Theory Marking Key

stem:

• a stem is missing
• a stem and/or flag is drawn in the wrong direction or placed on the wrong side of the notehead

• too many or too few beats in the measure
• incorrect grouping for the time signature

• an error has not resulted in a deduction of marks because it was a repetition of an earlier error and the maximum deduction has already been made
• an error has not resulted in a deduction of marks because the item was not required and does not substantially detract from the required material
• a suggestion or subjective comment; the examiner is offering musical advice rather than objective criticism

• a repeat sign is drawn incorrectly
• a required repeat sign has been omitted

• a stem is missing
• a stem and/or flag is drawn in the wrong direction or placed on the wrong side of the notehead

• too many or too few beats in this measure
• incorrect grouping for the time signature

• avoid making two or more leaps in the same direction larger than a third
• where possible, approach and leave a leap from within
• let the line move a step rather than a seventh in the other direction

• melodic line lacks direction
• any melodic problem that extends over a passage (rather than one problem); for example, angular line, many augmented leaps, too many leaps, etc.

• leading tone should resolve to tonic (RES)
• seventh of a seventh chord is not resolved (7th RES)
• fourth of a cadential 6/4 chord is not resolved (6/4 RES)
• thirteenth of V^₁₃ typically moves down a third to the tonic note (13th RES)
• non-chord tone does not resolve

• style diverges too greatly from the given measure
• sonorities are included which are foreign to 18th-century style

• melodic leap
• interval outlined by consecutive pitches of a melodic line

• angular bass line
• excessive use of root-position chords and/or chord choices too limited

• inappropriate doubling
• in a 6/4 sonority, double the bass instead of the dissonant fourth or sixth

• for a given symbol, the student has written the chord in the wrong position
• in a student's chord symbol, the symbol indicates the wrong position of the chord

• range exceeds normal range for a SATB choir
• range exceeds the normal range in keyboard style

• more than an octave between soprano and alto or alto and tenor
• range exceeds an octave in the right-hand part of a chord in keyboard style

• too many strong chord changes per measure
• harmonic rhythm is not appropriate to the time signature
• components of the cadential 6/4 construction are separated by a bar line
• avoid repeating a bass not or a chord of similar function over a bar line
• strong chord change on the weak beat causes unwanted syncopation

• style diverges too greatly from the given material
• sonorities are included which are foreign to 18th-century style

• the chord does not fit with the given material
• the chord choice does not allow for correct voice leading (for example, a seventh chord is used where it cannot resolve)
• chord choice creates a weak harmonic progression (for example, link I and I^₆ with a passing vii⁰⁶, not ii)

• for a given chord symbol, the student has written the chord in the wrong position
• in a student's chord symbol, the symbol indicates the wrong position of the chord

• functional chord symbols use uppercase and lowercase inconsistently or illegibly
• root/quality chord symbols in which only the quality part is incorrect