Vanier College Department of Music
Sample Ear Training Entrance Test
A grade of 70% or higher must be achieved on SECTIO I to pass this test.
Students applying for the Winter Semester MUST pass this mandatory entrance exam to be accepted
into any Music Program.
A student applying for the Fall Semester who fails this entrance exam MUST take the Summer Intensive
Rudiments Course through Vanier Continuing Education to be accepted into any Music Program.
Potential students are also required to take a music theory entrance test. For information, go to
http://fclass.vaniercollege.qc.ca/web/music/theory-en.pdf, or follow the links on the music website.
Section I: Mandatory for all students
Each question will be played twice.
1. SCALES: Identify each scale you hear as major or minor and specify the form of the minor
scale as natural, harmonic or melodic.
        






          
 





 
Minor natural
Major
Minor harmonic
    

Major
Minor melodic
2. INTERVALS: For each interval you hear:
i) identify the size and quality (-2, +2, -3, +3, P4, P5 or P8);
ii) indicate whether the direction is ascending or descending.
 

P5 asc


+3 desc



P4 desc

-3 asc

 
-2 desc


+2 asc
3. KEYS: Identify whether each melody you hear is in a major or a minor key and has
an ascending or descending overall melodic shape.


  





     
Major, ascending

      

      

Minor, descending
4. MELODIES: Indicate if the melodies are mostly conjunct (steps) or disjunct (leaps ).
  Steps
     
 
 

  


 
Leaps

 
 


     
   

 
5. TRIAD QUALITY: Identify each of the triads you hear as major or minor.















Major
Minor
Major










Minor


Major
Minor
6. TRIAD POSITION: Identify whether the following triads are in root position ( root or 5/3), first
first inversion ( first or 6/3) or second inversion (second or 6/4).
  

 
 



root or
5
3


6
second or 4








6
first or 3


5
root or 3






6
first or 3
6
second or 4
7. HARMONY: A major or minor scale will be played, followed by a triad in root position.
For each scale you hear, specify whether the following triad is the tonic triad
for the key ("Yes") or is not the tonic triad ("o").

 




 
Major:




Yes
  



 
Minor:




No
8. METER: A series of short melodies will be played. Specify whether each contains 2, 3 or 4 beats
per measure (the first beat of each bar will be emphasized).

        


4 beats

      


 
          
  
   


   

2 beats



 


   


                               





3 beats

9. RHYTHM: Provided below is a time signature followed by four bars. You will be counted in for two
bars, and a rhythm will be tapped out. Without using rests, correctly notate the rhythmic
passage on the single-line staff provided.


    
    


      
10. DICTATION: You will be counted in for one bar, and a simple 4-bar melody will be played. On the
staff provided below, transcribe the melody and rhythm using correct staff notation.
The first note has been provided for you.


C major:











Section II: Advanced examples (optional).
1. HARMOIC DICTATIO: You will hear a chord progression played three times. Write out the bass
line in scale degrees (1, 2, 3 etc.), and provide correct Roman numeral
and figured-bass analysis in the spaces provided below.






Scale degrees: 1
Analysis: I












7
1
4
5
V6
I
IV
V
2. RHYTHMIC DICTATIO: Using notes and rests, correctly transcribe the rhythm that you hear.
You will be counted in for two bars. The rhythm will be played
three times .


   


 

  
    
3. MELODIC DICTATIO: You will hear a four-bar melody played four times. Transcribe the
melody and rhythm of the passage in correct staff notation.
The first note has been provided for you.

      
Key: F major

 


   
  
