<p>Hey guys. I'm going into my senior year, and I'm signed up to take AP Music Theory next year. I've never taken piano, but I know the basics. I've been in Band for six years, and I made 1st chair in all-state this last year as a junior. </p>
<p>At my school, AP Music Theory is not taken by many students, as the class gets tough. I'm wanting to start in the summer so that I'll be prepared and safe from an unexpectedly low grade. What are good ways to prep for AP Music Theory before taking the class?</p>
<p>Get the Barron’s AP Music Theory book and start going through it. The first couple of chapters are basic theory that you should’ve already learned at your stage, but they progressively get more challenging. By chance, if you have perfect pitch like some of the rest of us who have taken it, you pretty much are guaranteed a 4, at the very least. Just listening to any music will help immensely. Also, this is way in advance, seeing as you have a whole year until the test, but learn your cadences. They are an integral part of the FRQs, and if you know them, you have a very low chance of not passing the exam.</p>
<p>Also, sing. A lot. The sight-singing they test you on isn’t difficult (to me personally), but it helps to have at least a 1.5-2 octave vocal range so you can sing what they give you without discomfort and/or having to transpose. (On a side note, don’t get sick before the exam. I got a cold the night before this year, so sight-singing was painful due to a sore throat.) Additionally, it helps to have a basic knowledge of piano. What instrument(s) do you play? Make sure you are “fluent” in both treble and bass clef and have a good understanding of alto and tenor clef, as they are all tested, the latter not quite as deeply as the former. (For example, all but 2 of the FRQs will require both treble and bass clefs; only one sight-singing and one melodic dictation will not test both. Be prepared for random MC questions requiring an understanding of the other clefs, such as in chord/inversion identifications or the like. If you’re lucky, you’ll only get asked something similar to “Which of the following is a d minor chord?” with options in alto and tenor clefs only. Be able to differentiate between the two, and be able to read them fairly rapidly.)</p>
<p>I play saxophone, and I’ve done only a minor amount of choral singing. Bass clef is DEFINITELY something I need to work on!</p>