AP Music Theory
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The AP Music Theory Exam will test your understanding of the musical concepts covered in the course units, including your ability to analyze performed and notated music and to sing melodies from a written score (sight sing).
Fri, May 13, 2022,
8 AM Local
This is the regularly scheduled date for the AP Music Theory Exam.
75 questions ~ 1hr 20mins 45% of Score
There are two types of multiple-choice questions on the exam:
Questions based on aural stimulus test your listening skill and knowledge about theory largely in the context of examples from actual musical scores. Some questions will cover identification of isolated pitch and rhythmic patterns, while others may test your skill in aural analysis of more complex musical excerpts. (41–43 questions, ~45 minutes)
Questions based on analysis of printed music scores emphasize knowledge of score analysis, including small-scale and large-scale harmonic procedures; melodic organization and developmental procedures; rhythmic/metric organization; texture; and formal devices and/or procedures. You may also see questions about musical terminology, notational skills, and basic compositional skills. (32–34 questions, 35 minutes)
7 questions ~ 1hr 10mins 45% of Score
The seven questions include:
2 questions ~ 10mins 10% of Score
You’ll be asked to sing and record two brief, primarily diatonic melodies (of about 4–8 bars).
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2021 AP Music Theory Free-Response Questions and Scoring Guidelines
Review the released free-response questions and scoring guidelines. Includes directions, audio prompts, and transcripts of directions and prompts.
2021 AP Music Theory Free-Response Questions
AP Music Theory Scoring Guidelines
See the guidelines that the AP Program used to score the free-response questions.
2021 AP Music Theory Sight-Singing Free-Response Questions
AP Music Theory Sight Singing Scoring Guidelines
See the guidelines that the AP Program used to score the sight-singing section.
2021 AP Music Theory General Directions
2021 AP Music Theory Transcript of General Directions
2021 AP Music Theory Directions for Questions 1-2
2021 AP Music Theory Transcript of Directions for Questions 1-2
2021 AP Music Theory Question 1
2021 AP Music Theory Transcript of Question 1
2021 AP Music Theory Question 2
2021 AP Music Theory Transcript of Question 2
2021 AP Music Theory Directions for Questions 3-4
2021 AP Music Theory Transcript of Directions for Questions 3-4
2021 AP Music Theory Question 3
2021 AP Music Theory Transcript of Question 3
2021 AP Music Theory Question 4
2021 AP Music Theory Transcript of Question 4
2021 AP Music Theory Directions for Questions 5-7
2021 AP Music Theory Transcript of Directions for Questions 5-7
2021 AP Music Theory Sight-Singing Directions
2021 AP Music Theory Transcript of Sight-Singing Directions
2021 AP Music Theory Sight-Singing Question 1
2021 AP Music Theory Transcript of Sight-Singing Question 1
2021 AP Music Theory Sight-Singing Question 2
2021 AP Music Theory Transcript of Sight-Singing Question 2
2021 AP Music Theory Sample Responses Q1
2021 AP Music Theory Sample Responses Q2
2021 AP Music Theory Sample Responses Q3
2021 AP Music Theory Sample Responses Q4
2021 AP Music Theory Sample Responses Q5
2021 AP Music Theory Sample Responses Q6
2021 AP Music Theory Sample Responses Q7
2021 AP Music Theory Sight-Singing Directions
2021 AP Music Theory Sight-Singing Question 1 Commentary
2021 AP Music Theory Sight-Singing Sample 1A
2021 AP Music Theory Sight-Singing Sample 1B
2021 AP Music Theory Sight-Singing Sample 1C
2021 AP Music Theory Sight-Singing Question 2 Commentary
2021 AP Music Theory Sight-Singing Sample 2A
2021 AP Music Theory Sight-Singing Sample 2B
2021 AP Music Theory Sight-Singing Sample 2C
2021 AP Music Theory Score Distributions
2021 AP Music Theory Aural Subscore Distributions
2021 AP Music Theory Nonaural Subscore Distributions
AP Music Theory Exam Free-Response Questions and Scoring Information Archive
Review free-response questions, sample student responses, and scoring guidelines from past exams. Includes MP3 files of exam audio prompts and sight-singing responses.
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