AUC Department of Music
STUDY GUIDE and PRACTICE EXAM
for the MUSC 180 Placement Exam, How to Read Music
The following placement exam is designed to assess the musical abilities of incoming students
who wish to pursue studies in Music Theory I, Sight Singing, and Applied Lessons. Upon
successful completion of this exam with a score of 75% or higher, students will be eligible to test
out of MUSC 180, How to Read Music. Students who do not pass this exam will be required to
take MUSC 180, How to Read Music in order to enroll in Music Theory I, Sight Singing I, and
Applied Lessons. The exam is divided into two parts: ear training/sight singing and written
music theory.
The exam will be offered to students before the semester begins and during the first week of each
semester. Students should contact the music department coordinator for test dates.
For
supplemental study materials the AUC bookstore has Foundations of Music and Musicianship by
Damschroder and students may use online resources such as http://www.musictheory.net.
Ear Training
This part of the exam will be completed in a one-on-one meeting with a member of the music
department faculty. The exam may include any of the following skill exercises:
1. The instructor will determine the student’s voice range.
2. The student will be asked to match the pitches played on the piano by singing back the notes.
The instructor may play a motive or complete melody and ask the student to sing it back.
3. The instructor will play harmonic or melodic intervals on the piano and the student will be
asked to identify the intervals.
4. The instructor will provide a starting pitch from which the student will be asked to sing the
major scale, and the natural minor scale.
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Sight Singing
This portion of the exam is designed to assess a student’s ability to identify pitches on the music
staff. In this part of the exam students will be given a 4-8 measure score they have never seen in
either the treble or bass clef. Students will be asked to chant (speak) or sing the solfège syllables
(do – re – me – fa – sol – la – si – do) out loud and in the correctly notated rhythm. It will not be
expected that students are able to match pitch for this exercise, but is encouraged:
Melody Example 1, major key:
Melody Example 2, minor key:
Rhythm Example 1, simple meter:
Rhythm Example
2,
compound
meter:
2
Written Skills
Instructions: Students preparing to test out of MUSC 180 How to Read Music should use this practice
exam to study. This exam represents the proficiency that students acquire upon completing MUSC 180
How to Read Music. It also represents the knowledge base that students are required to perform at if they
wish to continue in Music Theory I, Sight Singing I, or Applied Instruction.
Example 1: On the spaces below the staff, indicate the pitch name (letter name or solfège name) for
numbers 1-4.
1.
___________
2.
___________
3.
___________
4.
___________
Example 2:
3. What is the name of the note value in Example 2, letter A? _______________
4. What is the name of the note value in Example 2, letter B? _______________
5. What is the name of the note value in Example 2, letter C? _______________
6. What is the name of the note value in Example 2, letter D? _______________
Example 3:
7. What is the name of the rest in Example 3, letter A? _______________
8. What is the name of the rest in Example 3, letter B? _______________
9. What is the name of the rest in Example 3, letter C? _______________
10. What is the name of the rest in Example 3, letter D? _______________
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Write the following key signatures on the staff below:
11.
B
Major
12.
C♯ Major
13.
E♭ Major
14.
A♭
Minor
15.
G
Major
16.
F♯ Minor
17. The organization of pulses or beats into weak and strong groups is called ______________.
18. A mechanical device that creates a tick from 40 to over 200 times per minute, and is a common tool
for improving the performance of a musician is called a _________________.
19. What dynamic marking is defined as very soft and is indicated by the following symbol:
_______________.
20. What dynamic marking is defined as loud and is indicated by the following symbol:
_______________.
21. What dynamic marking describes the process of becoming gradually louder and is indicated by the
following symbol:
_______________.
Example 4: Provide an enharmonic respelling of the following pitches:
22.
23.
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Example 5:
24. In Example 5, letter A, write a minor second (m2) above the given note.
25. In Example 5, letter B, write a perfect fourth (P4) above the given note.
26. In Example 5, letter C, write a major third (M3) below the given note.
27. In Example 5, letter D, write a diminished fifth (dim5) above the given note.
Example 6:
28. For example 6, letter A, explain what the numbers in the time signature mean, how does it indicate
the number of beats?
29. For example 6, letter B explain what the numbers in the time signature mean, how does it indicate the
number of beats?
30. On the staff below write the requested major and minor triads in root position.
A♭ Major
B
minor
D
minor
E
Major
5
On
the
staff
below
write
the
requested
scale
in
its
ascending
order
only.
Provide
either
the
key
signature
and/or
accidentals.
On
line
A
below
the
staff
name
the
notes
using
their
alphabetic
names
indicating
sharps
and
flats.
On
line
B
below
the
staff
indicate
the
interval
between
the
notes
as
either
a
whole
step
(W)
or
half
step
(H).
31.
C
minor
A.
_____
B.
_____
_____
_____
______
_____
______
_____
______
_____
______
_____
______
_____
______
32.
E
major
A.
B.
_____
_____
_____
_____
______
_____
______
_____
______
_____
______
_____
______
_____
______
Identify the following symbols or terms by name and/or explain how the symbol or term
functions.
33. What is the full name of the symbol above:_______________________________________
34. What is the function of the symbol above:________________________________________
35. What is the full name of the symbol above:______________________________________
36. What is the function of the symbol above:________________________________________
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