[Zane]

Tweet

Who took the AP music theory test, and how do you think you did?

[Autumn Nolder]

Oh wow. I didn't even know there was an AP Music Theory exam.

[CLRNT]

While I am aware an AP Music Theory exam exists, I have not met many people who have taken it (I myself did not; I did take a semester of independent study of music theory, however, as my high school doesn't have a theory class).  I most often come across people who are music majors with no or very very little music theory in high school.
I do highly recommend having some theory before going off to college to be a music major.  It makes the first year easier in that respect.

[Skooter]

We had Theory I and II. Either year a person could take the AP exam...and then the school board passed a rule saying that if you're in an AP class, you have to take the AP exam THAT YEAR...taht was at the end of the year when I was in Theory I, so I was part of six people who took the last Theory II class. I ended up getting a 5-which let me test out of a year of theory in college, so I got to go to Theory 3 and 4 (and passed both with an A... ).

Music theory is rough at first because they usually start out with "this is a half note" and "this is a major scale and this is a minor scale". And then you learn about chords and their uses...

Anyhow, I suppose I was really lucky to have taken two years of theory in high school and then to do well on the AP exam. I strongly suggest anybody wanting to major in music should at least get a little bit of a head start at least by 1-taking a theory class if your school offers it and then take the AP exam if that's offered as well. If not, go to a theory website and just look around to see what you're going to be learning, such as musictheory.net

[Hallie Conrad]

My school doesn't offer any kind of theory course, AP or otherwise. I took a college preparatory theory class on-line this past semester, though, and I did pretty well in it. I got an A at least. It was rough at first, going through the basic things I have known since sixth grade, but it got more and more interesting as I went along. I was doing great until I got to chord analysis though. Chord analysis got me. I'm TERRIBLE at it. I believe I got 12 out of 40 questions right on that portion of my final exam. *shudders*

Overall though, I think the theory class I took was well worth it. I feel a lot better about my theory skills now and I think I learned alot that will be vital this coming fall when I start working towards a MusEd degree. If you're looking at majoring in music TAKE A THEORY COURSE!!!

(If anyone is interested the class I took can be found at www.music-theory.com . It cost me $75 to take the course, but it was money well spent.)

[EOrtiz]

He! AP Students

Is the AP EXams only for HS students or what?

[Zane]

He! AP Students

Is the AP EXams only for HS students or what?

Yes it is a test offered to High School students before college, through the same company that does the SATs. Colleges are not obliged to take them for credit, and many don't. However most public colleges offer credit for a score of 4 (out of 5) or better.
Often AP tests are offered in conjunction with an AP class, but you can take the test without taking the class.

[DrumCorpSteve-o]

I took it as a senior in high school.  If it wasn't for chord voicing, I would have gotten a 5 out of 5.  I got a 4 instead.   its not that bad.  

[Skooter]

I ended up getting a 5 on written and a 3 on aural, and ended up with a 5 overall, so I'm guessing it was a high 3. At the start of school, I had to take the theory 2 final to make sure I knew pretty much everything, in other words, I tested out of theory 2 that way, so I got to go to theory 3 and didn't have to pay for 1 or 2. That's just one instance at one school, though.

[Matt Bonfield]

Hi Zane,

Can you please rename this topic something besides "Yay!" at this point. I know your intent was positive and you were excited to see us put up this new forum area, but now I think we can rename it back to something having to do with the topic of the AP Music Theory exam.

Thanks buddy.  

[Rick VanDoel]

I think I got a three or a two, don't quite remember.
------------

[Kelly Walton]

Just keep in mind that even though you may pass the music theory AP exam, if you plan to major in music some schools will still make you take music theory so you have a FULL degree from that school.  (Either that or you'll have to pay $300-$400 for the course.)  That may be a question to ask as you audition for schools.  

[Bill Taylor]

I know this is an older topic, but I was looking over some of the topics I don't usually look at tonight.  I took music theory and basic piano while I was in high school.  Neither were part of our curriculum, but I worked it out to get honors academic credits through independent study situations.  It was basically a private music theory class for 30 minutes 3 days a week with projects.  We also worked on aural skills.  The same teacher provided a direction on piano.  It wasn't so much a private lesson - it was geared more toward basic proficiency.  Her belief was that if I decided to be a good piano player, I already had the music background to do so through practice and she would provide the basics.

I learned a lot in this time.  When I went to college I took their placement test for music theory and could have skipped to the 4th semester of theory.  THANK GOD I DIDN'T DO THAT!  While I could have gotten an A sleeping through my first semester of theory, there were still so many little things I learned that I did not know.  Little tricks and hints to making things fall together a bit easier.  By the third semester of music theory, I was convinced that I would have really struggled with the 4th semester if I hadn't taken the first three.  

Music theory is the foundation of everything you do.  You can't get too much of it.  The better you are at it, the easier everything else while studying music becomes.  

For anyone planning to pursue music ed or music perf in college.  Even if you've had music theory in high school, think hard about skipping ANY music theory, even if you are able to test out.  Worst thing that happens is you reinforce your knowledge and aural training, get a different perspective and get an easy A!

[Helen Roszkowski]

I took the exam, all i can say is that some parts were extremely easy and others incredibly difficult.

[Adrian A. Hartsough]

After looking over several of the previous years' tests, I taught the kids a ton with aural skills because of the difficulty of past sight-singing examples. This year's sight-singing seemed to be a lot easier in comparison; however the dictation seemed to go on a lot longer than in the past.