Practice Music Theory Test for Undergraduate Transfer & Graduate Orientation

Proficiency Examinations in Music Theory

Theory Preparation Information

Self-Administered Aural Skills Review

Practice Test One

Exercise 1: Two Voice Dictation – The dictation is five measures in length and begins in F major (It may or may not modulate). The proper clefs, the key signature, the meter (which is six-eight), the bar-lines, and the starting notes in both voices can be downloaded as a PDF file. You may print the file and do your work on it, or you may use your own staff paper. Notate both voices with correct pitches and rhythmic values. Also, be careful to indicate accidentals accurately. The dictation will be played eight times. Before the first playing, the tonic will be established.

All eight repetitions with a minute between each

Exercise 2: Harmonic Dictation – The dictation begins in G major (It may or may not modulate). The progression is six measures long, ending with a half note in the second half of measure six. There are two phrases, each cadence indicated by a fermata. The first cadence is a half note. The proper clefs, the key signature, the meter, the bar-lines, and the starting notes in both voices can downloaded as a PDF file. You may print the file and do your work on it, or you may use your own staff paper. Notate the soprano and bass lines, and supply a complete harmonic analysis (Roman Numerals and Figured Bass). The entire example will be played once. This will be followed by five repetitions of the first phrase, one playing or the entire example, and five repetitions of the second phrase. Finally, the complete example will be played again. Before the first playing, the tonic will be established.

All repetitions with a minute between each

Practice Test Two

Exercise 1: Two-Voice Dictation – The dictation is five measures in length and begins in A major. (It may or may not modulate.) The proper clefs, the key signature, the meter (which is six-eight), the bar-lines, and the starting notes in both voices can be downloaded as a PDF file. You may print the file and do your work on it, or you may use your own staff paper. Notate both voices with correct pitches and rhythmic values. Also, be careful to indicate accidentals accurately. The dictation will be played eight times. Before the first playing, the tonic will be established.

All eight repetitions with a minute between each

Exercise 2: Harmonic Dictation – The dictation begins in E-flat major (It may or may not modulate). The progression is five measures long, beginning with an anacrucis (“pick-up”) and ending with a dotted half note in measure five. There are two phrases, each cadence indicated by a fermata. The first cadence is a quarter note on the third beat of measure 2. The proper clefs, the key signature, the meter, the bar-lines, and the starting notes in both voices can be downloaded as a PDF file. You may print the file and do your work on it, or you may use your own staff paper. Notate the soprano and bass lines, and supply a complete harmonic analysis (Roman Numerals and Figured Bass). The entire example will be played once. This will be followed by five repetitions of the first phrase, one playing or the entire example, and five repetitions of the second phrase. Finally, the complete example will be played again. Before the first playing, the tonic will be established.

All repetitions with a minute between each