<p>I've yet to see a thread for this class. What's it like, in terms of difficulty? How did you prepare for the exam? Is prior experience in music necessary?</p>
<p>Haven’t heard much from it because most schools don’t offer it and most colleges don’t give you credit for the class.</p>
<p>I might take this exam in 2012 after I graduate.</p>
<p>I took it sophomore year, got a 4 – with a teacher who had never taught the course. I took the test without knowing that there was a sightsinging performance, and still ended up with a 4 (i.e. the test wasnt hard; I don’t mean to imply that I’m that good).</p>
<p>I had played in an ensemble for 8 years up to that point, so the majority of the test was based on knowledge I had picked up over the years. There’s a lot of ear training involved, and I think there was a Bach chorale you had to compose too.</p>
<p>I would not recommend it to somebody who does not have experience in music. Even if you play an instrument (like guitar or bass) but cant read music, I’d advise you taking some time to learn the basics.</p>
<p>If youre interested, I can break the subject matter down into components for you to see if it’s something you’d be comfortable with.</p>
<p>Do keep in mind that AP music theory, like the AP languages, basically cannot be done well without an actual instructor. So if you’re thinking of self-studying it… just don’t.</p>
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<p>I remix music, if that’s any consolation. Revelations, that would be great!! Amarkov, I’ll take it with an instructor. I wouldn’t self-study it in a million years. :P</p>
<p>Alright well the test is similar to all other AP tests in that it has both a multiple choice and a free response section. </p>
<p>The multiple choice has both reading and listening: there are passages (excerpts from a musical piece, either in score or a recording) that you have to answer questions on. The questions after the excerpts ask you about instrumentation, meter, tonality (you will need to the diatonic modes), harmony, dynamics, structure (i.e. form/cadences/motivic analysis/etc). There are also questions where they will show you a classical counterpoint or chorale and you have to show the “mistake.” You will need to know how to use harmonic analysis as well (i.e. recognizing chords and progressions).</p>
<p>The free response has multiple parts. There are two types of dictation: melodic and harmonic. That is, they play a recording and you have to write the melody on paper. For harmonic dictation there are simultaneous voices you have to write at the same time, and then perform a harmonic analysis on it. There is also a SATB chorale you must compose, in which they give you the beginning and ending chord, and you must compose the middle using classical guidelines.</p>
<p>The other part of the free response in the sight singing. There are two short passages which you will sing into a recording device and send with your test. One will be in a major key, one will be in a minor key. One will be in a simple meter, one will be in a compound meter.</p>
<p>To prepare, we did a lot of ear training. You should be able to tell simple things like meter, instrumentation, and tonality, as well as more difficult things, like specific intervals and cadence types. Most of the stuff I learned just through playing experience over the years.</p>
<p>Like I said, the test is not especially difficult if you have basic knowledge of music, although I can imagine someone with no prior experience having difficulties.</p>
<p>Here’s a more specific listing of course requirements:</p>
<p>[AP:</a> Music Theory](<a href=“College Board - SAT, AP, College Search and Admission Tools”>AP Music Theory – AP Students | College Board)</p>
<p>Download the course description at the top of the page to find out what AP central thinks you should know.</p>
<p>Ah, thank you! You’ve been very helpful. </p>
<p>But it wouldn’t be impossible for someone without prior experience? hopefully?</p>
<p>Impossible is a strong word, and I don’t think I’d be quite willing to say that it’s impossible. But if you don’t already know how to at least read music, it’s going to be pretty hard for you.</p>
<p>The important thing to understand is the division of the exam into aural and nonaural components. The nonaural section can be self studied with comparative ease, using released collegeboard AP questions and “Tonal Harmony.” For the nonaural seciton, however, previous experience with intervals, dictation, and composition are highly recommended, as the ear training required to get a 5 on this portion of the exam is considerable.</p>
<p>It’s a bit clearer now; thank you. I only need a 4 for the credits, and a 3 to pass the exam. I’ll self-study during the summer, then, and work on the non-aural once I start the class.</p>
<p>IvanKaramazov, nice name. I personally like Alyosha. :)</p>
<p>I’m Very unconfident about the aural part of the exam. Including sight singing and dictation (that’s the name right?). Like I’m legit fail in dictation esp. Does anyone have suggestions as to how to improve them, any long term or short term practice exercises i should do etc. Merci!</p>
<p>Start small. As you go on into courses that require it later in high school and college, you’ll build up on the ear training you started in AP.</p>
<p>Everyday you should take time to train yourself to better identify intervals. This can be done 10-20 minutes a day. Have a friend sit at a piano and play an interval (melodically and harmonically; one note then the other, than both) and guess. There are also trainers where you can do this online ([Ricci</a> Adams’ Musictheory.net](<a href=“http://www.musictheory.net%5DRicci”>http://www.musictheory.net) has some GREAT free trainers). This will help you in both sight singing and dictation.</p>
<p>Befriend a percussionist (I know, I don’t like it either, but it will help 
) and have them tap out rhythms for you to dictate (it doesn’t really have to be a percussionist, any musician can help you). Do this everyday, even if its only for 5-10 minutes.</p>
<p>Also, find a late beginner/early intermediate methods book for any instrument, and use that to practice sight singing. This will be a good way to put the two exercises above in a more holistic context like that you will see when you sight sign on the test (and later in life).</p>