AP Music Theory Syllabus
Course Overview (C1)
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Year-long Course
55 minutes a day, five times a week.
Expands upon the skills learned in Theory 1
Emphasis on expanded aural skills
Expanded notational skills with an emphasis on 4-part writing
skills
Use of notation software
Expanded Critical listening (C14)
Expanded Analytical Exercises
Expanded Written Exercises
C1 – The Teacher Has
read the recent AP
Theory Course
Description.
C14 – Musical skills
are developed through
listening.
Primary Textbooks Listing:
Kostka, Stefan, Dorothy Payne. Tonal Harmony (With an Introduction to
Twentieth Century Music) , 5th ed. New York: McGraw Hill, 2004.
Kostka, Stefan, Dorothy Payne. Workbook for Tonal Harmony (With an
Introduction to Twentieth Century Music) , 5th ed. Boston: McGraw Hill,
1984.
Benjamin, Thomas, Michael Horvitt, Robert Nelson. Music For Analysis,
4th ed. Belmont, California: Wadsworth Publishing Co, 1996 (C13)
Crowe, Edgar, Annie Lawton, W. Giles Whitaker. The Folk Song Sight
Singing Series (Books 1 – 3), New York: Oxford University Press, 1961.
Other Resources:
www.mhhe.com/tonalharmony.5
Finale 2005b Software, MakeMusic, Inc. 2004
Evans, Jeffrey. Practica Music, 2002.
C13 – The course
teaches small forms.
Objectives of the Course (C19)
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Students will have a thorough understanding of the musical mechanics
as it relates to composition.
Students will be prepared to take the AP exam
Student will study a wide variety of vocal and instrumental music of
western tonality.
Students who are planning to continue in music are provided with
stronger foundation for first year college level theory course.
The course objectives and content have been adapted from the
Expanded Course Specification posted on the AP Music Theory
homepage on APCentral. (C1)
Course Content
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Intervals
Scales
Notation in all clefs-treble, alto, tenor, and bass
Meter
Rhythm
Triads
7th chords
Figured bass
Roman numeral analysis
Key relationships-Circle of Fifths
Rules of progression
Sight singing (C15)
Ear training
Form
Dictation – melodic, harmonic, rhythmic
Four-part harmonization
Creative excersises and Composition
Non chord tones
Modulation
Secondary chords
Borrowed chords
Altered chords
Critical listening (C19), (C14)
C19 – The Course
includes study of
a wide variety of
vocal and
instrumental
music from
standard Western
Tonal Repertoires.
C1 – The Teacher
has read the recent
AP Theory Course
Description.
First Marking PeriodWeeks 1 through 3
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Chapter 1, pp. 3-24.
Chapter 3, pp. 39-55
Chapter 4, pp. 57-67
Intervals (C2)
o Written – review of all primary and secondary intervals
(C16)
 Perfect, major, and minor intervals-Interval Chart
 Rule of nines – the inversion chart for intervals
o Listening – all primary and secondary intervals both
melodically and harmonically
Scales/keys (C9)
o Review of all majors and all forms of minor keys, key
signatures, scales-Circle of Fifths Handout
 Listening and written
Modes
o Major
o Minor
o Church Modes
Triads
o All major, minor, augmented, diminished triads
 Aural ID
 Notated
Simple Melodic Dictation
o Simple, diatonic, scalar passages-“A Little Sightsinging”
Handout
Review of Musical Terminology (C2)
o Tempo indications
o Scales, Keys, Triadic Qualities, Key Relationships
o Dynamic Marking, Rhythmic Indicators, clefs
Review of knowledge and comprehension of Figured Bass and
Roman Numeral analysis-Txt. Chapters 3 & 4
o Aural and Written-Self-Test 4-1
Seventh Chords
o Maj7, Min7, dim, Dom7, half dim
 Aural and written-Txt. Ch. 3 p. 43, 48. ST 4-2.
C2 – The Course
helps Students
master the
rudiments and
terminology of
Music.
C16 – Musical
skills are
developed through
written exercises.
C9 – The course
teaches tonal
relationships.
C15 – Musical skills
are developed
through Sight
Singing
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Sight Singing (C15)
o Review of diatonic major solfege syllables
o Scales, patterns, arpeggios, simple melodies
EXAM 1.1.
Weeks 4 & 5
Chapter 2, pp. 25-38.
Rhythm (C11)
C11 – The course
o Beat and meter type-Txt. Pp. 26-32. ST 2-4. p. 33.
o Review of simple rhythmic notation in note and rest form teaches standard
rhythm and meters.
o Meter signature
 Compound and simple meter
o Measure organization
o All forms of simple and corresponding compound metersTxt. P. 33.
o Metric Transposition-ST 2-4, Pt. B, WB 2-2, p. 13
C17 – Musical skills
(simple, and p. 2-3, p. 14 (compound).
are developed
o
through creative
o Given a meter signature, insert bar lines or rests to correctly exercises.
reflect the meter signature in a musical passage- ST 2-5, p.
36 Part B.
o Provide best time signature for corresponding meter
(multiple answers)-ST 2-5 Pt. C, p. 36.
o Asymmetric meter, changing meter
o Generating creative rhythmic patterns for dictation
exercises (C17)
o Augmentation
o Diminution
o Hemiola
EXAM 1.2
Weeks 6-9
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Chapter 5, pp. 71-84
Composition of melody (C12)
o Good Melody writing: Rhythm, Harmony, Contour, Leaps,
Tendency tones- Txt. P. 71-72.
o Melodic Critique- ST 5-1, p. 73.
Motion types
o Introduction to static, oblique, similar, parallel, contrary
o Counterpoint defined
Voicing triads, Doubling- Txt. P. 74.
Open/Close structures- Txt. P. 75. ST 5-2, Pt. A & B, p. 76-77.
Pt. C Nos. 5-8 for Homework.
Principals of 4-part voice leading (C8)
C12 – The course
teaches phrase
structure.
C8 – The course
teaches functional
triadic harmony in
traditional 4-voice
texture.
o
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o
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Voice crossing/overlap-Txt. P. 75.
Spacing- Txt. P. 76.
Voice Ranges- Txt. P. 76.
Objectionable Parallels- Txt. P. 78.
Unequal Fifths- Txt. P. 80.
Direct 5ths & octaves- Txt. P. 81. ST 5-3, All. WB 5-3,
Pts. A & B. Student Learning Center (SLC) Ex. 5-9.
EXAM 1.3
SECOND MARKING PERIOD
Weeks 1 & 2
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Chapter 6, pp. 85-98
Root position 4-part writing (C8)
o Movement by 4th & 5th –ST 6-2, p. 89. WB p. 43
o 3rd (or 6th) –ST 6-3, p. 91. WB p. 45.
o 2nd (or 7th)- ST 6-4, p. 94. WB p. 97.
Realization of a root position bass line (C4)
– The course
o Good melody composition, fill in middle voices- ST 6-4 C4
includes
Pt. C, p. 95. WB p. 99, Pt. C. Complete 3 of 4 examples. realization of a
figured bass.
Exam 2.1
Weeks 3 – 5
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Chapter 7, pp. 99-116
Rules of progression (C9)
o Sequences-Tonal, Real, Modified Pp. 99-102
o Circle of 5th progression including exceptions
 Tonic, Dominant, and Pre Dominant
o Chord progression charts-ST 7-1, Pt. A p.112, WB 7-1, Pt.
A p. 55.
o Voice leading implications for Deceptive Progression
o Error detection
 Retrogressions
C5 – The course
 Weak resolutions
includes realization
o Given a melody, realize a bass line from given roman
of a roman numeral
numeral analysis (C5) ST 7-1 Pt. D p. 114, WB 7-1 Pt. D progression.
p. 57.
o Given a melody, compose a bass line with good harmonic
progression (C3) ST 7-1 Pt. F p. 114 , WB 7-1, Pt. G p.
59.
o Create viable melody and chord progression, four measures
in length in minor mode. Must include deceptive
progression. WB 7-1 Pt. H p. 60.
Weeks 6 & 7
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Chapter 8, pp. 117-134
Chapter 9, pp. 135-146
Inversions
o 1st & 2nd inversion
o Full implementations of figured bass
 6(3), 64
o Proper doubling for specific inversions in 4 parts
o Parallel sixth chords
 e.g: V6, IV6, iii6, ii6, V, I
o Second inversion functions
 Cadential, passing, pedal
o Realization of figured bass (C4)
o Given a melody, compose a bass line that incorporates
chords in 1st & 2nd inversion
o Given a bass line, recognize the opportunities for
inversions
o Analysis of a given figured bass (C18)
o Continued content-relevant listening excersises
Weeks 8 & 9
Chapter 10, pp. 147-166
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Cadences
o Visual and aural ID of all six cadence types-Txt. P. 147152. Classification as Conclusive or Progressive
o Conditions for perfect/imperfect cadences- Txt. P. 149
o Voice leading implications- WB p. 77 A1
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Melodic Structure
o Period forms – parallel, contrasting, 3-phrase (phrase
group), repeated. Txt. P. 152-160. WB 10-1 B1-4
o Double, parallel and contrasting.
o Bracketing and labeling phrases and cadences. P. 153.
o Composing melodies in period structure, both parallel and
contrasting. Comp Project: Compose contrasting period,
use it as basis for double parallel period.
o Analyzing Packet Melodies- WB p. 149-150(1-6), p. 5859(7-12).
o Recognizing Decorated Phrases- Worksheet
o Analyzing full score melodies- WB p. 27 (41-42), p. 40
(65).
C18 – Musical skills
through analytical
exercises.
THIRD MARKING PERIOD
Weeks 1-3
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Non Chord Tones
o By Step or Leap
 Passing, Neighboring, Suspensions, Retardation
 Diatonic or chromatic- Txt p. 167-178.
ST 11-1 p. 179-180, WB Ex. 11-1.
 Appoggiaturas, Escape tones, Neighbor groups,
anticipations, pedal point
 Assignment - Given a four part harmonization,
add non chord tones as implementation from
above (C17)
 Application, analysis, and synthesis of above.
 Listening activities to coincide
 Special problems with non-chord tones
 Analysis of chords over pedal point
 Suspension is not part of the chord
 Melodic analysis with and without non-chords
Weeks 5-7
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C17 – Musical
skills are
developed through
creative exercises.
Chapter 16, pp. 245-261
Chapter 17, pp. 263-287
Secondary chords
o Dominants and their inversions
o Leading tone chords
 Tonicization
 Implementation of chromatic solfege
 Application, analysis, and synthesis of above
material
 Given the figured and a bass line, realize into 4parts, including non chord tones and secondary
chords
Weeks 8-9
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Chapter 11, pp. 167-181
Chapter 12, pp. 183-194
Chapter 18, pp. 289-303
Chapter 19, pp. 305-321
Modulations (C10)
o Parallel keys
o Relative keys
o Closely related keys
o Common or pivot chord modulations
o Application, analysis, and synthesis of above material
C10 – The
course teaches
modulation to
closely related
keys.
FOURTH MARKING PERIOD
Weeks 1-3
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Chapter 20, pp. 323-339
Form (C13)
o Small Forms
 Binary
 Ternary
 Rondo
 Sonata Allegro
 Application, analysis, and synthesis of above
material
Textures
o Monophony
o Homophony
o Polyphony
o Counterpoint
 Listening of the above material
 Application, analysis, and synthesis of above
material
C13 – The
course teaches
small forms.
Weeks 4 & 5
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Preparation of the AP exam
o Review sample questions
o Review free response sections
o Preparation for sight singing portion
o
Weeks 6 & 7
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Chapter 27, pp. 447-469
Chapter 28, pp. 471-552
Introduction to 20th century tonality (C7)
o Free atonality
o Impressionism
 Whole Tone Scales
o Late romantic
 Chromaticicsm
o Serialism
 Matrix Construction
o Tone row
Listening Project (C6)
o presentation on composer/artist
C7 – The course
incorporates a brief
introduction to 20th
century scales, chordal
structures and
compositional
procedures.
C6 – The course
includes analysis of
repertoire.
Weeks 8 & 9
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Preparation for the final exam
Implementation of Final Exam
Citation Key
C1 – The Teacher has
read the recent AP
Theory Course
Description.
C2 – The Course helps
Students master the
rudiments and
terminology of Music.
C3 – The course
includes composition
of a bass line.
C4 – The course
includes realization of
a figured bass.
C5 – The course
includes realization of
a roman numeral
progression.
C6 – The course
includes analysis of
repertoire.
C7 – The course
incorporates a brief
introduction to 20th
century scales, chordal
structures and
compositional
procedures.
C8 – The course
teaches functional
triadic harmony in
traditional 4-voice
texture.
C9 – The course
teaches tonal
relationships.
C10 – The course
teaches modulation to
closely related keys.
C11 – The course
teaches standard
rhythm and meters.
C12 – The course
teaches phrase
structure.
C13 – The course
teaches small forms.
C14 – Musical skills
are developed through
listening.
C15 – Musical skills
are developed through
Sight Singing
C16 – Musical skills
are developed through
written exercises.
C17 – Musical skills
are developed through
creative exercises.
C18 – Musical skills
through analytical
exercises.
C19 – The Course
includes study of a
wide variety of vocal
and instrumental
music from standard
Western Tonal
Repertoires.