AP Music Theory
OswegoEastMusic.org
Mr. Peter Barsch
pbarsch0805@oswego308.org
Course Description:
AP Music Theory is a course developed according to the principles found on the Music Theory
section of the College Board AP Central website (http://apcentral.collegeboard.com). This course
gives students an opportunity to learn composition techniques, form, and analysis of works from
major periods and genres of Western Music.
The ultimate goal of the Music Theory courses is to develop each student's ability to recognize,
understand, describe, and use the basic materials and processes of music that are heard or
presented in a score. Students will develop aural, analytical, and compositional skills. This class
is designed to prepare students for the AP Exam with the goal of testing out of college freshman
Music Theory courses. While not required, it is expected that all students will take the AP test.
Resources:
Music in Theory and Practice, 8th ed., by Bruce Benward and Marilyn Saker is the primary source
material for the course. The order of topics (generally), assignments, and many recorded
examples are drawn from that book. Ear training and individually paced exercises are provided
by eMusicTheory.com, and will run concurrently to the concepts outlined below. Auralia 4.0
software provides additional aural exercises. Other source materials include Norton Anthology of
Western Music by J. Peter Burkholder and Claude Palisca, and “How to Listen to and Understand
Great Music”, 3rd Edition by Robert Greenberg.
eMusicTheory.com:
Students will have weekly eMusicTheory.com (EMT) assignments. They provide individually
paced practice and help each student achieve fluency with each concept. Music Theory is
cumulative; each new concept depends not just on the understanding of previous concepts, but
on their fluency and speed. As such, EMT will provide an opportunity for individuals to get faster
and more accurate at his or her own pace.
History:
Since we are studying techniques used by composers over the last 600 years, we will make a
cursory study of some of the music and composers of each period. As this is not a music history
class, however, this cannot be anything but the briefest of surveys. We will study these elements
to humanize the composers, to understand what their music was meant to express, and to see
the theoretical techniques they used to capture their world in their compositions.
Grading:
25% eMusicTheory.com assignments
25% Composition Projects
25% Homework packets
25% Exams
Course Outline:
This is a general outline of the upcoming concepts:
Week
13-14
Calendar
Concept
Probably Major Activity
1
8/19
Intro; What is Sound? Vol 1, Ch 1: Notation
Introduce routines
2
8/26
Vol 1, Ch 2: Scales
Identify & Build Major & Minor scales
3
9/3
Scales Cont.: Circle of 5ths
Write & play melodies using various scales
4
9/9
V1,C3: Intervals
Practice hearing, writing, & playing intervals
5
9/16
V1,C3: Intervals
Practice hearing, writing, & playing intervals
6
9/23
V1,C4: Chords
Triads, Diatonic chords, Roman Numerals
7
9/30
V1,C4: Chords
Inversion symbols, Figured Bass, Jazz symbols
8
10/7
V1,C5: Cadences
Open/closed cadences; Aural Identification
9
10/15
V1,C5: Non-harmonic Tones
Types of NHT, accent/unacc., Analysis
10
10/21
V1,C6 (& C8): Writing Good Melodies
Analysis, Melody writing
11
10/28
V1,C6 (& C8): Writing Good Melodies
Composition project
12
11/4
V1,C10: Progressions
Composition project
13
11/11
14
11/18
V1,C7: Texture
15
12/2
V1,C8&9: Voice Leading
16
12/9
V1,C11&13: Dom & non-dom 7ths
Aural/visual analysis
17
12/16
V1,C12: Leading tone 7ths
Final Exam
18
1/6
Review All 7ths
Aural/visual analysis
19
1/13
V1,C15: Tonicization
Analysis
20
1/21
V1,C14: Modulation
Analysis
21
1/27
V1,C16: Binary Form
Analysis
22
2/3
V1, C17: Ternary & Rounded Binary
Composition Project
23
2/10
Modes Review (Vol1, p40-41)
2008 AP Test Review
24
2/18
Vol 2, Ch 2: Baroque Counterpoint
25
2/24
Vol 2, Ch 3: Fugue
26
3/3
Vol 2, Ch 4: Modal Borrowing
27
3/10
Vol 2, Ch 4: Modal Borrowing
Composition Project
28
3/17
Vol 2, Ch 5: Neapolitan 6ths
2007 AP Test
29
3/24
Vol 2, Ch 7: Variation Technique
30
3/31
Vol 2, Ch 8: Sonata Form
31
4/7
32
4/14
Vol 2, Ch 9: Rondo Forms
Exam Review
33
4/21
Vol 2, Ch 6: Aug 6th chords (opt.)
Final Composition Project
34
4/28
V2, C10: Extended Tertian Harmony (opt.)
Final Composition Project
35
5/5
Final Composition Project
36
5/12
Music Theory AP Exam
37
5/19
Final Composition Project
Composition project
Texture types/elements, identification
Analysis
Composition Project
Composition Project