When you are in graduate school, time and money are limited. Remedial courses that do not count towards degree progress drain these resources. You can avoid this pitfall by preparing for the entrance placement exams!
If you are beginning any graduate degree in music in the United States of America, you will probably be required to take an theory entrance placement exam. Here is a list of the topics that are covered in many of these exams. Although this list is not comprehensive, most of this material is covered in undergraduate theory courses. Be sure to check your university’s graduate student handbook and music school website to ensure that you are preparing for the right material, rather than focusing on topics that are less relevant for the exam.
I will be covering some of the trickier concepts in upcoming blog updates. If you have specific topics you would like me to cover, write to me on the “Contact Me” page! Also, if you would like individual tutoring on these topics, I have reasonable rates with discounts for multiple bookings. I have helped many clients successfully pass all levels of graduate theory exams and I will help you succeed too!
Fundamentals (also recommended for entering undergraduate music majors):
- All major and minor key signatures
- Triads and seventh chords
- Simple and complex meters
Melodic dictation:
- Intervals
- Rhythmic dictation
- Diatonic (major and minor) and chromatic/modulating melodies
- Simple, compound, and asymmetrical meters
Harmonic dictation:
- Chord triads and seventh chords
- Write the soprano and bass lines of a SATB harmonic progression
or
- Given the soprano and bass, fill in the alto and tenor line in an SATB harmonic progression
- Analyze using Roman Numerals
Sight-singing:
- Sing chromatic or modulatory melodies in any clef
- Be able to conduct the correct meter while singing
Part writing rules:
- Reading figured bass
- Resolving tendency tones
- Voice leading rules
- Melody harmonization
- Non-chord tones
Counterpoint:
- Fugal subjects, tonal and real answers
- Terminology such as fugal subject, stretto, inversion, retrograde, retrograde inversion, augmentation, diminution, episode, and countersubject
- Be able to realize second or third species counterpoint
Tonal function (Classical/Common Practice Era harmony)
- Tonic, pre-dominant, and dominant functions in any major or minor key
- Cadential 6/4 chords as a dominant chord function
- Secondary dominants
- Modulations to closely related keys
- Pivot chords
- Phrase structures and cadences.
Form
- Binary: simple, rounded, continuous, balanced
- Ternary: simple, compound
- Rondo
- Sonata from
Chromatic harmonies (Romantic era)
- Modal mixture
- Neapolitan chords
- Augmented sixth chords-
- Check out my video on this topic: https://youtu.be/PLh7P7T_KD4
- Chromatic mediant relationships
- Distantly related keys.
Post-tonal analysis (Contemporary era)
- Normal order for pitch classes
- Prime form for pitch classes
- Interval vectors
- Transpositionally and inversionally related sets
- 12 tone matrix
- Modes and synthetic scales
Additional information for specific contexts
- Transposing instruments and ranges
- Write out the first seven intervals in the harmonic overtone series
- Metric modulation and mixed meters
- Sightsinging or dictation of atonal melodies
Helpful Resources
12tone on Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTUtqcDkzw7bisadh6AOx5w) [Generalized music theory explanations]
Artusi (https://www.artusi.xyz/). [Digital workbooks for fundamentals, dictation, part writing, counterpoint, and post tonal].
Hearing Form by Santa.
Introduction to Post-Tonal Theory by Straus.
MacGAMUT (https://www.macgamut.com/) [Aural skill training]
Manual for Ear Training and Sight Singing by Karpinski.
Music Theory Tutor (http://musictheorytutor.weebly.com/meet-our-tutors.html).
The Musician’s Guide to Theory and Analysis by Clendinning and Marvin. [Excellent overview]
Tonal Harmony by Kostka, Payne, and Almén. [Excellent overview]
Two Minute Music Theory (https://www.youtube.com/user/the1564studios)