The exam itself is divided into two broad sections: Section I, the multiple-choice section, and Section II, the free-response section. In turn, each section is divided into parts.
Section I – multiple choice Section I of the exam consists of four-option multiple choice questions; the total number varies each year. The first half of the section is listening-based; the proctor will begin playing a provided CD, and the exam will begin. Each question or group of questions is based on a musical selection or an auditory stimulus. The selection or stimulus is played, and the student must answer as many of the questions as possible. Each musical selection or auditory stimulus is usually played two to four times for each question or group of questions, though the exact number differs from question to question.
Section II – free response Section II of the exam consists of three parts, all of which require student-produced responses. One part of the section is listening-based, one part is part-writing, and one part is sight-singing. The listening-based part of the section contains two types of questions. The first is melodic dictation, in which a one-part
melody is played two or three times while a starting pitch,
time signature, and
key are given on the answer sheet, and the student must accurately record both the
pitch and value of the played notes. The student must record two melodies; generally, one melody is in a
major key and in a
compound meter, while the other melody is in a
minor key and in a
simple meter. One melody is written in the
treble clef and the other is in the
bass clef. The reason for this is to test AP Music Theory students in their ability to distinguish between simple and
compound time signatures, as well as being able to read bass clef and treble clef. The second type of listening-based question is harmonic dictation. A four-part texture, utilizing
SATB, is played four times. The
key, starting pitch for each part, and
time signature are given on the answer sheet. The student must accurately notate only the bass and soprano lines, though the
bass,
tenor,
alto, and
soprano parts are all played in the recording. The student must also provide a
Roman numeral analysis of the
chords in the
progression with correct
chord inversions. The part-writing part of section II requires that the student—using knowledge of "eighteenth century composition guidelines" (as indicated on
CollegeBoard's latest rubric and on the released 2003-2006 exams on AP Central), standard
circle-of-fifths chord progressions,
cadences,
voicing, and part ranges—write a short two-part or four-part texture given starting pitch, key, time signature, and more information that varies with each question. Students may be given such frameworks as
figured bass notation, a completed bass part,
Roman numerals, or a completed soprano line. For questions with supplied
figured bass notation and completed
bass line, the student must write the
Roman numeral notation of each chord and fill in the remaining tenor, alto, and soprano lines. For the question with the supplied Roman numeral notation, the student must write all four (
SATB) parts of the texture. For the question with the supplied soprano line, the student must develop a
chord progression based on the given soprano line and write only an
accompanying bass part. The
sight-singing part of the exam requires the student to analyze a given
melodic line and perform the line as accurately as possible. Students perform two melodies, one at a time. The written starting pitch will be played, and the student will have 75 seconds to practice aloud any parts that he or she desires. Once the 75 seconds have elapsed, the student will have 60 seconds to perform the piece.
Transposition of the key is allowed for voice comfort as stated on each year's directions. As with the melodic dictation part of the exam, one piece will generally be
compound in meter and
major in key, while the other will be
simple in meter and
minor in key. Students may sing the melody using
solfège syllables, numbers, or any other neutral syllable (la, ta, na, etc.).
Grade distribution The grade distributions for the AP Music Theory exam since 2010 are: == See also ==