Music Fundamentals II (Minor Scales and Key Signatures, Melody, Timbre, and Texture)
Hannah Hill
9 min read
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Study Guide Overview
This AP Music Theory study guide covers minor scales (natural, harmonic, melodic), key relationships (relative, parallel, closely/distantly related), chromatic, whole tone, and pentatonic scales, interval size and quality, interval inversion, transposing instruments, timbre, melodic features and transposition, texture types (monophony, homophony, polyphony) including counterpoint, and common rhythmic devices. The guide emphasizes practice with multiple-choice questions and free-response questions, and offers key exam tips.
#AP Music Theory: Ultimate Night-Before Review 🎶
Hey there, future music maestro! Feeling the pre-exam jitters? No worries, this guide is your secret weapon for acing the AP Music Theory exam. Let's dive in and make sure you're feeling confident and ready to rock! 🚀
#2.1: Minor Scales: Natural, Harmonic, and Melodic
Just like major scales, minor scales have their own unique patterns. Let's break down the three types:
- Natural Minor: 😔 The "sad" scale. Pattern: Whole-Half-Whole-Whole-Half-Whole-Whole. Think of it as a major scale with lowered 3rd, 6th, and 7th degrees.
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Mnemonic: "Lower 3, 6, and 7 to go minor, naturally!"
- Harmonic Minor: 👂 The one you hear most often. It's a natural minor with a raised 7th degree.
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This creates a strong leading tone, pulling towards the tonic.
- Melodic Minor: ⬆️⬇️ It's a bit of a chameleon. Ascending: Raised 6th and 7th. Descending: Same as natural minor. *
Key signatures always reflect the natural minor scale.
Practice Question
Which of the following alterations is characteristic of the harmonic minor scale?
A. Lowered 3rd
B. Raised 6th
C. Raised 7th
D. Lowered 7th
Answer: C. Raised 7th
The key signature of a piece in A minor will have the same number of sharps or flats as which major key?
A. C Major
B. F Major
C. G Major
D. E Major
Answer: A. C Major
Write a one-octave ascending and descending melodic minor scale in the key of F minor. Use accidentals as needed.
Scoring: Ascending: 1 point for correct notes Descending: 1 point for correct notes
#2.2: Relative Keys: Determining Relative Minor Key and Notating Key Signatures
Relative keys share the same key signature but have different tonics. They're a minor third apart.
Mnemonic: "Major to minor, go down a third!"
#2.3: Key Relationships: Parallel, Closely Related, and Distantly Related Keys
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Parallel Keys: Same tonic, different mode (major/minor). Example: C major and C minor.
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Closely Related Keys: Share many pitches and chord progressions, next to each other on the circle of fifths.
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Distantly Related Keys: Don't share many chords, used for contrast and tension.
Practice Question
What is the relative minor of E-flat major?
A. C minor
B. G minor
C. B-flat minor
D. E-flat minor
Answer: A. C minor
Which of the following pairs of keys are parallel keys?
A. A major and A minor
B. C major and G major
C. F major and D minor
D. B major and E minor
Answer: A. A major and A minor
Given a piece in the key of G major, list three closely related keys.
Scoring: 1 point for each correct key (C major, D major, E minor, B minor, A minor)
#2.4: Other Scales: Chromatic, Whole-Tone, and Pentatonic
#Chromatic Scales
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12 pitches, all a half step apart. Use sharps going up, flats going down.
#Whole Tone Scales
- All whole steps, 6 notes. Sounds dreamy and ambiguous. 👀
#Pentatonic Scales
- Minor Pentatonic: 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 7th of a natural minor scale. (e.g., A C D E G)
- Major Pentatonic: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, and 6th of a major scale. (e.g., C D E G A)
Add a note to the minor pentatonic and you get the blues scale!
Practice Question
How many notes are in a whole-tone scale?
A. 5
B. 6
C. 7
D. 12
Answer: B. 6
Which scale consists of the 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 7th degrees of a natural minor scale?
A. Major pentatonic scale
B. Minor pentatonic scale
C. Whole tone scale
D. Chromatic scale
Answer: B. Minor pentatonic scale
Write out the notes of a C major pentatonic scale.
Scoring: 1 point for each correct note (C, D, E, G, A)
#2.5: Interval Size and Quality
Intervals are the distance between two notes. Harmonic intervals are played together, melodic intervals are played in sequence.
- Major Intervals: Think of a major scale. All intervals are major (2nd, 3rd, 6th, 7th) except the 4th, 5th, and octave (perfect).
- Minor Intervals: One half step smaller than a major interval. (e.g., C to Eb is a minor 3rd).
- Perfect Intervals: 4th, 5th, and octave. Can't be minor.
- Augmented Intervals: One half step larger than a major or perfect interval. (e.g., C to E# is an augmented 3rd).
- Diminished Intervals: One half step smaller than a minor or perfect interval. (e.g., C to Ebb is a diminished 3rd).
- Consonant Intervals: Stable, like octaves, perfect 5ths, major/minor 3rds and 6ths.
- Dissonant Intervals: Unstable, like major/minor 2nds and 7ths, tritones, and augmented/diminished intervals. The perfect 4th can be either, depending on context.
Practice Question
What is the interval between C and F#?
A. Perfect fourth
B. Augmented fourth
C. Diminished fifth
D. Perfect fifth
Answer: B. Augmented fourth
Which of the following is a dissonant interval?
A. Perfect fifth
B. Major third
C. Minor sixth
D. Major seventh
Answer: D. Major seventh
Identify the quality and size of the interval between the notes A4 and E5. Scoring: 1 point for correct quality (perfect) and 1 point for correct size (fifth)
#2.6: Interval Inversion and Compound Intervals
- Interval Inversion: Flip the interval. (e.g., a 5th becomes a 4th).
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Mnemonic: "Inversion always adds up to 9!" (e.g., 2nd inverts to 7th, 3rd to 6th, etc.)
#2.7: Transposing Instruments
Instruments notated in a different key than they sound.
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Example: A Bb clarinet plays a note that sounds a whole step lower than written.
Practice Question
A written C on a B flat trumpet will sound as what pitch?
A. B flat
B. D
C. A flat
D. E flat
Answer: A. B flat
If a piece is written for a transposing instrument in F and the written note is an A, what is the concert pitch?
A. C
B. F
C. D
D. E
Answer: C. D
Explain why transposing instruments are necessary and give an example of one transposing instrument and its transposition.
Scoring: 1 point for explaining the need for transposition (e.g., to keep fingerings consistent across instruments), 1 point for naming a transposing instrument, 1 point for its correct transposition
#2.8: Timbre
Timbre is the unique sound quality of an instrument or voice. It's what makes a flute sound different from a trumpet. Important in orchestration.
#2.9: Melodic Features
Melody = pitch + rhythm.
- Melodic Contour: The shape of a melody (rising, falling, arching, leaping).
- Conjunct Motion: Stepwise movement.
- Disjunct Motion: Leaps and skips.
#2.10: Melodic Transposition
Moving a melody to a new pitch level while keeping the same intervals and rhythms.
#2.11: Texture and Texture Types
How many voices/instruments are playing at once.
- Monophony: One single melody.
- Homophony: Melody with accompaniment.
- Polyphony: Multiple independent melodies at once.
#Counterpoint
Independent melodic lines that are harmonically related.
Counterpoint rules: start/end on perfect consonances, prefer contrary/oblique motion, avoid tritones.
Practice Question
Which texture consists of a single melodic line without accompaniment?
A. Homophony
B. Polyphony
C. Monophony
D. Heterophony
Answer: C. Monophony
Which of the following is a characteristic of counterpoint?
A. Parallel motion
B. Homorhythmic texture
C. Independent melodic lines
D. A single melodic line with accompaniment
Answer: C. Independent melodic lines
Describe the difference between homophony and polyphony, and give an example of each.
Scoring: 1 point for correctly defining homophony, 1 point for a correct example, 1 point for correctly defining polyphony, 1 point for a correct example
#2.12: Texture Devices
- Canon: Imitation of a melody by different voices.
- Imitation Counterpoint: One voice imitates another.
- Countermelody: A secondary melody played with the main melody.
#2.13: Rhythmic Devices
- Syncopation: Accents on off-beats.
- Polyrhythms: Conflicting rhythms.
- Hemiola: Feeling of a shift in meter.
- Agogic Accent: Emphasis by duration.
- Fermata: Hold a note longer than its value.
Practice Question
What rhythmic device involves shifting the accent from a strong beat to a weak beat?
A. Hemiola
B. Syncopation
C. Polyrhythm
D. Agogic accent
Answer: B. Syncopation
Which term describes the simultaneous use of two or more conflicting rhythms?
A. Syncopation
B. Hemiola
C. Polyrhythm
D. Agogic accent
Answer: C. Polyrhythm
Explain the concept of hemiola and provide a brief example.
Scoring: 1 point for a correct explanation of hemiola, 1 point for a valid example
#Final Exam Focus 🎯
- High-Priority Topics: Minor scales, key relationships, intervals, texture, and rhythmic devices.
Exam Tip: Practice identifying intervals quickly. Know your key signatures inside and out!
Last-Minute Tip: Take a deep breath, trust your preparation, and remember that you've got this! You're a music theory rockstar! 🌟
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