<p>I plan to take this my senior year. I in no way plan to major in music, but I will have played the sax for 5 years and I certainly enjoy music and its complexity in theory, so I'm wondering if it might be worth my time and a good AP credit.</p>
<p>Well I know that at UCLA and other UC’s it’s worth 8 quarter units (= 5.33 semester units), so it would have been useful if I had bothered to take the test.</p>
<p>Most of it focuses on learning chords and intervals (including hearing and singing). You should also learn standard progressions and stuff like that. It’s not especially hard and it is interesting. It will also help you a little playing-wise, though only if you’re into more improv stuff.</p>
<p>I’m not very fond of singing though >.></p>
<p>You can whistle. I actually didn’t sing because I can whistle on pitch. (to written music)</p>
<p>Can you not bring in an instrument if you play one? Or, I guess it might be too loud depending on where the class is held.</p>
<p>no, playing an instrument is not the point.</p>
<p>I understand, but does how well you sing really matter, or is it just to get a feel for they music you’re dealing with? I can’t even keep a pitch.</p>
<p>you have to have the correct intervals (and rhythm) to a reasonable degree. no words</p>
<p>it’s not as difficult as it sounds.</p>
<p>Yes! Well, if you’ve learned theory before. Take a look at their site (college board). You’ll know chords, intervals, plenty of history… etc. From looking at your experience and interest in music, I really suggest you take it. 
Good luck!</p>
<p>Yea, I know I can do it, I’m just stubborn with stuff I dont like. It seems like a really interactive class. Thanks Jing, I’ll definitely consider taking it.</p>
<p>I’m taking it.</p>
<p>And I’ve been told it is going to be the hardest AP offered at my school. (This is the first year that they are offering it.)</p>
<p>If you don’t have perfect pitch… I heard it is a nightmare.</p>
<p>AUGGirl: You in no way need perfect pitch. all you need for the exam is good relative pitch and basic theory knowledge.</p>
<p>I’ve no idea how to read music. I’ve been playing guitar for six year and learning by ear though, so hopefully I can master sight-singing. This is the hardest AP at my school though.</p>
<p>I didn’t have perfect pitch, my teacher didn’t have perfect pitch, and nobody in the class had perfect pitch.</p>
<p>The test gives you the first note for everything, so what AUGirl said is wrong. period.</p>
<p>I heard AP music is like one of the easiest APs.</p>
<p>“I’ve no idea how to read music. I’ve been playing guitar for six year and learning by ear though, so hopefully I can master sight-singing. This is the hardest AP at my school though.”</p>
<p>I’d suggest you begin learning how to read music … now. I’ve never taken the AP course, but I do a lot of work with music theory outside of school and it’s very necessary to be able to read music as easily as you read English. You’ll be asked to recognize written chord progressions and compose music and all sorts of things that are fairly impossible if you don’t have a solid grasp of reading music itself.</p>
<p>That said, I think it’s awesome that you’ve been learning guitar by ear all this time - it means you have talent! Which can translate to an easy A in the class / 5 on the exam as long as you get reading music down.</p>
<p>If you can’t read music the exam will be a joke.</p>
<p>Because you’ll be completely lost most of the test.</p>
<p>For gauging purposes, could anybody tell me the British ABRSM theory of music grade equivalent to AP music theory?</p>
<p>It may seem like an easy AP, but it’s really quite challenging. Music is highly complex and there’s a lot of history that you need to memorize, as well as terms. If you’ve been drilled in an instrument since you were little, though, it should be a somewhat challening class but not to the point of very challenging.</p>
<p>i heard it’s pretty easy especially if you know how to play by ear.</p>