<p>S managed to test into Music Theory I for the fall ( LAC sophomore). Any recommendations on preparation or difficulty of course? I have zero idea what is covered in music theory.</p>
<p>Your S should contact the department and ask them specifically about this. Music Theory I will vary quite a bit from one institution to another.</p>
<p>Was the placement exam given by the university? When I was a student we were given a placement exam and the university placed us in one of three places:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Fundamentals of Music Theory-this was the option for those who knew absolutely nothing about notation, key signatures, etc…Students did not get credit for this class but were allowed to take the final for Music Theory I and if they got an A or B they were allowed to take Music Theory II. Otherwise they took this class for no credit and then went on to Music Theory I.</p></li>
<li><p>Music Theory I-The vast majority of us wound up here. It was the regular beginning theory class.</p></li>
<li><p>Music Theory II-IV-There were a few students who had had theory before and were placed ahead of the rest of us.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>If your son has been placed in Theory 2 by the university then I assume they have already had him take the placement exam. There are only 2 disadvantages I can think of with taking Theory 2 right of the bat:’</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Most of his fellow freshman music majors/minors will take Theory I so he will not be with the rest of his class.</p></li>
<li><p>If he does not have good melodic and rhythmic dictation skills he may be in over his head in these areas. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>I hope this helps.</p>
<p>
No, S was placed in Music Theory I after the placement exam (given by the department). He will be a sophomore, but there are other sophomores in the class. I don’t think he really cares where he falls relative to the other major/minor students.</p>
<p>I found Music Theory 2 to be the most difficult of the theory classes. However, Music Theory 1 prepared me very well for the second class. If your son did well in Music Theory 1 he should be well prepared for Music Theory 2. </p>
<p>When I went to school Theory 2 was the class where we learned the rules for four party harmonic writing. There were only a few new concepts (for me) in Music Theory 1. However, in Music Theory 2 we started learning about the rules of writing tonal music. That was all new to me.</p>
<p>Plus-I was never good at either rhythmic or melodic dictation and that got harder in the second semester.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Music Theory I is the first music theory class in the sequence at many schools. If your son has taken piano lessons or is accomplished on some instrument, he should not have difficulty with the basics of this class. </p>
<p>Why is he taking it? If he is a music major/minor, he would be required to do so, and as noted upstream, Music Theory I is where most students begin the music theory sequence.</p>
<p>This so depends on the school. At my S’s LAC this was a very difficult course, but it did include musicianship.</p>
<p>In some schools, this is the equivalent of the “weed out” course for potential music majors. But if he has any music background, it should be doable if he puts in the work.</p>
<p>Music theory is a difficult course for many students. I took it, and both of my kids took it. Neither of my kiddos had any difficulty with the course. Both had taken piano lessons for a long time AND two other instruments. They both reported that the piano lessons really were the big help. I took music theory back when the dinos roamed. I had no instrumental background but had extensive vocal background. I knew the basics but found the course to be very challenging.</p>
<p>I honestly think that if a student has instrumental music background especially piano, the course will be of a headache. </p>
<p>I will say, we all thought it was “fun” in an odd sort of way.</p>
<p>Just want to let you know that there is a very active, and very helpful, music forum on CC, under “majors.”</p>
<p>Actually, my son had an extensive music background, played four instruments from four years old and composed music actually played by the Curtis Faculty and played at several important local occasions. He did okay in theory, but it was a very difficult course for him because it was mixed with musicianship, which is actually an ear training course. He certainly knew all the fundamentals of music theory having participated in theory courses on weekends at a weekend music institute.</p>
<p>One of his primary music teachers flunked music theory at Juilliard. His world class violin teacher flunked theory at North Carolina School of the Arts. I have no idea what the issues involved are, but the comments that a certain level of preparation insure a fairly easy time in Music Theory are just not true for all at all colleges.</p>
<p>My kid started to falter in theory a bit even though his performance work and music history work were very, very good. It did weed him out as a music major, which was traumatic at the time but for the best. When I asked him if he wanted to transfer, he declined, leaving me to think that music wasn’t important enough to him to make it his life anyway. Might as well find out sooner than later.</p>
<p>But it is not an easy course for everyone.</p>
<p>
S is thinking about doing a music minor, for which he already has a couple of courses. He has sung in chorus for 5 years, and had some piano lessons when younger. Now plays the piano on his own, but will also be taking lessons with one of the professors in fall.</p>
<p>My son is a music major this Fall as South Carolina, and he just took the AP Music Theory test. He loves all things music, and claims he will get a 4 or 5 based on how much he knew (he’s taken 6 other AP classes so should be a good judge of how he did). If you play, read, understand and have a passion for music, you’ll love theory because it helps you grasp where it all comes from. If you sort of like music but never took it seriously in high school, if you can’t read music, or if you don’t know much about the great composers, you’ll struggle and should consider a different class…</p>
<p>I would have loved to have taken music theory in college and attended the first couple of weeks of the class, but it was clear that you would need a much better ear than mine to even pass. And yes, the class was full of future music majors and very fine musicians. I do play the piano (badly) and can read music.</p>
<p>I never meant to imply that music theory was EASY for any student. But in my opinion it is EASIER for those with a solid music background.</p>
<p>Mythmom…if the course was hard given your son’s very good music background, it would have been harder (in my opinion) without it.</p>
<p>For sure, thumper. And it’s all good. He is training to be an art historian, and he is actually much more talented there. After so many years spent with music, it came as quite a shock to me that his eye is so much better than his ear. He kept this very intense visual life secret because he thought it was weird.</p>
<p>I am not trying to rain on anyone’s parade. I am sure that there are many folks with the skill set for music theory. I am only trying to suggest that not everyone does. Those with really good outcomes – bravo and brava. </p>
<p>However one can adore music and even play quite well and NOT like music theory. Despite an emphatic post to the contrary, it does happen.</p>
<p>You can train your ear, too, but it is hard work. My d. the musicologist literally trained herself to have perfect pitch (but it took months of iintense work). (And, no, it isn’t something you are simply born with, or, more accurately, many scientists now believe it is something we are all born with, but lose early in language acquisition.)</p>
<p>Except for the Chinese with their intoned language. It creates many speakers with perfect pitch.</p>
<p>I am not really arguing against that mini. And good for your D. Just one more piece of evidence that music was not for my S, though he did make a valiant effort. HAd he been bound and determined to have a career in music I’m sure he could have found a way.</p>
<p>However, I’ll stand by my only point: for some people at some schools music theory is very difficult.</p>
<p>And I would have been thrilled if my S had been as talented and dedicated as your D, but he’s getting there. Now that he’s found the right field it appears that he is more dedicated as well as more talented, but he didn’t know any of this when he took Music Theiry, and since he was well prepared, its rigors reY threw him for a loop.</p>
<p>I have to say that ear training was the hardest part of my musical education. At the school where I attended we took 3 credit classes in Music Theory (1-4) and 1 credit classes in Sight Singing and Ear Training (which we called Sight Screaming and Ear Straining). Some schools offer Music Theory as a series of 4 credit classes which includes theory, sight singing and ear training. </p>
<p>I got straight As in theory, but struggled with the ear training where I got mostly Bs (one C+). I am a very good musician but I really struggled with the ear training part of my degree. I would say that if the OPs son wants to be a music major/minor he will have to take these classes. All music related majors/minors will require these classes as part of the core curriculum.</p>
<p>There are some excellent sites to learn music theory that should help him considerably if he prepares over the Summer. Music Theory probably comes easier for pianists, guitarists harpists and for anyone who excels in math, however any motivated student should do well given the resources available online these days.</p>