MUSIC HIST 12W: Writing about Music

This class was a lot of writing (3 4-5 page essays) but that can be expected since it fulfills the writing 2 requirement. Students can write about whatever topic they want (related to music), and grading is fair. Prof Eidsheim cares a lot about her students and their success beyond the class. The problem is that her teaching style is inefficient and not very clear. Sometimes she may spend an hour explaining a simple activity, and students were sometimes confused about what exactly an assignment requires. Attendance is "required" but not enforced. Overall, I really enjoyed the class, it's great for musicians and non-musicians, if you like music at all and need your writing 2--take it!

Music History 5

I think class has gotten harder over the years because an A isn't as easy as some of the reviews say it is. She writes very specific questions on her quizzes and she usually includes a few questions that you can only answer if you were awake and alert for all 2 hours of lecture. She also expects to you to learn music theory pretty quickly; if you have never played an instrument before this could be pretty difficult. Midterm and final were both on the computer and included some questions from the quizzes. There is one two page paper worth 5 percent of your grade but it's not too hard to complete. Extra credit isn't too hard either, I think it was worth 3 percent. I would definitely recommend this course if you go to class and listen.

Also, don't buy the paper version of the book, get the eBook so you can use the 'ctrl + f' function while you're taking the quizzes.

Music History 5:

I came into this class with the highest expectations--I LOVE Rock and Roll and was extremely interested in learning about it's History... However, this was NOT a History class. Unlike some who are complaining about the course that did not attend section or didn't do the reading, I read EVERY chapter, went to section and lecture and still got only a B. I'm not hating on a B for grade, but considering I was a senior taking a GE lower division course in an attempt to boost my GPA which instead resulted in it being lowered--I was pretty angry especially after all my efforts. Admittedly, I was not able to attend either her or my TA's office hours because of conflicting class schedules and the fact that I work and live off campus, and it probably would have helped considering I have no musical background at all.

The most difficult thing about this course is the amount of musical theory she expects you to know. If it wasn't for having Hyun Chang as my TA my grade would have been TERRIBLE! The quizzes were confusing--multiple choice but often containing poorly worded questions with multiple correct answers, the site to take quizzes, midterms and finals often had many bugs that actually affect your grade, and worst of all--THIS CLASS WAS NOT TAUGHT LIKE A HISTORY CLASS! Most of the quizzes had questions where one had to identify various types of rhythms, instruments, and musical styles. There were very few names, dates, and events in the exams, and as some people have pointed out she focused very heavily on some decades and totally skipped over others in lecture, but expected everyone to know EVERYTHING. The most frustrating part was I did put in the time and effort but because I live off campus I did not have the benefit of group midterm taking or the time to attend office hours.

I consider myself a good student and I love history and even took another Music History course this quarter where the professor specifically told the class that although she would appreciate knowledge of musical theory in a paper or an exam, it was not a requirement for a GE course. Professor Eidsheim's lectures were disorganized, she often went too fast, and oftentimes the quizzes and tests contained questions about the most minute details that you may have been lucky to scribble down among her many "Ums," and "Scratch that," and "Oh no that's wrong, it's this..." Our poor TA had to deal with so much frustration among students who were not music majors in discussion and she really took it in stride and did her best to help us with our many questions about quizzes and exams. My suggestion to those people who will take the course: make sure you get a great TA like Hyun, do the reading, attend lecture (even if it's useless), and be sure to take Musical Theory beforehand because from quiz 1 she will expect you to be familiar with terminology that you have possibly never seen before. Although I got all B's and A's on the quizzes from #3 on, the first 2 I got a low C and it ruined my quiz average.

MUSIC HISTORY 5: HISTORY OF ROCK AND ROLL

So, apparently she read Bruinwalk and saw that her class was too easy and make it a lot harder for us this quarter. I expected it to be really easy but it actually required work. I didn't read any chapters, barely went to lecture and still got an A.. but if you're going to take this class. You should at least go to lecture or take turns with your friends. The stupidest, minute details are on the quizzes. Alexandra is an annoying TA.. she's a straight out beeeyotch. She acts like she cares but she just likes to single you out during section if you don't know the answer. Gwyneth is a great TA! She is so nice and I honestly learned more from her than Eidsheim.

Well.. Professor Eidsheim's lectures were just all over the place and she would even say straight out "Never mind this. I'm not sure. Ignore what I just said.". I mean I understand if she's wrong once in a while, but she would say this everytime that I went to lecture. I eventually got annoyed and stopped showing up.

It's an easy GE if you put in the work.
Don't have to read--I recommend getting the Ebook so that you can just use the "find" button or whatever to search for what you're looking for during an online quiz.
Go to lecture!!!
Section isn't that bad, just don't get Alexandra.. and I heard the guy TA was just as bad. Idk his name.

--Music History 5: History of Rock n' Roll--

I don't understand why people are complaining. Its the perfect GE to take, especially if you are a non-music major. To get a good grade all you have to do is put in some effort. It does require some reading, but if you want to skip that just go to her office hours. Ask her any question on the quiz and she'll give you the answer. She is a great professor and cares about what she teaches. Her accent is heavy but understandable. All the TA's are great except Alexandra, stay away from her section. This is the PERFECT GE course. Take it for a breezy quarter!

*****MUSIC HISTORY 5, NOT MUSICOLOGY 599*****

Okay, seriously, this class was ridiculously easy. People like the person below me are only complaining because the class was not a complete walk in the park for them. Seriously, complaining about having to go to section? Heaven forbid you actually have to go to section.

But really, the professor assigns readings that take about an hour and a half a week, if you're a slow reader like me. I never read over them more then once. I got anywhere from B+'s to A+'s on the weekly quizzes, which you're allowed to take 3 times with only your best grade counted. With minimal studying (just reading the online outlines and memorizing the quiz questions), I got a 90 on the midterm and a 98 on the final, and got an A+ in the class, indicating that the professor did bump up the grades just a little.

Honestly, the workload in this class is super manageable. an hour and a half of reading a week, and maybe an hour or two on quizzes per week. But, the way I see it, the quizzes are your way of studying for exams, since two thirds of the questions (exactly) are on the final and midterm, and you won't need to do any extra studying for the exams.

If you're looking for an easy A, or want to learn more about the history of rock and roll, take this class. But, don't expect to just never show up to lecture or discussion and still get an A. If you're not going to have an open mind, don't take the class, simple as that. I was so annoyed with students complaining about things like the "quizzes having questions from lecture" or "having to actually go to section". Seriously, it's UCLA. I know it's a GE course, but let's not come crying to bruinwalk just because we put no work in and didn't get an A.

***MUSIC HISTORY 5***

This was the most bullshit class ever. Apparently she found out how easy her students thought the class was, so she decided to make it harder. She assigns readings, but I never read a single chapter. She assigns weekly quizzes, which you could take 3 times and the best score counts, but the quizzes are ridiculous. Not only are the questions not related to the book, but they focus on minute details from lecture, and some are so vague that you can't decide. Also, most answer are "pick at least one answer" or "a & b" or "b & c", just to throw you off.

Also, she makes attending discussion mandatory, since 20% of your grade is participation (2 pts per week). Discussion wasn't so bad. Make sure to get Hyun as a TA, she was awesome.

Also, she lectures a LOT on pre-1955 rock history, and totally skims over the important decades of the 60s and 70s. She basically lectures on what she likes (and her taste is horrible), and goes to punk and gruge in week 8. Her accent is wierd, sense of humor sucks, and lectures are boring and very incoherent.

The only good things about this class were the online midterm and final, where you can pretty much get a group in a lounge and take the midterm together and get almost 100%.

3 pts extra credit are offered. 90-93 is an A-, so make sure to do that extra credit.