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Comprehensive AP Music Theory Overview

Apr 29, 2025

AP Music Theory Ultimate Guide

Unit 1: Music Fundamentals I

Pitch and Pitch Notation

  • Pitch: Highness or lowness of sound, measured in hertz.
  • Grand Staff: System of two staves (treble and bass clef).
  • Neutral Clef: Used for rhythm or untuned instruments.

The Staff and Clefs

  • Staff: Five lines and four spaces, numbered bottom to top.
  • Clefs: Determine names of lines and spaces (Soprano, Alto, Tenor, etc.).
  • C Clef: Movable clef locating middle C.

Accidentals

  • Ledger Lines: Extend the staff.
  • Half Step: Smallest distance between notes.
  • Accidentals: Sharp, Flat, Natural, Double Sharp, Double Flat.

Rhythmic Values, The Dot and the Tie

  • Dot: Extends note value by half.
  • Tie: Combines values of notes of the same pitch.

Intervals

  • Interval: Distance between two pitches, can be melodic or harmonic.
  • Perfect and Major Intervals: Unison, fourth, fifth, eighth, second, third, sixth, seventh.
  • Minor, Diminished, Augmented Intervals.

Major Scales and Scale Degrees

  • Major Scale: Pattern of whole and half steps.
  • Circle of Fifths: Relationships of tonal centers.
  • Key Signature: Shortcut for accidentals.

Identifying Key Signature

  • For sharps, name key by going up a half step from last sharp.
  • For flats, next to last flat names the key.

Meter and Time Signatures

  • Simple Meter: Top number = beats per measure.
  • Compound Meter: Time signature represents subdivision.
  • Asymmetrical Meters: Unequal beat units.

Downbeats, Upbeats, Syncopation

  • Downbeat: First beat of measure.
  • Syncopation: Rhythmic displacement.

Dynamics and Articulation

  • Dynamics: Volume or intensity (p, f, mf, etc.).
  • Articulation: How notes are played (staccato, legato).

Unit 2: Music Fundamentals II

Minor Scales

  • Natural, Harmonic, Melodic Minor: Variations of minor scales.
  • Scale Degrees: Tonic, Supertonic, Mediant, etc.

Relative Keys and Key Signatures

  • Parallel vs. Relative Keys: Same tonic vs. same pitches.
  • Circle of Fifths for Minor Keys.

Modulation

  • Modulation: Changing keys, often to closely related keys.

Other Scales

  • Chromatic Scale: Symmetrical half-step spacing.
  • Whole-Tone Scale: Six tone scale.
  • Pentatonic Scale: Five tones, no half steps.

Melody and Texture

  • Melody: Logical progression of pitches.
  • Texture: Monophonic, Homophonic, Polyphonic, etc.

Unit 3: Triads and Seventh Chords

Triads

  • Triad: Three-note chord (root, third, fifth).
  • Major and Minor Triads.

Seventh Chords

  • Seventh Chord: Four notes, adding a seventh.
  • Inversions: First, Second, Third inversions.

Diatonic Chords

  • Major and Minor Diatonic Chords.

Unit 4: Harmony and Voice Leading I

Voice Leading

  • Motion Types: Contrary, Oblique, Similar, Parallel.

Cadences

  • Cadence Types: Authentic, Plagal, Deceptive, Half.

Unit 5: Harmony and Voice Leading II

Chord Progressions

  • Predominant Function: Leads to dominant chords.
  • Submediant and Deceptive Cadences.

Unit 6: Harmony and Voice Leading III

Embellishments

  • Passing Tones and Neighbor Tones.
  • Suspensions and Anticipations.

Motives

  • Motivic Transformations: Transposed, Inverted, etc.

Unit 7: Harmony and Voice Leading IV

Secondary Function

  • Secondary Dominants and Leading Tones.

Unit 8: Modes and Form

Modes

  • Major and Minor Modes: Ionian, Dorian, etc.

Form

  • Phrase Relationships, Periods, and Phrase Chains.
  • Common Formal Sections: Exposition, Interlude, Bridge, etc.