AP Music Theory

Mr. Nicholas Cagle

(707) 437-7333 (ext. 2033)
ncagle@travisusd.org

Office Hours: Before school and during lunch. By appointment only.

“I know that twelve notes in each octave and the varieties of rhythm offer me
opportunities that all of human genius will never exhaust.”
-Igor Stravinsky

Course Description: The goal for this course is to develop your fundamental skills as a
musician. We will accomplish this by studying the basic elements of music through
listening, performance, written exercises, creative exercises, and analytical thinking. The
material in this class is similar to what a first year music student might experience in
college. However, we will be taking our coursework at a different pace with a more
concentrated focus on developing fluency with our fundamental knowledge and skills.

Primary Texts:
Kostka, Stefan and Payne, Dorthy Tonal Harmony (Sixth Edition) McGraw Hill Higher
Education, 2008

Karpinski, Gary S. Manuel for Ear Training and Sight Singing (First Edition) W.W.
Norton and Company. 2006.

Scoggin, Nancy Barron’s AP Music Theory Barron’s Educational Series, 2010

This resource in an excellent supplement to the curriculum and is highly

recommended for anyone planning to take the AP Music Theory Exam.

Course Organization
During these units of study we will be developing our…
• Composition Skills
• Analytical Skills
• Performance Skills
• Aural Skills
• Notation Skills
• Knowledge of Terminology

Below you will find a general guideline for the progression of this class. Each section
provides a clear description of the material we will cover, the ways in which we will
learn, and an explanation of the skills and knowledge you will be expected to
demonstrate. Readings labeled “Homework” should be completed before the week
begins. The one exception is the reading assignments for Week One of Unit One. For
each reading assignment the student should complete all of the practice exercises
contained in that section. Readings that are marked “Additional Reading” take a concept
and present it in a more detailed fashion. These readings are optional but strongly
recommended.

Unit One: Fundamentals

In this unit we will study the basic elements of music. Understanding of these concepts is
critical to your continued success in this class. Everything learned for the entire year is
based upon this unit.

WEEK ONE (PARTIAL WEEK)

Activity: Music Literacy and Skills Assessment
The Keyboard
Notation
The Staff, Clefs, Note Names and Octave Registers

Homework: p. ix – xi and p. 3-5 (Kostka)

Supplemental Homework: Chapter One (Scoggin)

WEEK TWO
Major and Minor Scales
Major and Minor Key Signatures
Church Modes
Scale Degree Names
Introduction to Melodic Dictation

Homework: pp. 6-18 (Kostka)

Chapter One (Karpinski)
Supplemental Homework: Chapter 3 (Scoggin)

WEEK THREE AND FOUR

In Class Activity: Aural Unit 1 (Scoggin)
Intervals
Interval Inversions
Consonance and Dissonance

Homework: pp. 18 – 25 (Kostka)

Chapter Two-Three (Karpinski)
Supplemental Homework: 99 – 108 (Scoggin)
Homework: Interval worksheets (distributed in class)
Homework: Written interval identification practice on musictheory.net

WEEK FIVE
Rhythm
Durational Symbols
Beat and Tempo
Meter
Division of the Beat
Simple and Compound Time Signatures
Review of Concepts

Homework: Chapter Two (Kostka)

Chapter Four-Five(Karpinski)
Supplemental Homework: Chapter Two (Scoggin)

QUIZ: End of Week Five

WEEK SIX
Introduction to Chords
Building Triads
Identifying Triad Quality
Building Seventh Chords
Identifying Seventh Chord Quality
Chord Voicing

Homework: pp. 41- 45 (Kostka)

Chapter Six-Eight (Karpinski)
Supplemental Homework: p. 108 -111 (Scoggin)
Homework: Worksheets (distributed in class)

WEEK SEVEN
Inversions of Triads and Seventh Chords
Inversion Symbols
Figured Bass
Realizing Chords using Figured Bass
Lead-Sheet Symbols
Recognizing Chords in Various Textures

Homework: pp. 46 – 57 (Kostka)

Chapter Nine (Karpinski)
Supplemental Homework: p. 111 - 120 (Scoggin)

WEEK EIGHT
Introduction to Diatonic Chords
Diatonic Chords in Major
Diatonic Chords in Minor

Homework: pp. 59 - 65 (Kostka)

Chapter Ten-Thirteen (Karpinski)
Homework: Worksheets (distributed in class)

WEEK NINE
Diatonic Seventh Chords in Major
Diatonic Seventh Chords in Minor
Realization of Chords Based on Roman Numerals
Review

Homework: pp. 66 – 70 (Kostka)

Chapter Fourteen-Sixteen (Karpinski)
Supplemental Homework: Chapter 6 (Scoggin)
Homework: Worksheets (distributed in class)

Cumulative Exam: Unit One

WEEK TEN
Introduction to Cadences
Types Cadence
Identifying Cadences
Melodic Dictation in Minor

Supplemental Homework: Chapter 7 (Scoggin)

Homework: pp. 155-160 (Kostka)
Chapter Seventeen-Nineteen (Karpinski)

WEEK ELEVEN & TWELVE

In Class Activity: Aural Unit 2 (Scoggin)
Introduction to Harmonic Composition
(Supplemental) Simple Part Writing Rules (Scoggin)
(Supplemental) Part Writing as a Game (Scoggin)

Supplemental Homework: Chapter 8 (Scoggin)

Suggested additional reading: Chapter 6 (Kostka)
Homework: Twenty - Twenty-Five (Karpinski)

WEEK THIRTEEN & FOURTEEN

Individual Chord Functions
Harmonic Progressions
Harmonic Sequence
Melodic Sequence
Seventh Chords within Harmonic Progressions
Harmonizing a melody

Homework: Chapter 7 (Kostka)

Supplemental Homework: Chapter 9 (Scoggin)
 Chapter Twenty-Seven - Thirty One (Karpinski)
Quiz: Unit Two Week One through Five

WEEK FIFTEEN
The Building Blocks of Melodic Form
Melodic Structure
Techniques of Motivic Development (i.e. Augmentation, Fragmentation, Imitation, etc.)
Non-Chord Tones
In Class Activity: Focus on Melodic Dictation – Chapter 11 (Scoggin)

Supplemental Homework: Chapter 10 (Scoggin)

Reading: Chapter 11 & 12 (Kostka)
Chapter Thirty-Two - Thirty-Three (Karpinski)

WEEK SIXTEEN
Key Relationships
Mode Mixture
Modulation
Closely Related Keys

Supplemental Homework: Chapter 12 (Scoggin)

Additional Reading: Chapter 18 & 19 (Kostka)
Chapter Thirty-Four (Karpinski)
Semester One Final Exam: AP Music Theory Full Practice Exam #1

For our first semester final we will take the AP Music theory exam. Results of this test
will be curved appropriately. The purpose of this exam is to make the student aware of
their areas of strength and their areas of deficiency. We will take another practice exam
later in the year. Your results from this exam will provide a baseline for you to track your
progress.

WEEK ONE
Review of the Semester One Final
Discuss Free Response Questions in Detail

Unit Three: Phrase Structure, Large Forms, Free-Response

Questions In Depth

WEEK TWO & THREE

Chromaticism and Altered Chords
Tonicization
Spelling Secondary Function Chords
Identifying Secondary Functions
Review
Homework: Chapter 13 (Scoggin)
Additional Reading: Chapter 16 & 17 (Kostka)
Chapter Thirty-Five - Thirty-Seven (Karpinski)
WEEK FOUR: FREE RESPONSE THREE & FOUR IN DEPTH
Harmonic Dictation
Bass Voice Dictation
Aural Cadence Identification
In Class Activity: Chapter 15 (Scoggin)

Homework: Additional Practice on teoria.com

Chapter Thirty-Eight (Karpinski)

WEEK FIVE: FREE RESPONSE FIVE & SIX IN DEPTH

Review of Part Writing Rules
Strategies for Part Writing on the AP Exam
In Class Activities: Chapter 14 (Scoggin)

Homework: Figured Bass and Roman Numeral Part Writing (distributed in class)
Chapter Thirty-Nine (Karpinski)
Suggested Reading: Chapter 6, 8, & 9 (Kostka)

Aural Skills Quiz

WEEK SIX & SEVEN

Phrase Structure
The Motive
Period Forms
Phrase Groups
Large and Small Forms
Texture
Instrumentation & Timbre
Transposition

Homework: pp. 160- 180 (Kostka)

Chapter Forty - Forty-Two (Karpinski)
Homework: Chapter 16 (Scoggin)

WEEK EIGHT
Pentatonic Scales
Whole Tone Scales
Strategies for Multiple Choice Section B
Stratagies for Multiple Choice Section A
Contextual Listening
In/Out of Class Activity: AP Practice Exam #1 (Scoggin)
Homework: Chapter Forty-Three - Forty-Four (Karpinski)
Review: p. 48-50 (Scoggin)
Homework: Chapter 17 (Scoggin)
Homework: Chapter 18 (Scoggin)

WEEK NINE AND TEN

Focus on Strategies for Melodic Dictation
Continued Review of Harmonic Composition
In Class Activity: Chapter 19 (Scoggin)
In Class Activity: Chapter 20 (Scoggin)

Homework: Chapter 19 (Scoggin)

Homework: Chapter 20 (Scoggin)
Chapter Forty-Five - Forty-Seven (Karpinski)
Unit One –Three Cumulative Exam

Unit Four: Dictation, Composition, The AP Exam and Beyond

WEEK ELEVEN: STRATEGIES FOR HARMONIZING A MELODY

The Chord Menu
Writing Cadences
Writing Phrase Beginnings
Writing Everything Else

Homework: Chapter 21 (Scoggin)

Chapter Forty-Nine - Fifty (Karpinski)

WEEK TWELVE
Strategies for Sight Singing
Review Definition of Terms

Homework: Chapter 22 (Scoggin)

Week 12 and 13
Worksheets from The AP Vertical Teams Guide
Practice Free Response Questions 1 - 7

WEEK 14
Worksheets from Vertical Teams Guide
Free Response Practice
Summative Review

Week 15: AP Exams Week One

We will have several days this week where many students will be missing. Therefore, we
will spend each day in a summative review of all of the material presented in this course.
There will be daily practice on free response questions.

MONDAY, MAY 9 MUSIC THEORY AP EXAM

After the AP Exam (Week Six & Seven)

Following the AP Exam, students will work on two projects entitle end of the school year.

1. In consultation with Mr. Cagle, students will pick a short musical work and perform an
in depth analysis of its musical content.

2. Students will write a four part chorale using proper voice leading procedures to be
sung by the class during the last week of school.

Daily Materials
• Sharp Pencil: I recommend having several. You are graded on the neatness of
your notation. Sharp pencils make neat notation much easier. I recommend a
small pencil sharpener as well. Mechanical pencils work well too.
• Eraser: We all make mistakes.
• Folder: You will receive a number of handouts, some that you will want to use as
a quick reference sheet. This helps keep them organized.
• Manuscript Paper: This can be obtained for free from
www.blanksheetmusic.net. I recommend printing a page with default margins and
nine staffs (without clefs) per sheet.
• Ruler: This helps create notation that is neat and tidy.
• Eyes: We are developing eyes that hear.
• Ears: We are developing ears that see.

The AP Exam
Every student who is enrolled in this class is encouraged take the AP Music Theory Exam
in May of 2016.

There are many studies to suggest that simply taking the AP exam ensures a better chance
of going to and succeeding in college. In general, college coursework is more challenging
than coursework in high school. By investing time in more rigorous coursework and
exam, college level study becomes less of a “shock to the system”.

Homework and Late Work

The skills we are learning in this class require repeated practice. Our goal is to develop
fluency with these concepts and skills. The best way for us to do this is to drill these
skills constantly. I will only assign work that will help you improve at the skills we are
trying to master. I will never assign you busy work. An assignment loses 10% for every
school day it is turned in late. After an assignment is five days late it can only be turned
in for half credit.
If you are having trouble understanding any of the material, it is your responsibility to
seek help. I am always willing to go over the material again after school or during my
lunch. Please try to make an appointment for us to work together so I can plan to be in
my office.

Resources
There are several online and offline resources available to help you with the material in
this class.

Musictheory.net: This website offers tutorials about most of the material covered in
class. It also offers unlimited written and ear training drill. This is the perfect website for
those who would like additional practice or need concepts explained to them again.

Teoria.com This website offers many of the same features as musictheory.net presented
in a different format. However, it also offers features not available on musictheory.net
such as harmonic dictation, melodic dictation, and two-voice dictation.

Blanksheetmusic.net: This website offers free and customizable manuscript paper.

Grading (Subject to change)

You will receive a grade at the end of each quarter and a final grade at the end of each
semester. Listed below is the approximate breakdown of each semester’s grade.

Key Signature Time Trial 5%

Classroom Work 10%
Homework 25%
Quizzes 40%
Final Exam 20%

Grading Scale
A 100-90
B 89-80
C 79-70
D 69-60
F 59 and below

Teacher Resources
Benward, Bruce and Saker, Marilyn Music in Theory and Practice: Volume 1 (Eighth
Edition) McGraw Hill Higher Education, 2009

Berkotwitz, Sol A New Approach to Sight Singing (Forth Edition) W.W. Norton, 1997

Kostka, Stefan and Payne, Dorthy Tonal Harmony (Sixth Edition) McGraw Hill Higher
Education, 2008
Laitz, Steven G. The Complete Musician: An Integrated Approach to Tonal Theroy,
Analysis, and Listening (Second Edition) Oxford University Press, 2008.

Ottman, Robert W. Ed. Music for Sight Singing (Seventh Edition) Preason Pretnice Hall,
2009.

Scoggin, Nancy Barron’s AP Music Theory Barron’s Educational Series, 2010

Coda
I am very excited to be your teacher for this class. The study of music theory is as
exciting as it is challenging. I am willing to bet that there will be points during your study
where you want to throw your sight singing book out the window. Persistence! Our goal
is not simply for you to understand and be able to recall the basic elements of music but
for you to be fluent in them. If you do the work given to you and take charge of your
learning experience this term you will be amazed at the effect it will have on you as a
musician. Let’s begin.

“What’s best in music is not to be found in the notes.”

-Gustav Mahler