ABRSM Music Theory Study Guide – Grade 3

Chapter 1: Rhythm (Part 1)

This chapter introduces several fundamental concepts in rhythm for Grade 3.

The Demisemiquaver

The demisemiquaver is the shortest time value used in music notation covered at this stage. It is identified by having three tails or three beams when part of a group. A demisemiquaver rest looks like a figure 7 with three flags. Eight demisemiquavers are equivalent to a crotchet beat, and half a semiquaver. Like quavers and semiquavers, demisemiquavers can be grouped using beams. They can also be beamed with quavers and semiquavers, and with dotted quavers and semiquavers.

Starting on an Upbeat

Not all music begins on the first beat of the bar. Many melodies start on an upbeat, which is often the last beat of a bar. When this happens, the final bar of the melody is typically shortened so that the first and last bars together make one whole bar when their time values are added. For example, if a melody in ³⁄₄ time starts on the fourth beat of the bar (an upbeat), the last bar will have only three beats; the final beat has been ‘borrowed’ from the first bar and placed at the beginning. Similarly, a melody in ⁴⁄₄ that begins on the third beat will often have only two beats in its final bar, and so on. Another name for an upbeat is an anacrusis. A smart tip suggests working out the time signature by looking at the complete bars in the middle of the melody when it begins with an upbeat.

Duple, Triple and Quadruple Time

Time signatures can be described based on the number of beats they contain in a bar.

• Duple time signatures have two beats in a bar (e.g., ²⁄₄, ²⁄₂ or ¢).
• Triple time signatures have three beats in a bar (e.g., ³⁄₄, ³⁄₂ ).
• Quadruple time signatures have four beats in a bar (e.g., ⁴⁄₄ or C, ⁴⁄₂ ). The type of beat (crotchet, quaver, minim) specified by the bottom number of the time signature does not affect whether the time is duple, triple, or quadruple – only the number of beats matters.

Grouping Notes and Rests

Proper grouping of notes and rests is essential for making music easy to read. At Grade 3, this skill becomes particularly important. Key points for grouping include:

• Beams: Quavers, semiquavers, and demisemiquavers can be beamed together across one or more beats. However, avoid beaming them across the middle of a bar (beats 2-3) in ⁴⁄₄ time.
• Rests: Each whole bar, half bar, or whole beat of silence should have its own rest. For silences in the middle of a beat, use a new rest for each half-beat. Whole bars of silence in any time signature can be shown with a whole-bar rest (semibreve rest).
• Ties: Avoid using ties where a single note or rest of longer duration could be written instead.

The chapter also includes a “Remember!” box stating that a dot after a note adds half its value. Another reminder notes that the bottom number of the time signature indicates whether the beat is measured in crotchets, quavers, or minims. A “Remember!” box on page 10 mentions that rhythms can be rewritten in different time signatures by doubling or halving all the time values; for instance, a rhythm in ²⁄₄ can be rewritten in ²⁄₂ by doubling all the note values.

Chapter 2: Rhythm (Part 2)

This chapter delves into compound time and further grouping concepts.

Simple and Compound Time

So far, the time signatures covered are examples of simple time. In simple time, each beat divides into two smaller subdivisions (a crotchet into two quavers, a quaver into two semiquavers, etc.).

Compound time signatures are introduced next. In compound time, each beat is a dotted note that divides into three smaller subdivisions. At Grade 3, the compound time signatures studied are those where the beat is a dotted crotchet, which is divided into three quavers.

The top number of a compound time signature tells you how many quavers are in a bar. For example, in ⁶⁄₈ time, there are six quavers. The main beats in ⁶⁄₈ are two dotted crotchets. In ⁹⁄₈, there are nine quavers, with three dotted crotchet beats. In ¹²⁄₈, there are twelve quavers, with four dotted crotchet beats. A “Did you know?” box points out that a dotted minim in ⁶⁄₈ and ⁹⁄₈ is equivalent to two dotted crotchet beats, just as a minim is equivalent to two crotchets in simple time. A smart tip reminds students that in compound time, each of the rhythms presented in Exercise 2 (page 12) adds up to one dotted-crotchet beat.

Grouping Notes and Rests in Compound Time

Notes and rests are grouped in compound time to show the beats, similar to simple time, but with specific rules.

• Beams: Notes are always beamed to make dotted-crotchet beats. Multiple dotted-crotchet beats are not beamed together.
• Ties: Ties are used to join notes that extend across different beats, but not to join notes within a beat. An exception is that two full beats are written as a dotted minim in compound time.
• Rests: Rests in compound time follow similar rules to simple time. Avoid using more rests than necessary, but always give each new beat of silence a new rest. Exceptions include:
  • In ⁶⁄₈, use a dotted minim rest (semibreve rest) for the first two or last two beats of the bar, but not across the middle of the bar.
  • Silent bars are shown with a whole-bar rest (semibreve rest), regardless of the time signature.
  • If the first two quavers in a dotted crotchet beat are silent, use a crotchet rest.
  • If the second two quavers in a dotted crotchet beat are silent, use two quaver rests.

Compound Time: Duple, Triple and Quadruple

Just as simple time signatures can be described as duple, triple, or quadruple based on the number of beats, the same applies to compound time signatures.

• ⁶⁄₈ (two dotted-crotchet beats in a bar) = compound duple time.
• ⁹⁄₈ (three dotted-crotchet beats in a bar) = compound triple time.
• ¹²⁄₈ (four dotted-crotchet beats in a bar) = compound quadruple time.

⁶⁄₈ or ³⁄₄?

Both ⁶⁄₈ and ³⁄₄ time signatures contain six quavers per bar. However, they use the same notes but are grouped differently to show the beats. In ⁶⁄₈ (compound duple time), there are two dotted crotchet beats, typically shown by grouping quavers in threes. In ³⁄₄ (simple triple time), there are three crotchet beats, typically shown by grouping quavers in twos. A smart tip notes that at Grade 3, triplets are only used in simple time signatures.

Chapter 3: Pitch

This chapter expands on identifying and manipulating notes on the stave.

Notes on Three Ledger Lines

Students have previously encountered notes on one or two ledger lines. Grade 3 adds notes up to three ledger lines above and below the stave. The workbook provides diagrams showing these notes in both the treble and bass clefs. Notes can be sharpened or flattened by adding an accidental or by a key signature.

Transposing Notes by One Octave

Grade 3 introduces rewriting notes at a different pitch in a different clef. Specifically, it covers rewriting melodies one octave higher or one octave lower, either in the same clef or in a different clef. The book shows examples of a melody written at the same pitch in treble and bass clefs (all note names are the same, but they have moved down in pitch by an octave). It also shows rewriting a melody one octave higher than the original in the treble clef (note names are the same, but they are an octave higher). A “Did you know?” box explains that rewriting a melody so it sounds at a different pitch is called transposing or transposition. A smart tip for rewriting notes one octave lower in the bass clef suggests finding the note at the same pitch first, then moving it down one octave, and always checking the clef carefully. Another smart tip for rewriting notes one octave higher in the treble clef suggests finding the note at the same pitch first (working it out from middle C).

Chapter 4: Keys & Scales (Part 1)

This chapter introduces two new major keys and their scales.

Two New Major Keys

Having explored major keys and scales with up to three sharps or flats, Grade 3 covers keys and scales with up to four sharps or flats. The two new major keys are E major and A♭ major.

• E major has four sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯).
• A♭ major has four flats (B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭). The chapter illustrates the ascending E major scale in treble and bass clefs, and the ascending A♭ major scale in treble and bass clefs, showing the degrees of the scale (Tonic, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, Tonic (8th)).

Major Scales

A “Remember!” box reiterates key points about major scales. All major scales have a semitone interval between the 3rd and 4th degrees and between the 7th and 8th degrees. Major scales that include accidentals always have either sharps or flats, never both. A smart tip for writing missing degrees of major scales reminds students to add accidentals where they are needed.

Chapter 5: Keys & Scales (Part 2)

This chapter focuses on minor scales and introduces new minor keys.

The Melodic Minor Scale

In Grade 2, the harmonic minor scale was explored, where the 7th degree is raised by a semitone. In Grade 3, the melodic minor scale is introduced. In the melodic minor scale, both the 6th and 7th degrees are raised by a semitone when ascending. When descending, these raised degrees are lowered again, returning to the natural minor form. Like the harmonic minor, the melodic minor scale starts on the 6th degree of its relative major key. The workbook illustrates the A melodic minor scale (ascending and descending) and the A harmonic minor scale (ascending and descending). A “Theory in sound” section suggests listening to and comparing the sound of harmonic and melodic minor scales, noting that the larger interval (three semitones) between the 6th and 7th degrees in the harmonic minor gives it a different character, while the melodic minor has a smoother sound often used in melodies. A “Remember!” box states that in ascending melodic minor scales, the 6th and 7th degrees are raised by a semitone.

New Minor Keys

Every major key has a relative minor key that shares the same key signature. The tonic (key note) of the relative minor key is the 6th degree of its relative major, or you can count down three semitones from the tonic of the major key. A, E, and D minors are the relative minors of C, G, and F major respectively, which were introduced in Grade 2. Grade 3 explores the relative minor keys of all the major keys introduced in Grades 1-3. These new minor keys include B, G, F♯, C♯, and F minor. A table shows the relationship between major and minor keys and their shared key signatures:

• F minor is the relative minor of A♭ major (4 flats).
• C minor is the relative minor of E♭ major (3 flats).
• G minor is the relative minor of B♭ major (2 flats).
• D minor is the relative minor of F major (1 flat).
• A minor is the relative minor of C major (no sharps/flats).
• E minor is the relative minor of G major (1 sharp).
• B minor is the relative minor of D major (2 sharps).
• F♯ minor is the relative minor of A major (3 sharps).
• C♯ minor is the relative minor of E major (4 sharps).

Although these relative major and minor keys share the same key signatures, their scales start on different tonics (key notes), and they do not contain all the same notes. As previously seen, minor scales require additional accidentals to the 6th and 7th degrees, depending on whether they are harmonic or melodic. A “Remember!” box reminds students that the sharps or flats in a key signature are always written in the same position on the stave and in the same order. A smart tip for identifying the key of melodies written without key signatures suggests noticing the accidentals on the 6th and/or 7th degrees; this helps determine whether a melody is major or minor. Another smart tip mentions that exercises on identifying keys may include any of the minor keys introduced in Grades 2 and 3. A smart tip for identifying needed accidentals in melodies reminds that accidentals are not needed where notes are already covered by the key signature or if the same accidental appears earlier in the bar.

Chapter 6: Intervals

This chapter teaches how to identify and describe intervals.

Perfect, Major and Minor Intervals

Intervals are measured by counting up the degrees of the scale from the lower note (the tonic) to the upper note. Intervals can be described as major, minor, or perfect.

Perfect Intervals

The 4th, 5th, and 8th/8ve intervals are always perfect intervals. They are the same in both major and minor keys. For example, the 4th degree of E major is A, and the 4th degree of E minor is also A. Since A is not raised or lowered in either the major or the minor scale, the interval from the tonic (E) to the 4th degree (A) is a perfect 4th. The workbook illustrates perfect 4th, perfect 5th, and perfect 8th/8ve intervals above a tonic E in the treble clef. A “Remember!” box advises counting up the degrees of the scale from the lower note until you reach the named interval.

Major and Minor Intervals

Other intervals above the tonic can be either major or minor. Major intervals above the tonic contain notes from the major scale. Minor intervals above the tonic contain notes found in the harmonic or melodic minor scale. Importantly, in minor intervals, the upper note is a semitone lower than in the major interval of the same number. The workbook illustrates major 2nd, major 3rd, major 6th, and major 7th intervals above a tonic E in the treble clef. It also illustrates minor 3rd, minor 6th, and minor 7th intervals above a tonic E in the treble clef.

A “Did you know?” box notes that the intervals of a 6th and 7th may be major or minor in minor keys because minor scales can use the raised or lowered 6th and 7th degrees (referencing melodic minor scales on page 29). It also states that the major 2nd is part of both major and minor scales, but the minor 2nd is not part of either scale, a topic to be explored at Grade 4. A smart tip helps distinguish between major and minor intervals: if the upper note of the interval appears in the major scale of the tonic, the interval is major; if it is a semitone lower than the note in the major scale, the interval is minor. Another “Remember!” box reinforces that 4ths, 5ths, and 8ves are perfect intervals, while all other intervals can be major or minor.

Chapter 7: Tonic Triads

This chapter focuses on building and identifying tonic triads.

Tonic Triads in Major and Minor Keys

As learned previously, a tonic triad is a chord consisting of the 1st (tonic), the 3rd, and the 5th degrees of the scale. This chapter covers the tonic triads of the new major and minor keys introduced in Chapters 4 and 5, which have up to four sharps and flats.

The type of triad (major or minor) is determined by the interval of the 3rd above the tonic. If the interval above the tonic is a minor 3rd, the triad is a minor triad. If it is a major 3rd, the triad is a major triad. A minor 3rd is a semitone smaller than a major 3rd. The tonic is always the lowest note in the triad when written in this form. The workbook illustrates G major and G minor triads. A smart tip for adding missing notes to complete a triad reminds students to ensure the interval between the tonic and the middle note is a major 3rd in major keys and a minor 3rd in minor keys.

Chapter 8: Terms & Signs

This chapter introduces new Italian musical terms and signs required for Grade 3. These are in addition to the terms encountered in Grades 1 and 2.

The workbook provides a table listing the Italian terms and their meanings:

• Dynamics: sforzando, sforzato, sf, sfz – forced, accented.
• Tempo: andantino – slightly faster than andante (but may also mean slightly slower); prestissimo – very fast.
• Expression: agitato – agitated; animato – animated, lively; con forza – with force; energico – energetic; giocoso – playful, merry; leggiero – light; maestoso – majestic; marcato (marc.) – emphatic, accented; pesante – heavy; risoluto – bold, strong; scherzando – playful, joking; semplice – simple, plain; sostenuto (sost.) – sustained; tranquillo – calm; triste, tristamente – sad, sorrowful.
• General: ben – well; prima, primo – first; sempre – always; simile – in the same way; subito (sub.) – suddenly.

A smart tip notes that the exercises in this chapter include terms and signs encountered in Grades 1, 2, and 3. A “Remember!” box points out that terms describing tempo are often written in bold at the start of a piece or section of music, illustrating this with “Allegro” written above the stave.

Chapter 9: Music in Context

This final chapter prepares students for the “Music in Context” question in the Grade 3 exam.

Putting it all Together

The last question of the Grade 3 exam is a Music in Context question. In this section, students will be asked questions about topics seen in the workbook or in previous grades, based on a passage of music. The chapter provides example musical excerpts by composers like Rushby, Dvořák, Fauré, and Vaughan Williams. Questions require students to compare musical passages, determine true or false statements about the music, and complete sentences by identifying features such as the lowest/highest notes, keys, intervals, and the meaning of musical terms used in the excerpt. This section effectively combines knowledge from different areas of music theory studied up to Grade 3.

Practice Exam Paper

The workbook concludes with a full practice exam paper for ABRSM Grade 3. This allows students to test their knowledge and understanding of all the topics covered in the book under exam conditions.