of the pieces!  Your parts should look like the lead sheets in the Sher music books.  You do not need to provide a separate drum or bass part, but if you have specific instructions and these clutter-up the score, then you should provide separate rhythm or individual parts.

We'll discuss all of the options in class.  If none of this makes sense now, that is OK.  You'll understand all of this by November.

Grading
I use a system of roughly equal thirds: a third for content (what you have to say), a third for writing (how you say it) and a third for presentation (taken broadly to include citations, proper use of quotations, typos etc.)  You have probably had the  50/50 grade with half for content and half for writing/grammar.  Research suggests that we all are more swayed by layout and presentation than we want to be.  (There have been lots of experiments that demonstrate that the same words consistently get a lower grade when poorly presented.)  Again as in show business, for better or worse, people judge you by how you walk, look, smile and shake, before you even open your mouth.  Your work is your calling card, and I'm trying to be more transparent by using equal thirds.  (In the old days, you literally presented your calling card to a butler, who took it in to the Lord or Lady of the house, who then decided if you were to be allowed in.  Today, power is still displayed by the number of secretaries and how long you have to wait.  Writing styles differ in different industries, but your written work is still your calling card.)  These three things, provocative content, clear writing and clean presentation, are intertwined, but if you pay attention to all three, you will always do well.  These three things are basically preserved in the grading for this composition.
 
 Content  (Creativity/Originality) 6 points
 Execution (Mistakes, Keys, Transpositions) 6 points
    Score Presentation (Neatness, Ease of Use)  6 points

Composing
Don't get hung up on ?composing.?  Start by doodling, but write some of it down.  Great composition comes not from great ideas but from polishing your ideas.  Just gather some stuff (melodies, rhythms whatever) and then try varying them and keep working until something makes sense.  Don't sabotage yourself, just have fun.
 

Final Exam Performance     30 points
Friday, December 5, McNeir, 1:15 pm

This will be our final performance. Try to do some original compositions if you can.  Each combo will perform several tunes, but members will be assessed largely as individuals.  Bring your friends!  Interaction with the audience is crucial.  It will be much easier if every is screaming their head off for you!

Grading:
 Execution (Basic Concept, Rhythm, Mistakes) 12 points
 Creativity/Originality 6 points
 Presentation (Deportment, Image, Program) 6 points
   (You will largely share this grade in your group as well.)
 Group (Ensemble Preparation, Listening) 6 points

This will apply (with slight modification) for rhythm section players as well.  I'll gather a few pros to fill out the groups and to help with the grading.  This will be the most fun you ever had at a final, guaranteed!
 
 
 

Bowen: Course Policies

1. Attendance is mandatory at Georgetown and this course will be impossible if you don't attend.  Departmental policy mandates that repeated absence will result in the loss of one cumulative grade (four absences) or even a failing grade for the semester (six absences).  Please see me if youmust  miss more than two classes.

2. Any work not submitted will receive a zero grade.

3. Deadlines are firm, so plan ahead.  THERE WILL BE NO LATE WORK OR MAKE-UPS except as allowed by University rules for extreme illness, conflicts with other scheduled exams, and religious holidays.  (Travel arrangements or work schedules are not sufficient reason to reschedule exams.)  Late work or make-ups are allowed only with prior notice: you have lots of ways to contact me and you should do so early; special arrangements require advance planning.  (I'll also be suspicious if you join a religion on Thursday with a holiday on Friday!)

4. You are expected to know, understand and follow the guidelines in the University's Undergraduate Honor System.

5. I can't read your mind.   (I may look like a Vulcan, but I'm not.)  I (and I hope most of your other instructors) crave your feedback.  If something is not working, let's change it.  I can't do anything to fix  your complaint if I don't know about it; PLEASE TELL ME!   You do NOT need an appointment to stop by at office hours!!

6. Laptops and tape recorders are OK, but you won't need them in this course.