I took Music 1A with Mr. Pearson. His class was a lot of fun! We did a lot of singing and he played the piano a lot so that we could differentiate between major and minor chords. For those of you interested in music or are looking for a class to fill in your humanities requirement, take this class!

This class is great for beginners. He's really clear about what he expects and goes over EVERYTHING! It got kind of confusing at some points when he over-explained but it was for the students' benefits. Definitely not a class for intermediate students unless you want to be bored to death or review your musical knowledge.

very easy all u do is take notes in his class. u will need them form the quizzes and test. theya are open notes... very easy to get an A

Good teacher, take good notes and you will do well on the tests (open notes). He gets distracted and upset by stupid things like students showing up late and makes it feel like HS sometimes. He has a strict sign-in sheet that he passes out and collects at a set time. You have to show up to take notes to pass the test, signin not needed.

Mr. Pearson is an awesome teacher with a cool style and a love for music. I took his Music History class & had a great time going to concerts & writing reviews. I loved the music, and it is easy to just study the book & pass the tests. Mr. Pearson is a dedicated musician & doesn't take any flack - just like a band, you've gotta come in on time! :)

He maintains a level of pretention in his approach. Read the other reviews...don't take the night class you WILL fall asleep. The assignments I would recommend you do asap. I didn't have the book and got a B, just take really concise notes. Outside of class he's a really cool guy but again he is somewhat pretentious.

Mr. Pearson is a recognized and respected musician and educator. I've taken his music theory and Jazz/pop history classes and in each instance came away more knowledgeable and informed than when I started. He knows his stuff! A google search shows performance credits ranging from Broadway to Carnegie Hall. WOW! Pretentious? I think not!

Pearson over all is a pretty good professor compared to the other teachers I have had at College of Alameda. All his tests/quizzes/finals are OPEN NOTES! What more can you ask for? He writes notes on the board while lecturing but I STRONGLY advise you write what he says because the notes he writes on the board are usually just the topic and usually

Very interesting teacher. Tests are open notes but should go over book before test, his notes are like 60% useful. Gives out worksheets from the book as hw like once/twice a week. Term paper on a music concert. EC on organized notes/binder, mid-term and final combined are near 55% of grade. Hes pretty nice though

The history and development of popular music is fascinating to me and I've thoroughly enjoyed Mr. Pearson's class. However, it seems that, from reading some of the comments, there are those students that expect music courses to provide an easy "get over" opportunity. I see students arriving late and leaving early. Then they complain when they fail!

Mr. Pearson is an interesting, knowledgeable teacher who really understands his material and is very passionate about it. He's clear about what he wants from his students; just read the syllabus. Come to class ON TIME and study the textbook! This was a fun and entertaining class that made me excited about music!

Since I'm currently enrolled in professor Pearson's class I thought I'd take a glance at this page. However, I couldn't help but notice a comment that I must respond to. DON'T SIGN UP FOR ANY COURSE YOU DON'T INTEND TO STUDY FOR OR TAKE INTEREST IN!YOUR SUPPOSED TO BE A COLLEGE STUDENT AND SOME OBVIOUSLY NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT MEANS!

Due to character limit I'll write 2 reviews touching on first the class in general, then his demeanor. Am currently enrolled in his class; so far I like him. Does teach things that are in the book but I'd rather hear it than read it. Take detailed notes and you'll do fine. Interesting subject material for beginning class. Rules kind of feel like HS

Now for his demeanor. Lots of reviews are saying he's rude & pretentious but I think it's just his sardonic sense of humor. He's dry & either cynical or sarcastic at times & while this may not amuse you, I really doubt it's personal. I wouldn't discourage people from taking this class based on that. Remember it's lightheartedness in a darker form.

I'm sad 2 see so many reviews just slamming this guy. 2 me, that shows simply a lack of willingness to dig deep into self to find what it is U don't grasp. Absolutely DISREGARD these haters. Prof. really does care about his subject, being 1 who remains in pro circles by continued public shows,etc. + could hardly make this easier. Apply=EASY!

I beg to differ with many of these negative comments. I, for one, were among a good number of students that received A's in Mr. Pearson's class. Open notes are not enough if you are not also reading the textbook! Even after several of us did our final papers wrong, we were allowed to make corrections and re-submit for higher grades.

A friend and classmate just informed me of these comments. 3 quizzes, mid-term and final, plus two concert reviews and a term paper. I attended class, kept good notes, read the chapters, asked questions, got an A. Mr. Pearson even allowed me extra time to correct my term paper for a better grade. He's helpful, but you also need to be responsible.

Make it 2 class, keep up w reading and assignments, take notes, get Ur work in on time = passing grade!...What's the big deal? I found Prof. Pearson 2 b knowledgeable, fair and helpful, but he's not going to wipe your butt! Any 1 with a legit complaint/beef should be filling a grievance rather than wasting time posting BS in a blog!

I don't know why everyone said his class sucked. Guys just pay attention to his class and you'll be fine. Plus he play music that makes everyone laugh.

As I look around the room during class, I can already begin to profile those that will likely be posting complaints. This would include those that choose to text rather than pay attention and wonder in and out of class during lectures. Why do these people even bother to enroll. Personally, I'm confidently looking forward to an "A."

I took the class to fulfill my GE requirements, with a moderate interest in music. Pearson is very knowledgeable about the subject. Does a great job of lecturing, but sometimes you need to ask followup questions. You can use notes from the class for tests and pass with an A; no need to open book. Pay attention, go to class, and take notes for an A.

90% of Professor Pearson's class was understanding what he wrote on the board! For those with the capacity to pay attention, there is much to be learned. Those looking for a pizza party, a chance to text, chat with your friends and still get an A, need to look elsewhere. I now have a greater appreciation for the pioneers of popular music

From Rockabilly to Rock to Reggae to Rap, I feel that professor did a great job of connecting the dots between the various styles of popular music. He even brought out an old-school boom box when talking about the 70's, which I thought was cool. To anyone wanting to know more about popular music versus an easy grade, I highly recommend this class!

Take notes and pay attention and you will be fine. His quizzes and exams are open notes so attendance is mandatory.

Professor Pearson's class is mainly you copying what he writes on the board, really boring class, easy A, you have to show up to class all exams are open note, don't text he will remove points from final grade, barely any interaction with the students, I never used the book he writes directly from it.

This is a good class but its very lecture heavy.. So be prepared to write! Although a lot of the notes are pretty much from the book, he is very knowledgeable of the subject so don't let him fool you. I love when he plays the pianoCDs during lectures, it helps with getting a feel of what he's discussing. I advise doing the concert reviews EARLY!

I would not consider this a "chill" easy grade class, so if not seriously interested in the subject I wouldn't recommend it. However, professor Pearson is clearly knowledgeable of the subject and is a widely recognized and respected musician with music industry credits. I only recommend to those seriously interested in popular music

Professor Pearson connected the dots helping me to better appreciate music, its many creators, and the interesting history that flows thru time to present day. He does not "baby/spoon-feed" students. He expects you to show up, be prepared, and do the work. He does his job very well and expects students to do the same. Bravo Professor Pearson!!!

Great class overall, very clear and helpful. Highly recommended!!

Pearson is a very logical person. He knows that we won't be able to condense all the information in our mind tests/quizzes, hence he makes them open notes. He knows his stuff definitely but he gets really flustered when we don't know about X artist. Overall, fair and reasonable (in terms of difficulty) in the grading section. SHOW UP, he prefers it

Learned a lot about the history of music, received and A. Taking Professor Pearson's Music 15B this spring and excited about learning even more. Highly recommended

I was taking 5 other harder classes and this Music 130, and I earn an A. It is very easy to get an A if you just put some time to practice. The homework is light, it takes 5 minutes to finish. Pearson is very organize and friendly. No need to be afraid to ask questions when there's a concern, and he will not yell back to students.

Professor Pearson is a great teacher very knowledgeable and a great pianist I have took him twice if you have a problem with him then that mean you are not passing thank you professor for everything you are a gem great job keep up the great work you do any say I learn more every time I'm in your present

Thank you for being such a productive, helpful at the same time kind and friendly instructor for the entire term, I learned a lot. Albeit the situation (COVID 19) hopefully, we have attained our goal and we are getting done with the class with a handful of achievements.

Reading some of the comments, there are those apparently needing their mommies to assist them with reading and comprehension in online forums. I wish to acknowledge and thank Prof. Pearson for his understanding and willingness to make concessions during this time of pandemic; allowing those of us facing hardships to continue in our academic goals.

Before taking Prof. Pearson's class, I didn't care much for classical music. However, after learning more about those that created it, I find that I now have a greater respect. Learning that Mozart was a child prodigy, often compared to Michael Jackson was very enlightening. I recommend this class to anyone seeking to be more informed about music.

As long as you do your work you'll pass YOU DO NOT NEED THE TEXTBOOK FOR THIS COURSE I passed with an 85% without it. Assignments are 1 disscusstion post (no word count) & 1 quiz a week There's only 1 paper throughout the entire semester so the work is light