Fiveable
Fiveable

or

Log in

Find what you need to study


Light

Find what you need to study

AP Music Theory Free Response Help - FRQ/LEQ

7 min readoctober 29, 2020

Samantha Himegarner

Samantha Himegarner

Samantha Himegarner

Samantha Himegarner

Hey there! Are you stressing about the AP® Music Theory exam? You shouldn’t be because our team here at Fiveable has you covered! We have all the study guides and test prep content you could ever need! If you’re worried about the exam itself (which definitely seems a bit overwhelming at first), then you have come to the right place. This discussion will be focusing solely on the AP Music Theory Free Response Questions (or FRQs) and how you can ace them!

Overview of the FRQ Section

Before we get into some top tips on how to do your absolute best on this portion of the exam, let’s take a look at what the Free-Response Question section includes. (Spoiler alert: it’s a lot!)

The AP Music Theory FRQ section is comprised of 7 questions, in which you will have 1 hour and 10 minutes to complete. These 7 questions will be worth 45% of your overall score. After the FRQ (written) section, there will be two passages that you will have to sight-sing. You will have 10 minutes to submit both (more info on that later).

Melodic Dictation

The first two FRQs you will encounter will involve . This is when a short, simple melody is played, and you will have to accurately write the corresponding notes and rhythms. One example will be in , and the other will be in . The concept of may sound overwhelming, but with some practice and our top tips, you will be an expert in no time!

  1. Start with what you know! Listening to the melody holistically and trying to copy it down will be overwhelming, and you will forget the details. Just take a deep breath, and write down what you can. Getting some of it is better than getting none of it if you can’t get all of it!

  2. Notice the details. Is there an (pick-up note)? What clef is it in? What is the meter, key, ? If it’s in a minor key, listen for whether it is natural, harmonic, or .

  3. Listen carefully for the steps and skips if you can’t decipher the notes themselves. Listening for the of the melody could also help you if you get lost.

  4. Don’t start writing right away! The melody will be played multiple times. The first time you hear it, just listen to it. Then, sing it back softly to yourself. Having the melody in your ear will work better as a reference for yourself as you begin to notate. The other times the melody is played can be used to spot-check the tricky parts.

  5. Work backward! There’s no rule that you have to work linearly, left to right. Maybe it works for you to write down that last measure first, and then go back to the beginning. That’s ok! Do whatever works best for you!

Harmonic Dictations

will be the third and fourth questions within the FRQ section. It is similar to , but instead of listening to a melody, you will listen to a four-part chorale, and be expected to fill in the soprano and bass lines. The (including inversion) will be included, as well.

  1. Use the information given to your advantage! The prompt gives you the key, so it is not a bad idea to quickly write out a reference for yourself complete with the chords within that key. Make sure you know implied harmonies—it will be really helpful here!

  2. There are a few ways you could approach . The first method is vertical listening. First, you would focus on familiar patterns on top and on bottom, or listen to the chords in full to recognize the cadences. Then, listen to the bass the second time to confirm the progression. Focus on the the third tip (bonus tip: contrary motion!) The fourth and final time the audio is played, use it to double-check any problem areas, and otherwise fill in the rest.

  3. Another method would be to flip the process described above and to listen linearly. Focus on the bass line first, then the , and fill them in accordingly. On the third time the melody is played, listen for chord quality (major, minor, any sevenths or accidentals?), and then fill in the blanks with the fourth time played for reference.

https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/fiveable-92889.appspot.com/o/images%2F-UMrGG8OTjJoH.gif?alt=media&token=74879601-5055-44ee-a7bd-ec96772069c3

Need a little midway freakout? Me too. Don't worry, we'll get through this! Image courtesy of giphy

Figured Bass

The fifth FRQ is figured bass. Using part-writing rules, you will fill in the tenor, alto, and soprano lines based off of a given bass line and (roman-numeral) chord progression. There is no aural stimulus, so you are able to take your time within each line. Keep in mind that the entire section is timed, however.

Here’s some top tips for how to succeed on figured bass:

  1. Before you begin: take notes! Write out the chords and progressions for your own reference as you work through the sample.

  2. Start with the melody! Using the bass line and recommendation of contrary motion, write the soprano part before the alto or tenor lines. This is easier than having to undo the middle parts in order to keep within part-writing rules.

  3. With the completed, go in and fill in the alto and tenor lines accordingly. It does not matter whether you write line by line or chord by chord, whichever works best for you!

  4. Make sure to double-check your work before moving on to ensure that you haven’t broken any part-writing rules.

Part-Writing

The sixth question within the FRQ section takes figured bass to another level. Based on only a roman-numeral chord progression, you will have to write all four lines; bass, tenor, alto, and soprano.

Here’s the recommended process:

  1. First, write out the chords for each roman numeral. This will act as a reference for when it comes to filling it all of the parts. Make sure to double-check the key signature!

  2. Start with the bass line. Pay attention to the inversions of the chords, and this should be easy-peasy. Plus, then the rest of the question will just look like a figured bass exercise.

  3. Similar to figured bass, move on the (melody) after writing out the bass line. After that is solidified, fill in the alto and tenor lines using part-writing rules and the chords you wrote out as a reference.

  4. Double-check for those pesky and/or octaves and you are good to go!

Harmonizing a Melody

For the final FRQ, you will be asked to write a bass line based off of a given melody. You will also want to write in the to show the and cadences. It might be easier to start out by writing chord stacks and identify the given cadences. From there, fill in the cadences for the rest of the section based on the melodic phrases. Before you start writing out the bass point, remember to consider an appropriate harmonic rhythm, and to pay attention to chord inversions!

Once you have all your references ready, start to write out a counterpoint bass line. Beware of parallelism, and remember that contrary motion is a safer bet than similar motion. When you have finished this and double-checked your work, then you’re all done with the written FRQ section!

Sight Singing!

Last, but certainly not least, you will have to submit a recording of yourself two melodies. One will be in a , the other in a minor key. Similarly, one melody will be in , and the other will be in . Note that you do not have to sing either melody at the written pitch; if the melody is properly transposed (i.e. all intervals are sung correctly), you can still receive full points.

Top Tips:

  1. Choose a syllable to sing on, and stick to it. If you know solfege, that may help you navigate larger intervals. If not, you may want to consider using numbers or a neutral syllable, such as “la”. The word you sing on will not affect your score.

  2. Slow and steady wins the race! Don’t rush through the melody at the sacrifice of accuracy! If going slower gives you more time to be more accurate, both with rhythms and intonation, your score will thank you for it later!

  3. Rhythm matters too! Many students will become flustered as the aspect of singing the right notes that rhythm is completely disregarded. Don’t do that! The point is to assess your understanding of notation, both pitch-wise and rhythmically.

Conclusion

The free-response section of the AP Music Theory exam is a beast. There are a lot of different skills you are expected to master, and it can definitely be overwhelming. Do not, and I repeat DO NOT, freak out. The best thing you can do is practice, practice, and then practice some more. Make some mistakes and learn from them, so by the time you get to the exam you know what to do and what not to do. Use these tips to guide you, and you’ll figure it out in no time. You got this!

Key Terms to Review (15)

Anacrusis

: Anacrusis refers to an upbeat or pick-up note(s) that comes before the first downbeat of a musical phrase. It helps create forward momentum and anticipation for the main melody.

Bass Clef

: The bass clef is a musical symbol used to represent lower pitches in music. It is often used for instruments like double bass, cello, and trombone. The shape of the bass clef resembles a backward letter C with two dots on either side.

Cadential Progression

: A cadential progression is a series of chords that create a sense of resolution or finality at the end of a musical phrase or section.

Chord Symbols

: Chord symbols are a shorthand way of representing the chords used in a piece of music. They consist of letters and symbols that indicate the root note, quality, and any additional notes or alterations.

Harmonic Dictations

: Harmonic dictations involve listening exercises where students identify and notate chords or harmonic progressions played in music.

Harmonic Structure

: Harmonic structure refers to the organization and progression of chords in a piece of music. It involves understanding how chords relate to each other and create tension and resolution.

Major Key

: A major key is a musical scale that is based on a specific pattern of whole and half steps, resulting in a bright and happy sound. It serves as the tonal center for a piece of music.

Melodic Dictation

: Melodic dictation is the process of transcribing a melody by ear. It involves listening to a musical passage and notating it accurately on paper.

Melodic Minor

: The melodic minor scale is another variation of the natural minor scale. When ascending, both the sixth and seventh degrees are raised by one half step, but when descending, they return to their original positions.

Parallel fifths

: Parallel fifths occur when two voices move in perfect fifths (or octaves) in the same direction. This creates a harmonic progression that is considered undesirable in traditional voice leading.

Roman-Numeral Chordal Analysis

: Roman-numeral chordal analysis is a method used to analyze and label the chords in a piece of music using Roman numerals. It helps identify the harmonic function and relationships between chords.

Sight-Singing

: Sight-singing is the ability to read and sing music at first sight without prior practice. It involves interpreting musical notation accurately while maintaining proper pitch, rhythm, dynamics, and expression.

Soprano Line

: The soprano line refers to the highest melodic line in a musical composition or vocal arrangement.

Tonality

: Tonality refers to the organization of music around a central pitch, known as the tonic. It creates a sense of stability and hierarchy within a piece of music.

Treble Clef

: The treble clef is a musical symbol that indicates the pitch range of notes played by instruments such as the piano, violin, and flute. It is also known as the G clef because it wraps around the line representing the note G.

AP Music Theory Free Response Help - FRQ/LEQ

7 min readoctober 29, 2020

Samantha Himegarner

Samantha Himegarner

Samantha Himegarner

Samantha Himegarner

Hey there! Are you stressing about the AP® Music Theory exam? You shouldn’t be because our team here at Fiveable has you covered! We have all the study guides and test prep content you could ever need! If you’re worried about the exam itself (which definitely seems a bit overwhelming at first), then you have come to the right place. This discussion will be focusing solely on the AP Music Theory Free Response Questions (or FRQs) and how you can ace them!

Overview of the FRQ Section

Before we get into some top tips on how to do your absolute best on this portion of the exam, let’s take a look at what the Free-Response Question section includes. (Spoiler alert: it’s a lot!)

The AP Music Theory FRQ section is comprised of 7 questions, in which you will have 1 hour and 10 minutes to complete. These 7 questions will be worth 45% of your overall score. After the FRQ (written) section, there will be two passages that you will have to sight-sing. You will have 10 minutes to submit both (more info on that later).

Melodic Dictation

The first two FRQs you will encounter will involve . This is when a short, simple melody is played, and you will have to accurately write the corresponding notes and rhythms. One example will be in , and the other will be in . The concept of may sound overwhelming, but with some practice and our top tips, you will be an expert in no time!

  1. Start with what you know! Listening to the melody holistically and trying to copy it down will be overwhelming, and you will forget the details. Just take a deep breath, and write down what you can. Getting some of it is better than getting none of it if you can’t get all of it!

  2. Notice the details. Is there an (pick-up note)? What clef is it in? What is the meter, key, ? If it’s in a minor key, listen for whether it is natural, harmonic, or .

  3. Listen carefully for the steps and skips if you can’t decipher the notes themselves. Listening for the of the melody could also help you if you get lost.

  4. Don’t start writing right away! The melody will be played multiple times. The first time you hear it, just listen to it. Then, sing it back softly to yourself. Having the melody in your ear will work better as a reference for yourself as you begin to notate. The other times the melody is played can be used to spot-check the tricky parts.

  5. Work backward! There’s no rule that you have to work linearly, left to right. Maybe it works for you to write down that last measure first, and then go back to the beginning. That’s ok! Do whatever works best for you!

Harmonic Dictations

will be the third and fourth questions within the FRQ section. It is similar to , but instead of listening to a melody, you will listen to a four-part chorale, and be expected to fill in the soprano and bass lines. The (including inversion) will be included, as well.

  1. Use the information given to your advantage! The prompt gives you the key, so it is not a bad idea to quickly write out a reference for yourself complete with the chords within that key. Make sure you know implied harmonies—it will be really helpful here!

  2. There are a few ways you could approach . The first method is vertical listening. First, you would focus on familiar patterns on top and on bottom, or listen to the chords in full to recognize the cadences. Then, listen to the bass the second time to confirm the progression. Focus on the the third tip (bonus tip: contrary motion!) The fourth and final time the audio is played, use it to double-check any problem areas, and otherwise fill in the rest.

  3. Another method would be to flip the process described above and to listen linearly. Focus on the bass line first, then the , and fill them in accordingly. On the third time the melody is played, listen for chord quality (major, minor, any sevenths or accidentals?), and then fill in the blanks with the fourth time played for reference.

https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/fiveable-92889.appspot.com/o/images%2F-UMrGG8OTjJoH.gif?alt=media&token=74879601-5055-44ee-a7bd-ec96772069c3

Need a little midway freakout? Me too. Don't worry, we'll get through this! Image courtesy of giphy

Figured Bass

The fifth FRQ is figured bass. Using part-writing rules, you will fill in the tenor, alto, and soprano lines based off of a given bass line and (roman-numeral) chord progression. There is no aural stimulus, so you are able to take your time within each line. Keep in mind that the entire section is timed, however.

Here’s some top tips for how to succeed on figured bass:

  1. Before you begin: take notes! Write out the chords and progressions for your own reference as you work through the sample.

  2. Start with the melody! Using the bass line and recommendation of contrary motion, write the soprano part before the alto or tenor lines. This is easier than having to undo the middle parts in order to keep within part-writing rules.

  3. With the completed, go in and fill in the alto and tenor lines accordingly. It does not matter whether you write line by line or chord by chord, whichever works best for you!

  4. Make sure to double-check your work before moving on to ensure that you haven’t broken any part-writing rules.

Part-Writing

The sixth question within the FRQ section takes figured bass to another level. Based on only a roman-numeral chord progression, you will have to write all four lines; bass, tenor, alto, and soprano.

Here’s the recommended process:

  1. First, write out the chords for each roman numeral. This will act as a reference for when it comes to filling it all of the parts. Make sure to double-check the key signature!

  2. Start with the bass line. Pay attention to the inversions of the chords, and this should be easy-peasy. Plus, then the rest of the question will just look like a figured bass exercise.

  3. Similar to figured bass, move on the (melody) after writing out the bass line. After that is solidified, fill in the alto and tenor lines using part-writing rules and the chords you wrote out as a reference.

  4. Double-check for those pesky and/or octaves and you are good to go!

Harmonizing a Melody

For the final FRQ, you will be asked to write a bass line based off of a given melody. You will also want to write in the to show the and cadences. It might be easier to start out by writing chord stacks and identify the given cadences. From there, fill in the cadences for the rest of the section based on the melodic phrases. Before you start writing out the bass point, remember to consider an appropriate harmonic rhythm, and to pay attention to chord inversions!

Once you have all your references ready, start to write out a counterpoint bass line. Beware of parallelism, and remember that contrary motion is a safer bet than similar motion. When you have finished this and double-checked your work, then you’re all done with the written FRQ section!

Sight Singing!

Last, but certainly not least, you will have to submit a recording of yourself two melodies. One will be in a , the other in a minor key. Similarly, one melody will be in , and the other will be in . Note that you do not have to sing either melody at the written pitch; if the melody is properly transposed (i.e. all intervals are sung correctly), you can still receive full points.

Top Tips:

  1. Choose a syllable to sing on, and stick to it. If you know solfege, that may help you navigate larger intervals. If not, you may want to consider using numbers or a neutral syllable, such as “la”. The word you sing on will not affect your score.

  2. Slow and steady wins the race! Don’t rush through the melody at the sacrifice of accuracy! If going slower gives you more time to be more accurate, both with rhythms and intonation, your score will thank you for it later!

  3. Rhythm matters too! Many students will become flustered as the aspect of singing the right notes that rhythm is completely disregarded. Don’t do that! The point is to assess your understanding of notation, both pitch-wise and rhythmically.

Conclusion

The free-response section of the AP Music Theory exam is a beast. There are a lot of different skills you are expected to master, and it can definitely be overwhelming. Do not, and I repeat DO NOT, freak out. The best thing you can do is practice, practice, and then practice some more. Make some mistakes and learn from them, so by the time you get to the exam you know what to do and what not to do. Use these tips to guide you, and you’ll figure it out in no time. You got this!

Key Terms to Review (15)

Anacrusis

: Anacrusis refers to an upbeat or pick-up note(s) that comes before the first downbeat of a musical phrase. It helps create forward momentum and anticipation for the main melody.

Bass Clef

: The bass clef is a musical symbol used to represent lower pitches in music. It is often used for instruments like double bass, cello, and trombone. The shape of the bass clef resembles a backward letter C with two dots on either side.

Cadential Progression

: A cadential progression is a series of chords that create a sense of resolution or finality at the end of a musical phrase or section.

Chord Symbols

: Chord symbols are a shorthand way of representing the chords used in a piece of music. They consist of letters and symbols that indicate the root note, quality, and any additional notes or alterations.

Harmonic Dictations

: Harmonic dictations involve listening exercises where students identify and notate chords or harmonic progressions played in music.

Harmonic Structure

: Harmonic structure refers to the organization and progression of chords in a piece of music. It involves understanding how chords relate to each other and create tension and resolution.

Major Key

: A major key is a musical scale that is based on a specific pattern of whole and half steps, resulting in a bright and happy sound. It serves as the tonal center for a piece of music.

Melodic Dictation

: Melodic dictation is the process of transcribing a melody by ear. It involves listening to a musical passage and notating it accurately on paper.

Melodic Minor

: The melodic minor scale is another variation of the natural minor scale. When ascending, both the sixth and seventh degrees are raised by one half step, but when descending, they return to their original positions.

Parallel fifths

: Parallel fifths occur when two voices move in perfect fifths (or octaves) in the same direction. This creates a harmonic progression that is considered undesirable in traditional voice leading.

Roman-Numeral Chordal Analysis

: Roman-numeral chordal analysis is a method used to analyze and label the chords in a piece of music using Roman numerals. It helps identify the harmonic function and relationships between chords.

Sight-Singing

: Sight-singing is the ability to read and sing music at first sight without prior practice. It involves interpreting musical notation accurately while maintaining proper pitch, rhythm, dynamics, and expression.

Soprano Line

: The soprano line refers to the highest melodic line in a musical composition or vocal arrangement.

Tonality

: Tonality refers to the organization of music around a central pitch, known as the tonic. It creates a sense of stability and hierarchy within a piece of music.

Treble Clef

: The treble clef is a musical symbol that indicates the pitch range of notes played by instruments such as the piano, violin, and flute. It is also known as the G clef because it wraps around the line representing the note G.


© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.

AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.


© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.

AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.