AP Music Theory 2013

tsaxgeek
Sun, 21 Apr 2013 20:59:03 +0000

Personally, I found the AP’s “suggested times” to be quite generous. I completed the entire free-response writing section in approximately 15 minutes (about 5 minutes for the figured bass, 5 minutes for the chord progression, 10 minutes for the melody harmonization). I found the melody harmonization to be the hardest exercise; I found the other two to be of comparable difficulty.

As far as pacing myself, I approached all of the exercises methodically. After analyzing the chords in the figured bass, I wrote the soprano voice, then the alto and tenor. Writing horizontally allowed me to easily check for voice-leading problems and parallels while writing. I also rechecked each voice after the exercise was completed. I followed the same method with the second harmonization exercise. For the melody harmonization, I first labeled all of the soprano scale degrees (crucial in determining phrase model). Then I mapped out my phrase model (T-Pd-D-T). Then, I added the bass, keeping the phrase model in mind.

If you find yourself running out of time, analyze your methods. What part of the exercise takes you the longest? For example, when working on the figured bass, does it take longer for you to complete the analysis, or does it take longer for you to write the parts? Once you pinpoint your weakness or weaknesses, begin tackling them specifically.

During your practice sessions, I would also aim to be approximately five minutes under the AP’s “suggested time.” The extra five minutes will help during the test - during tests, time often slips away, and you will also need extra time to check and double-check your work.

I hope this answers your question!