AP Music Theory — Harmony and Voice Leading flashcards
10 of 79 cards free to study here · 9 topics · the whole deck is built into Willys
Roman numerals, inversions and figured bass, seventh chords, SATB voice-leading rules, harmonic function, cadences, non-chord tones, secondary dominants and modulation to closely related keys.
Learn deck · part of AP Music Theory · written against: College Board AP Music Theory Course and Exam Description (eight units). Updated 2026-10-10.
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In a minor key, using the raised leading tone for V and vii°, what quality is the triad on each scale degree?i, ii°, III, iv, V, VI, vii° — minor, diminished, major, minor, major, major, diminished.Diatonic Triads and Roman Numerals
Watch out: III uses the unraised (natural) seventh degree; only the dominant chords (V and vii°) take the raised one. -
Why do composers raise the seventh degree for the dominant triad in a minor key?Without it the chord is a minor v, which lacks a leading tone a half step below tonic. Raising it makes V major, so it pulls to i as strongly as V does in major.Diatonic Triads and Roman Numerals
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Which figures indicate a triad in root position, first inversion and second inversion?5/3 (usually left unwritten) for root position, 6 (short for 6/3) for first inversion and 6/4 for second inversion — each number is an interval above the bass.Inversions and Figured Bass
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If you stack a diatonic seventh chord on every degree of a major scale, which qualities result?I maj7, ii min7, iii min7, IV maj7, V7 (major-minor), vi min7, vii ø7 (half-diminished).Seventh Chords
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Why does common-practice part writing forbid parallel perfect fifths and octaves?Two voices moving in parallel perfect intervals blend into one, which destroys the independence of the voices the style depends on.Voice Leading
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Which diatonic chords fill the tonic, predominant and dominant functions in a major key?Tonic: I (with vi as a substitute).Harmonic Function
Predominant: IV and ii (and their sevenths).
Dominant: V, V7, vii° and viiø7. -
What conditions must a cadence meet to be a perfect authentic cadence (PAC)?V(7) to I (or i), both in root position, with the tonic in the soprano on the final chord.Cadences
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Over a held C major chord, a voice moves C–D–E. What is the D?A passing tone: approached and left by step in the same direction, filling the gap between two chord tones.Non-Chord Tones
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In C major, what is V/V, and what accidental does it introduce?D–F♯–A. The F♯ acts as a temporary leading tone to G and rises to it.Secondary Dominants
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Which keys are closely related to C major?G major, F major, A minor, E minor and D minor — keys whose signatures differ from C's by at most one sharp or flat.Modulation
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About these cards
Review status: Second-reader reviewed, with corrections applied.
Checked against:
- Topic outline follows the College Board AP Music Theory Course and Exam Description (effective Fall 2026), harmony and voice-leading units; no text copied.
- Facts checked against Open Music Theory (Gotham et al., CC BY-SA 4.0); reference only, no text copied.
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