AP tests are exams designed to measure a person’s grasp of a particular subject area. Passing one of these exams certifies that you have achieved a level of learning commensurate with that of a student who has passed college classes on the subject. If you’re in high school and are preparing for college, Advanced Placement (AP) courses are a great way to go with earning college credit while still being in high school.
The AP Music Theory exam evaluates students’ understanding of musical structure and compositional procedures through recorded and notated examples. The Music AP exam consists of 75 questions and takes three hours to complete. Students who wish to take the AP exam should expect to pay a $92 fee and must score a 3 on the exam to be considered as passing. Scores on the AP exam range from 1 to 5 with 5 being the highest score.
What’s on the
AP Music Theory Exam
The AP Music Theory exam consists of 75 multiple-choice questions that account for 45% of the exam. The AP exam also includes a free-response section with 9 exercises that account for the other 55% of the exam score.
The questions on the multiple-choice section are based on aural stimuli, questions that are not based on aural stimuli, discrete questions as well as questions in sets.
The free-response questions include melodic and harmonic dictation, part writing from Roman Numerals and figured bass, the composition of a bass line and sight-singing.
