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.