The only plus side to this class is getting the midterm and final a week beforehand. Everything else is downhill. He makes you do useless book notes on hundreds of pages and a 10 page minimum paper on any topic. Basically his teaching style is terrible and he says that somethings are going to be on the test when they're not. Pointless class.

boring class, rambles about nothing and always says "this will be on the exam" when it never is. easy but boring. don't take if optional

1 small test, 1 midterm, 1 5-page "ethnomusicological" paper, 1 final. the lectures and sections DO NOT correlate. the professor will be talking about middle eastern music and the TA will be talking about native american traditions. don't take this class. it's not that hard but it sucks.

sections are meant to be a reinforcement of the lecture, that wasn't the case for this class. 140 dollars for the book + CDs which is required, 6 total concerts that would cost at least 75. worded the questions on the tests horribly, lectures were all over the place with no structure at all. 2 midterms, 1 final, one 6 page paper. you've been warned

Even though he gives the essay questions for the midterm and the final in advance, this class is MUCH more work than it's worth! You have to take copious notes on hundreds of pages of reading a week. It's more work than I've ever had for a class before. Plus, he takes attendance randomly and counts it towards your grade. Don't bother!

loves all things middle eastern....the tests were pretty easy bc he gives it to you before hand, even though its closed book. we repeated a lot of drum beats...really easy, just not that interesting to me because im not middle eastern.

I learned a ton of new music in this class. I really liked the concerts we had to go to. Personally, I think the course material is great, though i also agree with most of the other comments.

I would recommend this class to anyone who's interested in music but knows nothing about it. The lectures are completely unrelated to the book and seem to go off topic but are ALWAYS on the exam! You do most of the bookwork in section. One paper. Really easy class if you show up.

super easy class if you go to all six of the concerts! that was probably the hardest part, and very expensive. I spent over a hundred bucks on that class! stupid. But the tests are a breeze if you do the listening, most of it is common sense. the teacher has no sympathy if u miss concerts for a family death or something. he's crazy about india.

He is an amazing professor. Even though he talks about M.E. music most of the time, it's still really interesting! He even plays the instruments in class! And he's really helpful with the tests. He says what's going to be on it and make sure you listen and memorize the music examples in the textbook! The TAs are ok.

Like everyone else said, it's the easiest class I've ever taken in college. If you go to lecture and section, you'll get an A almost for sure.

Very easy class, I took it fall quarter of my freshman year and was very smart to do so. The class intrigued me, the midterm and final was a breeze. He talks a lot about Middle Eastern culture and music (because he's traveled there a lot), but overall it is very interesting.

Very easy class/professor. There's one small 20 Mult. choice test, one 40 mult. choice midterm, and one 50 mult. choice final (plus a 1400 word paper that's ridiculously easy). The classes have nothing to do with the readings but he makes the test so damn easy that it doesn't even matter. I usually only took like 1/2 page of notes per lecture.

This class was super easy and interesting if you are open to new types of music. Professor Marcus' lectures seem pointless, but he includes random aspects of his lecture in the tests. take notes and listen to the music examples and this class will be a breeze. i throughly suggest it. fun, interesting, easy A.

Very easy course but HATED being in his class. Scott is a joke. He'll try to say whatever he can to get you to go to class when the majority of the time there is no substance to his lectures. If he says it's going to be an important day, it's not. I got the feeling he tried to be everyone's dad but not in a good way. I didn't learn anything.

this class is an easy course, and highly recommended to get rid of that art req for your GEs. Soctt is a great professor and knows a lot of his stuff. He sometimes seems confused, but that adds to the comedy of his class...

yeah, way too interested in India, but he had his entertaining moments. Doesn't believe in music being a universal language, since he's all about music being culture specific. But yeah, it's a pretty easy class, good way to get your GEs taken care of.

HORRIBLE. While this Class was an easy A, It teaches nothing. You learn that music is culture specific, The birds on the Sitar mean nothing, Music is not a universal language ((something i still refute)), and that people in india do not like feet. Waste. Of. Time.

Lots of fun, lots of guests who are always entertaining, great teacher and easy class. Not much hw or reading at all! Only 1 paper and it's only 1400 words. I strongly recommend this class!

this class is one of the best class i have had at ucsb, its easy, not much reading, test are not too hard, class is interesting and scott makes everything fun! lots of musical guest!!

he is a great teacher, he really knows his stuff as far as India is concerned, plus he brings in cool performers and speakers. The experiences you get from going to his "required" performances are some you will want to repeat over again. His class is pretty easy and fun, he lest us bang the gong!

Great class, great teacher, lots of fun and incredibly interesting. I learned so much about music and the world in general!

He clearly smokes too much hookah over in India. This class is no good for people actually interested in ethnic music theory. It's better for those looking to breeze through an easy GE. I got an A+ and I barely went to class...I followed his lead and smoked hookah during them instead.

I thought his class was a waste of time. Here's what I learned: 1) EVERYTHING is culture specific and 2) He really like India. I didn't learn about any other music from around the WORLD. Just India. But it is a spectacularly easy A if that's what you need