DESAUTELS

FACULTY of MUSIC

THEORY ENTRANCE TEST

Name: _______________________________________________________

Date: _______________________________________________________

This test contains seven sections.

You should try to complete the entire test in the scheduled 60 minutes time period. Update for
2022: 2 hours.
However, it is more important that you complete at least some of each type of question.
If you find that a question is difficult, you might go on to another question and come back to it later.

Plan your time carefully, and make sure to leave enough time for the questions that are worth more
points.

The number of points and suggested times for each question are:
QUESTION Number of POINTS Suggested TIME
1 12 8 minutes
2 12 8 minutes
3 18 10 minutes
4 18 10 minutes
5 12 8 minutes
6 9 6 minutes
7 19 10 minutes

TOTAL: 100 POINTS 60 MINUTES. (update for 2022: 2 hours)

Please write neatly in pencil, and make sure that your answers can be read clearly.
University of Manitoba – Desautels Faculty of Music PAGE 1
THEORY ENTRANCE TEST

NAME: __________________________________________________ DATE: _______________________________________


1. SCALES using accidentals (no key signatures)

a) Write each major or natural minor scale indicated below, using accidentals where needed and
ascending one octave in total. Do not provide a key signature. The first question has been
completed as an example. 11
1
bbX
1
X

X X bbX
X X
X X
X X
X bXX
? bbb X
X X X X
EXAMPLE

? X X
X X bX X X X &&&
?X
? #X X X X &

Key: E Minor Key: C# Minor

&
&
?
?
?
& ?

Key: D Major Key: Bb Major



b) A note has been given a number that indicates the scale degree of that note in an ascending major
or natural minor scale. Please do the following for each question below:
1) Complete the rest of the scale (one octave in total), including accidentals where needed.
2) Identify the key.
Do not provide a key signature, and do not add an accidental to (or otherwise change) the
given note. The first question has been completed as an example.

EXAMPLE

Major 3
X X ## X X
X?
Minor 4

X X ww X
X X X # XX X ww
& X X
& X X w X X X ? w
& ?

Key: G Key:


Major 5 Minor 2
ww
&
& w ?
?
?
ww

& Key:
?
Key:
w
University of Manitoba – Desautels Faculty of Music PAGE 2
THEORY ENTRANCE TEST

2. SCALES and KEY SIGNATURES

a) Identify both the major and minor keys that are represented by each key signature below. The
first question has been completed as an example.
2
EXAMPLE
# b b
b b bb ####
& X X w ? X X X # X &X & ? ww# X X X # X
& ? & X X
Major: G Major: Major: Major:
Minor: E Minor: Minor: Minor:

2
b) Write the appropriate key signature for each key and clef indicated below.

bbb

w w
& ? ? & w& 3

#
3

& #
F# Major Ab Major Bb Minor

&

# b bb #### ####
c) For each question below, a note has been given a number that indicates the scale degree of that

& ? # ? #
note in a major or natural minor scale. Please do the following for each question:
1) Identify the key.
2) Provide the key signature for that key.
You are not required to write the rest of the scale, but you may do so if you find it helpful in
completing the other tasks. The first question has been completed as an example.


EXAMPLE

bb

b
Minor 3 Minor 7
# & bw
& # w ? bw
& w ?
Key: E Minor Key:


#### #### # 6 # # #
?# w # ? # w #
Major 7 Major

? w & w
? &

Key: Key:

##
 4
X X X X X X X X X X X X
X X X X X X X X
University of Manitoba – Desautels Faculty of Music X X X X PAGE 3
THEORY ENTRANCE TEST

3. RHYTHM and METRE
X. XJ X X X X X X. XJ X X X 7
87

X. XJ X £X X X X X. XJ X X X
a)4 At the beginning of each system, provide the metre signature that best fits each of the rhythmic
8
patterns below. The first example is done for you.
£
X X X X X X X X X X X X

EXAMPLE
78 X X X X X X X X. X X X
78 X X X X X X X X. X X X
64

64

X. XJ X X X X X X. XJ X X X 7
8
6 £
X X X X X . XJ X X. X X X X X. XJ

X. X. X.

X X X X XJ X X X X X XJ
2 .
78 XX X XX X X X XJ X X X X X XX X X X. XJ
4
4 X X X 64

X X X X X X X X X X X X 5

2 X X X X X X. 344


b) 4 X X X X X X 4
Rewrite the rhythmic notation below in order to clearly show the metric hierarchy of beats and
XX . .
X X XX X X X X XXJ X X.
divisions in each metre. An example is done for you.
X X. X X X X X X X X. X XJ 7
6 J J 8
EXAMPLE
£
24 X X X X X X . X X X X X XJ
J
78 X X X X X X X X. X X X 64

2 X X X X X X. X X X X X X
4

34 X X . X XX XX X X . X X XX X X X . XJ 68X XE X X X X .X X X 34

J
XXJ X X X

3 6
4 8


c) Complete the given measures with the appropriate amounts of rests.

44 X . 98 X X X X 32 E XJ
J



University of Manitoba – Desautels Faculty of Music PAGE 4
THEORY ENTRANCE TEST

4. HARMONIC INTERVALS

a) On the upper staff, complete each of the indicated intervals by writing a note ABOVE the given
note.

On the lower staff, write the inversion of each interval, and then identify the new interval by size
and quality using the following abbreviations:

P = perfect M = major m = minor d = diminished A = augmented

Please clearly differentiate your capital M (for major) from your lowercase m (for minor) by
making them distinctly different sizes!

The first interval and its inversion have been completed as an example.

b) Identify the following harmonic intervals by size and quality. The first has been completed as an
example.

University of Manitoba – Desautels Faculty of Music PAGE 5
THEORY ENTRANCE TEST

5. MELODIC INTERVALS

Identify all of the underlined melodic intervals in the musical example below by size and quality, using
the following abbreviations:

P = perfect M = major m = minor d = diminished A = augmented

Please clearly differentiate your capital M (for major) from your lowercase m (for minor) by making them
distinctly different sizes!

The first interval has been identified as an example. You need to identify 24 intervals in total; you do not
need to identify the large interval that spans across the rest, marked with an X.

# # 68 X
? J

9
6. TRANSPOSITION

nn b

##
The given melody on the upper staff is in the key of F major.
? &
On the lower staff, transpose the melody to the key of D major, in the bass clef. The first pitch is
provided.

6 X X X X X X X XJ X b XJ b X . X X b X X nX X
& b 8 X j
X X nXj E.


# # 68 X
?

nn b

##
? &
University of Manitoba – Desautels Faculty of Music PAGE 6
THEORY ENTRANCE TEST

7. TRIADS

a) Write a triad in root position by adding two notes ABOVE the given note. The quality of each
triad is specified. The first triad has been completed as an example.

b) Identify the quality of the following triads: major (M), minor (m), diminished (d), or augmented
(A). The quality of the first triad is identified as an example.

m __________ __________ __________ __________ __________ ___________


c) For each key, the tonic triad (the I chord) is provided.

Below each triad: provide the Roman numeral for that triad.

Above each triad: identify the quality of each triad: major (M), minor (m), diminished (d), or
augmented (A).

The first question has been completed as an example.
NOTE: This question uses capital Roman numerals for all triad qualities (not just major triads).

EXAMPLE: