The foundation of the entire course. Pitch notation and clefs, half and whole steps, major scales and key signatures, rhythmic values, meter, and the expressive markings that shape a performance. Master this and every later unit gets easier.
Six ways to master Unit 1 — pick whichever fits how you like to study.
Ten topics from the College Board CED, in order.
Unit 1 is the foundation for everything in AP Music Theory. You'll learn to read and write pitch on the grand staff and in four clefs, build major scales using the whole/half-step pattern, and use the circle of fifths to spell any key signature instantly. On the rhythm side, you'll classify meter by how the beat divides and notate rhythmic patterns accurately.
Unlike most AP courses, the College Board does not assign a percentage of the exam to each unit — the exam is weighted by section (45% multiple choice, 45% free response, 10% sight-singing). But Unit 1 is tested constantly, because you can't answer a harmony or analysis question without fluent command of pitch, scales, keys, and meter first.
Unit 1 develops three of the four AP Music Theory Big Ideas: