Overview
- Questions 3 and 4 on the AP Music Theory exam
- Two separate harmonic dictation exercises
- Each progression is typically 4-8 chords with both soprano and bass lines to notate
- Each progression played 4 times with pauses similar to melodic dictation
- Part of the approximately 25-minute timed recording (along with melodic dictation)
- Tests both aural analysis and harmonic understanding
- Requires notating two voices (soprano and bass) plus Roman numeral analysis
- These questions assess Skill Category 1 (Analyze Performed Music) and Skill Category 3 (Convert Between Performed and Notated Music)
The unique challenge: Unlike melodic dictation where you track a single line, harmonic dictation requires simultaneously processing multiple voices, identifying chord progressions, and understanding voice leading. You're not just hearing notes - you're hearing functional harmony in action.
Strategy Deep Dive
Harmonic dictation combines several skills into one complex task. Success requires a systematic approach that addresses each component while maintaining awareness of how they interconnect.
The Multi-Focus Listening Strategy
Each playing must target specific information, but unlike melodic dictation, you're tracking multiple elements simultaneously. The four-hearing structure becomes even more crucial when processing harmonic content.
First listening: Identify the skeleton. Focus exclusively on the bass line and overall harmonic rhythm (how often chords change). The bass line tells you more about harmony than any other voice - it literally determines the inversion of each chord. During this hearing, sketch the bass line's contour and mark where you hear chord changes. Don't worry about specific pitches yet; just understand the harmonic rhythm and bass motion patterns (ascending, descending, leaps vs. steps).
Second listening: Solidify the bass line and identify cadences. With the harmonic rhythm established, notate specific bass pitches. Cadences are your anchors - they're the most predictable progressions and easiest to identify. An authentic cadence (V-I) has characteristic bass motion: dominant to tonic. A half cadence ends on the dominant. These cadence points work backwards from - if you know measure 4 contains V-I, you can predict measure 3 likely contains predominant function (ii or IV).
Third listening: Focus on the soprano line. With bass established, the soprano becomes easier to hear. The outer voices (soprano and bass) are naturally most audible in four-part texture. Listen for how the soprano relates to the bass - contrary motion is common and easier to track than parallel motion. The soprano often contains the melody, making it more predictable than inner voices.
Fourth listening: Verify voice leading and fill gaps. Check that your soprano and bass create logical voice leading. Confirm chord identities by listening for chord quality - major chords sound stable, minor chords darker, diminished chords unstable. Use this final hearing to make decisions about any uncertain passages.
Roman Numeral Deduction
The magic of harmonic dictation is that you don't need to hear every note to determine the Roman numerals. The bass line plus key context often suffices. If you're in C major and the bass plays C, your options are limited: I, I6, or a rare vi6/4. The soprano helps disambiguate - if it's also C, E, or G, you have a root position I chord.
Standard progressions guide your analysis. The exam focuses on common-practice progressions, which follow predictable patterns:
- Tonic areas: I, vi
- Predominant function: IV, ii, ii6
- Dominant function: V, V7, vii°6
- Common progressions: I-IV-V-I, I-ii6-V-I, I-vi-IV-V-I
When you hear a progression, match it against these templates. The exam rarely ventures into exotic progressions - they test whether you understand fundamental harmonic motion, not obscure chord progressions.
Inversion Identification
Inversions change everything in Roman numeral analysis, and the bass line is your guide. Root position has the root in the bass. First inversion (6) has the third in the bass. Second inversion (6/4) has the fifth in the bass. For seventh chords, third inversion (4/2) has the seventh in the bass.
The exam loves first inversion chords because they create smooth bass lines. A bass line moving by step often indicates first inversion chords. The progression I-V6-I creates the bass line do-ti-do, much smoother than the root position I-V-I (do-sol-do). Recognizing these bass patterns immediately suggests likely inversions.
Rubric Breakdown
The scoring system for harmonic dictation rewards both accuracy and musical understanding. Points come from three sources: soprano line notation, bass line notation, and Roman numeral analysis. Understanding how these components score helps you allocate effort strategically.
Voice Notation Scoring
Similar to melodic dictation, voices are scored by segments (typically half-measures). Both pitch and rhythm must be correct within a segment to earn the point. However, harmonic dictation adds complexity - the two voices must also make harmonic sense together.
The soprano and bass are scored independently, which has strategic implications. If you're confident about the bass but uncertain about the soprano for a particular chord, you can still earn the bass point. This independent scoring means you should notate what you're confident about rather than leaving sections blank because you're unsure about one voice.
Common notational errors that cost points:
- Wrong accidentals for the key (writing F natural in G major)
- Incorrect rhythm that doesn't align with the harmonic rhythm
- Parallel fifths or octaves between soprano and bass (while the inner voices might have these, the outer voices rarely do in common-practice style)
Roman Numeral Scoring
Each Roman numeral is typically worth one point, scored independently of the voice notation. This means you could theoretically identify all progressions correctly even with notation errors, or vice versa. The scoring looks for:
- Correct chord identity (I, V, etc.)
- Correct quality indication (major = uppercase, minor = lowercase, diminished = lowercase with °)
- Correct inversion figures (6, 6/4, 7, 6/5, 4/3, 4/2)
Partial credit isn't given for Roman numerals - if you write ii6 but the answer is ii6/5, you get no point. This all-or-nothing scoring means precision matters. However, alternative correct analyses might be accepted if they're musically valid. For instance, a passing chord might be analyzed as either a chord or as passing tones, depending on context.
Strategic Point Maximization
Focus your efforts on the most recognizable elements. Cadences offer the highest-probability points because they're formulaic. The final two chords are often V-I or V7-I, giving you easy Roman numeral points plus predictable voice leading in both soprano and bass.
For passages where the harmony is unclear, getting the bass line correct is often easier than the soprano and provides more information for determining Roman numerals. A correct bass line with accurate rhythm can guide your harmonic analysis even if the soprano remains unclear.
When you're stuck between two possible analyses, consider voice leading. Common-practice composers prioritized smooth voice leading. If one analysis creates awkward leaps or parallel fifths while another creates smooth motion, the smooth option is likely correct.
Pattern Recognition
Harmonic progressions follow patterns as predictable as traffic flow. Understanding these patterns transforms harmonic dictation from overwhelming complexity to logical deduction.
Characteristic Bass Lines
Certain bass patterns immediately suggest specific progressions:
Descending stepwise bass often indicates a sequence or chain of first-inversion chords. The bass line C-B-A-G in C major suggests I-V6-vi-V6/V or a similar sequential progression. This "walking bass" pattern is beloved by common-practice composers for its smooth voice leading.
Bass leaps of a fourth or fifth usually indicate root progressions. Up a fourth or down a fifth suggests dominant-tonic motion. Down a fourth or up a fifth might indicate subdominant to tonic. These characteristic leaps help identify harmonic function even when you can't hear all chord members clearly.
Chromatic bass motion signals secondary dominants or augmented sixth chords. If you hear the bass move chromatically, especially ascending to a goal note, you're likely hearing tonicization. The progression might be V7/V resolving to V, with the bass showing the characteristic chromatic approach to the dominant.
Soprano Patterns
While less predictable than bass lines, soprano patterns still follow conventions:
At cadences, the soprano typically moves 2-1 (re-do) for authentic cadences or ends on 2 (re) for half cadences. The soprano rarely leaps at cadence points in common-practice style, making these moments predictable.
The soprano often moves contrary to the bass for good voice leading. If the bass ascends, expect the soprano to descend or remain static. This contrary motion principle helps predict soprano motion when the bass is clear.
Melodic sequences in the soprano often accompany harmonic sequences. If you hear the soprano repeat a melodic pattern at different pitch levels, the harmony likely sequences as well. These paired sequences make both elements easier to identify.
Harmonic Rhythm Patterns
Harmonic rhythm - how often chords change - follows conventions based on meter and phrase position:
In moderate tempos, chords often change every beat or every two beats. Rapid harmonic rhythm (multiple chords per beat) is rare in the AP exam context. Slow harmonic rhythm (one chord per measure) typically occurs at phrase beginnings or endings.
Harmonic rhythm often accelerates approaching cadences. A progression might have one chord per measure for measures 1-2, then two chords in measure 3, leading to a cadence in measure 4. This acceleration creates forward momentum toward phrase endings.
Time Management Reality
The recording controls your pace, but mental organization within that structure makes the difference between scattered guessing and systematic success.
Use the pauses strategically based on what you've gathered. If the first listening gave you a clear bass line, use the entire first pause to notate it rather than trying to process everything at once. If the bass remains unclear but you caught the harmonic rhythm, sketch that instead. The key is making concrete progress during each pause rather than mentally cycling through uncertainties.
Between hearings, maintain your analytical framework. It's tempting to abandon your initial hearing and start fresh if things aren't clicking, but this usually leads to confusion. Trust your initial impressions about harmonic rhythm and general progression shape - they're often more accurate than you think. Subsequent hearings should refine, not restart.
The approximately 25 minutes for all dictations (melodic and harmonic) means each harmonic dictation gets roughly 6-7 minutes. This feels rushed, but remember - you're not transcribing a full score. Two voices plus Roman numerals is manageable within this timeframe if you work systematically.
Specific Challenges and Solutions
Harmonic dictation presents unique challenges that require specific solutions.
Hearing Inner Voices
While you only need to notate soprano and bass, the inner voices (alto and tenor) affect the overall sound and can confuse your perception. The solution: actively filter them out. Focus on the registral extremes - highest and lowest notes. The inner voices typically move minimally in common-practice style, so dramatic motion usually occurs in the outer voices you need to notate.
Distinguishing Inversions
First inversion versus root position can be challenging to hear, especially with certain chords. The solution: listen for the bass's relationship to the perceived root. If you hear a C major chord but the bass sounds like it's on E, you have C major in first inversion (I6). Training your ear to recognize this "floating" quality of inverted chords improves accuracy.
Seventh Chord Identification
Distinguishing V from V7 challenges many students because the seventh often appears in an inner voice. The solution: listen for the characteristic dissonance and resolution. V7 has more tension and strongly pulls to I. The seventh (scale degree 4) must resolve down to 3, creating predictable voice leading. Even if you can't clearly hear the seventh, this resolution pattern in any voice confirms V7.
Final Thoughts
Harmonic dictation integrates multiple musical skills into a single challenging task. Success requires not just good ears but understanding of harmonic principles, voice-leading conventions, and common progressions. The students who excel approach these questions as puzzles where each piece of information constrains the possible solutions.
The progression from hearing to notation to analysis mirrors how musicians actually think about harmony. You're not just taking dictation - you're reverse-engineering the composer's harmonic choices. This analytical aspect means that music theory knowledge directly supports aural skills. The more you understand about standard progressions, the better you'll predict what you're hearing.
Practice should integrate all components. Don't just practice interval recognition or chord identification in isolation. Work with real progressions, notating outer voices and providing Roman numerals. Start with clear, simple progressions and gradually add complexity. Most importantly, practice with the same time constraints as the exam - the ability to work accurately under time pressure is a skill that requires development.
Remember that the exam tests common-practice harmony, not jazz, pop, or contemporary classical harmony. This stylistic limitation helps you. The progressions follow rules you've studied. Secondary dominants resolve predictably. Voice leading follows conventions. Understanding these constraints transforms harmonic dictation from an overwhelming challenge to a systematic application of learned principles.
Your success on harmonic dictation demonstrates true musical understanding - the ability to hear music not just as sound but as structured harmonic motion. This skill serves you far beyond the AP exam, developing the harmonic awareness that marks educated musicians. Approach these questions with confidence built on systematic preparation, and trust that your understanding of harmony will guide your ears to the correct answers.