AP Music Theory

Course Preparation: Students who take this course should be comfortable with reading standard musical notation. Students should ideally have a working knowledge of notes on the treble and bass clefs, basic rhythms, and scales. The recommended pre-course workbook is: Alfred’s Essentials of Music Theory Complete (Books 1-3).

Beethoven String Quartet

AP Music Theory (B6670) Want to learn all about music and how it is constructed? Want to be able to pick out a melody, or identify a chord progression that you hear? If so, you will enjoy AP Music Theory. This course is designed to provide students with an opportunity for in-depth study of the theory and history of musical composition techniques. This will be accomplished through musical analysis, composition, research, and performance. Through this study, students will understand the cultural and artistic relevance of music throughout history, and the evolution of music theory. Prerequisite: Be able to read basic music notation on treble and bass clefs. Students who are new to music reading can prepare for this course by taking MIDI Composition/Recording Arts, or by independently completing a short music workbook. Difficulty level: Moderate to Very Difficult, depending on the student. Estimated HW: 30 minutes per day. Meets VPA/UC/CSU requirement.