🎶AP Music Theory
Key Terms

676 essential vocabulary terms and definitions to know for your AP Music Theory exam

🎶AP Music Theory
Key Terms by Unit

Unit 1 – Pitch, Major Scales and Key Signatures, Rhythm, Meter, and Expressive Elements

1.1 Pitch and Pitch Notation

1.10 Dynamics and Articulation

1.2 Rhythmic Values

1.3 Half Steps and Whole Steps

1.4 Major Scales and Scale Degrees

1.5 Major Keys and Key Signatures

1.6 Simple and Compound Beat Division

1.7 Meter and Time Signature

1.8 Rhythmic Patterns

1.9 Tempo

Unit 2 – Minor Scales and Key Signatures, Melody, Timbre, and Texture

2.1 Minor Scales

2.10 Melodic Transposition

2.11 Texture and Texture Types

2.12 Texture Devices

2.13 Rhythmic Devices

2.2 Relative Keys

2.3 Key Relationships

2.4 Other Scales

2.5 Interval Size and Quality

2.6 Interval Inversion and Compound Intervals

2.7 Transposing Instruments

2.8 Timbre

2.9 Melodic Features

Unit 3 – Triads and Seventh Chords

3.1 Triad and Chord Qualities (M, m, d, A)

3.2 Diatonic Chords and Roman Numerals

3.3 Chord Inversions and Figures

3.4 Seventh Chords

3.5 Seventh Chord Inversions and Figures

Unit 4 – Chord Function, Cadence, and Phrase

4.1 Harmony and Voice Leading I

4.2 SATB Voice Leading

4.3 Harmonic Progression, Functional Harmony, and Cadences

4.4 Voice Leading with Seventh Chords

4.5 Voice Leading with Seventh Chords in Inversions

Unit 5 – Chord Progressions and Predominant Function

5.1 Adding Predominant Function IV (iv) and ii (ii0) to a Melodic Phrase

5.2 The vi (VI) Chord

5.3 Predominant Seventh Chords

5.4 The iii (III) Chord

5.5 Cadences and Predominant Function

5.6 Cadential 6/4 Chords

5.7 Additional 6/4 chords

Unit 6 – Embellishments, Motives, and Melodic Devices

Motive and Motivic Transformation

Embellishing Tones

Harmonic Sequences

Melodic Sequences

Unit 7 – Secondary Function

Part Writing of Secondary Leading Tone Chords

Part Writing of Secondary Dominant Chords

Tonicization through Secondary Dominant Chords

Tonicization through Secondary Leading Tone Chords

Unit 8 – Modes and Form

Phrase Relationships

Modes

Common Formal Sections

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