ABRSM Music Theory Study Guide – Grade 4

Chapter 1: Rhythm (Part 1)

This chapter focuses on Breves and breve rests, double-dotted notes, and duplets.

• A breve is worth eight counts, twice the length of a semibreve. The breve rest is used as a whole-bar rest in 4/2 time; in all other time signatures, the semibreve rest is used as a whole-bar rest. Exercises involve calculating the value of a breve in terms of other notes.
• Double-dotted notes involve a dot after a note or rest adding half its value, and a second dot adding half the value added by the first dot. Examples show the values of double-dotted quavers, crotchets, minims, and semibreves. Exercises include determining the value of double-dotted notes and combining note values. Double-dotted notes are often followed by short notes that complete the beats.
• Duplets occur in compound time. In compound time, each beat divides into three equal parts. If you want to divide the beat into two equal parts instead of three, you use duplets. Duplets are shown by a figure 2 above or below the notes or rests they apply to. Rests can be included as part of duplet groups. Examples show how duplets are equal in time value to a dotted minim, a dotted crotchet, and a dotted quaver. An exercise involves identifying the correct time signature for given rhythms in compound time. You can rewrite simple time rhythm in compound time using duplets and vice versa without changing how it sounds. Exercises involve determining if melodies are correctly rewritten in a new time signature. Bar-lines need to be added to complete bars.

Chapter 2: Rhythm (Part 2)

Part 2 of Rhythm introduces new simple time signatures like 3/2, 9/4, 6/4, 9/8, 6/8, 12/8, and 12/16, and discusses grouping notes and rests.

• New simple time signatures include 3/2 and 4/4. 4/4 is an example of simple quadruple time, with four quaver beats per bar. A rhythm in 4/4 can be rewritten in 4/2 by doubling the time values. A rhythm in 3/2 can be rewritten in 3/4 by halving the time values. Notes shorter than a crotchet in 3/2 are beamed together to make half-bars, but notes should not be beamed across the middle of the bar. Exercises involve checking if rhythms are correctly rewritten in new time signatures.
• Two new compound time signatures are 6/4 and 9/4. They are compound time signatures because each beat divides into three equal parts. 6/4 has two dotted minim beats in each bar, and 9/4 has three. The grouping of notes works in the same way as in 6/8 and 9/8, but the beats are now dotted minims rather than dotted crotchets, so time values are doubled. A dotted semibreve is used in 6/4 and 9/4 and is equal to two dotted minims. Exercises involve checking if melodies are correctly rewritten in new time signatures.
• More compound time signatures are 6/16, 9/16, and 12/16. They are examples of compound time signatures with a dotted-quaver beat that divides into three semiquavers. 6/16 has two beats per bar, 9/16 has three, and 12/16 has four. Notes are usually grouped into dotted-quaver beats, but in 6/16 and 9/16, dotted quavers are beamed together across an entire bar. Exercises involve identifying the number of notes/beats in bars of these time signatures and relating different note values.
• Simple or compound time: The grouping of notes and rests helps distinguish between rhythms in simple and compound time. Examples show how rhythms are written differently in compound duple time (6/8) and simple triple time (3/4) using the same note values but different grouping. Exercises involve identifying the correct time signature and describing rhythms as simple triple time or compound duple time. Bar-lines need to be added to melodies.
• Grouping notes and rests: Beams join together notes shorter than a crotchet. In simple time, beams can join notes across more than one beat, but not across the middle of the bar in simple quadruple time. In compound time, beams usually join notes within a beat, not across multiple beats. Rests in simple and compound time are grouped so that each whole bar, half-bar, or whole beat of silence has its own rest. The smallest possible number of rests should be used, and rests must be clearly shown. If there are rests in the middle of a beat, use a new rest for each subdivision of the beat. Ties are used to join notes of the same pitch. In simple time, ties are used for time values that cannot be written as a single note; a new note isn’t required for each new beat in simple time. In compound time, ties are used to join together notes held across different beats, but using ties when a single note could be used is discouraged. Exercises involve checking if rests and bar grouping are correct.

Chapter 3: Pitch

This chapter covers the alto clef, double sharps and double flats, and enharmonic equivalents.

• The alto clef uses a sign known as the C clef and is centred on middle C. It is often used for music for viola to avoid using too many ledger lines. Instruments and voices using the alto clef typically have a range of notes that would frequently need ledger lines in the treble or bass clefs. The position of middle C on the middle line of the alto clef can be used as a reference point. Exercises include writing words spelt by notes in the alto clef and identifying the correct clef for named notes. Notes can be rewritten in different clefs while keeping the pitch the same or changing it by an octave.
• Double sharps and double flats are used to raise or lower a note by two semitones or one tone. To cancel a double sharp or double flat, a natural sign is used to bring the note back to its original pitch. Examples show the symbols for double sharp, sharp, natural, flat, and double flat. The double sharp symbol is ‘x’. Exercises involve identifying notes with double sharps or double flats. Double sharps will be encountered when learning about the key and scale of G# minor.
• Enharmonic equivalents are notes that sound the same pitch but are written differently. Every pitch can be written in up to three ways using enharmonic equivalents. Three notes that are enharmonic equivalents have the same pitch. Examples show F, E sharp, and G double flat as enharmonic equivalents. Exercises involve writing enharmonic equivalents and identifying pairs of notes that are or are not enharmonic equivalents.

Chapter 4: Keys & Scales (Part 1)

This chapter introduces technical names for the degrees of the scale and the keys and scales of B major and D♭ major.

• Technical names for the degrees of the scale are: 1st – tonic, 2nd – supertonic, 3rd – mediant, 4th – subdominant, 5th – dominant, 6th – submediant, 7th – leading note. These names are the same regardless of whether the scale is major, harmonic minor, or melodic minor. Exercises involve identifying technical names for boxed degrees in scales.
• Two new major keys and scales introduced are D♭ major and B major. The order of sharps or flats in a key signature stays the same, no matter what clef is used. All major scales follow the same pattern of tones and semitones: TTSTTTS. Exercises involve identifying key signatures, determining if statements about scale degrees in these keys are true or false, adding accidentals to form scales without key signatures, and naming the major key and technical name for notes. Accidentals are only needed the first time the note is used in each bar. When notes with accidentals are tied, an accidental is not needed for the second note, even in a new bar. Exercises also involve identifying notes that need an accidental to create a melody in a named key. The chapter includes a challenge to write the scales of D♭ major and B major ascending and descending in the alto clef with a key signature. Melodies written without key signatures require identifying the correct key.

Chapter 5: Keys & Scales (Part 2)

This chapter covers the keys and scales of B♭ minor and G# minor and the chromatic scale.

• Two new minor keys are B♭ minor and G# minor. Every major key has a relative minor that shares its key signature. The relative minor of D♭ major is B♭ minor, and the relative minor of B major is G# minor. Exercises involve identifying the correct key signature for minor keys. When writing key signatures, check the correct number of sharps or flats, ensure they are on the correct lines/spaces, and are in the correct order.
• New minor scales: The melodic minor scale is different ascending and descending. In melodic minor ascending, the 6th and 7th degrees are raised. In melodic minor descending, the 7th and 6th degrees are lowered. The harmonic minor scale raises the 7th degree both ascending and descending. Examples show B♭ melodic minor, B♭ harmonic minor, G# melodic minor, and G# harmonic minor scales. In G# minor, the raised leading note (7th degree) needs a double sharp accidental (Fx) as it already has a sharp. It is the only scale at Grade 4 that includes a double sharp or double flat. Exercises involve determining if statements about minor scales are true or false, adding semibreves to complete scales without key signatures. You can practice writing B♭ harmonic minor in the bass clef and G# harmonic minor in the alto clef, ascending and descending with key signatures. Exercises also involve identifying the major and relative minor keys that use specific key signatures. When identifying keys of melodies written without key signatures, notes outside the key signature, like the raised submediant (6th) and/or leading note (7th) in minor keys, should be looked for. Exercises include identifying the correct key for melodies and drawing the correct clef and note to complete scales.
• The chromatic scale moves in semitones and contains all twelve pitches within an octave. Chromatic scales always include some notes with accidentals. They can start on any note and be written in different ways using enharmonic equivalents. When writing a chromatic scale, every line and space should have at least one note on it, there should be no more than two notes in a row on the same line or space, and no two notes in the scale should be enharmonic equivalents of each other. Exercises involve identifying incorrect notes in chromatic scales. Statements about scales shown visually need to be assessed as true or false.

Chapter 6: Intervals

This chapter explores the minor 2nd and augmented and diminished intervals.

• The minor 2nd is introduced as a new interval at Grade 4. The interval between the tonic and supertonic (2nd degree) of major and minor scales is a major 2nd. If a major 2nd is made a semitone smaller, it becomes a minor 2nd. The minor 2nd is the same interval as a semitone. Exercises involve identifying minor 2nds in scales.
• Intervals can be measured in semitones. Perfect intervals at Grades 1-3 above the tonic are the 4th, 5th, and octave. Other intervals above the tonic are major if they are part of the major scale or minor if they are not. Counting in semitones is helpful for intervals not found above the tonic in major or minor scales, like the minor 2nd. A table lists intervals from minor 2nd to perfect 8th/8ve and their distance in semitones, along with musical examples. Interval questions in the Grade 4 exam will always be asked without key signatures. To identify an interval with accidentals, count up from the lower note, even if it comes second. Exercises involve writing the name of intervals and writing a higher note to form named intervals.
• Augmented and diminished intervals are intervals that aren’t major, minor, or perfect but are augmented or diminished. Augmented intervals are formed when a major or perfect interval is enlarged by one semitone using an accidental. Diminished intervals are formed when a minor or perfect interval is reduced by one semitone using an accidental. Lots of intervals have enharmonic equivalents, sounding the same but written differently. For example, a diminished 5th and an augmented 4th both contain six semitones. Exercises involve determining if statements about augmented and diminished intervals are true or false, and describing intervals as augmented or diminished. A summary table shows intervals, distance in semitones, and examples, including augmented 2nd, diminished 3rd, augmented 4th, diminished 5th, augmented 5th, diminished 6th, augmented 7th, and diminished 7th. When working with intervals with accidentals, count up without worrying about the accidental, then think about whether the accidental makes the interval larger or smaller. Exercises continue with naming intervals and writing notes to form intervals. The type of interval (perfect, major, minor, diminished, augmented) needs to be identified. Intervals marked by brackets in melodies written with key signatures need to be named.

Chapter 7: Triads/Chords

This chapter covers primary triads and primary chords in root position.

• Tonic triads in new keys: At Grade 4, you will encounter tonic triads for all the major and minor keys covered so far. A tonic triad is a chord consisting of the tonic (1st), mediant (3rd), and dominant (5th) degrees of the scale. The interval between the tonic and mediant (bottom and middle notes of tonic triads) is a major 3rd for major triads and a minor 3rd for minor triads. Exercises involve adding a note to complete tonic triads and writing tonic triads in given clefs.
• Primary triads are three-note chords built on the tonic, subdominant, and dominant degrees of the scale. A tonic triad (I) contains the tonic, mediant, and dominant degrees. A subdominant triad (IV) contains the subdominant, submediant, and supertonic. A dominant triad (V) contains the dominant, leading note, and supertonic. The note on which a triad is built is called its root. In C major, the root of the dominant triad is G (the 5th degree of the C major scale). When the root is the lowest note, the triad is in root position. Roman numerals are used to identify triads and chords. The tonic triad is ‘I’ (built on the 1st degree), the subdominant triad is ‘IV’ (built on the 4th degree), and the dominant triad is ‘V’ (built on the 5th degree). In C minor, the tonic triad contains a B♭ rather than a B, making it a major triad. This is because it is the leading note in C minor, and the leading note in minor keys is raised by a semitone. Exercises involve circling the three notes that form the subdominant triad in scales.
• Primary chords: A primary triad is a type of primary chord that contains three notes. At Grade 4, you will also meet primary chords containing four notes, written over two connected staves (a staff). These are commonly used for piano music as a staff covers a bigger range of music than a single stave. Primary chords are built on the same three notes as primary triads, but the notes can be rearranged and placed at different octaves. In four-note primary chords, one of the notes is repeated at another octave. The root of the chord will always be the bottom note. Exercises involve identifying whether chords are I, IV, or V and determining if chords are correct. Many pieces of music use chords built on the tonic, subdominant, and dominant, particularly in genres like Blues and Rock ‘n’ Roll.

Chapter 8: Terms, Signs & Instruments (Part 1)

This chapter covers instruments and their families, instrument ranges and clefs used, and instrumental directions.

• Instruments and their families: The orchestra is divided into four families: Strings (played with a bow or plucked), Woodwind (blown using a reed or a hole), Brass (blown by vibrating the lips in a mouthpiece), and Percussion (struck). Listening to Britten’s The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra is suggested.
• String instruments: The four common string instruments in the orchestra are the violin, viola, cello, and double bass. They each have four strings and are played with a bow or by plucking. String instruments can play two, three, or even four notes simultaneously by bowing or plucking. The violin uses the treble clef and its lowest note is G. The viola mostly uses the alto clef and its lowest note is C. The cello mostly uses the bass clef and its lowest note is C (one octave lower than the viola). The double bass mostly uses the bass clef and its lowest note is E. An exercise involves identifying the highest sounding instrument among these.
• Terms related to strings: Italian and French terms are used for instrumental directions.
  • pizzicato (pizz.): pluck with the fingers
  • arco: play with the bow (only used if the player has previously been instructed to pluck)
  • bowing directions: down-bow ($\curvearrowleft$), up-bow ($\vee$)
  • sul G: play all the notes in the slur on the G string
  • sul D: play on the D string (the lowest pitched of the four strings of a violin)
  • sul A: play on the A string
  • sul E: play on the E string (the next string up from the G string on a violin)
  • sul C: play on the C string
  • con sordini (con sord.) / avec sourdines: with mutes
  • senza sordini (senza sord.) / sans sourdines: without mutes Exercises involve identifying which string instrument uses the alto clef and the meaning of Italian terms like ‘pizzicato’ and ‘sul G’.
• Woodwind and brass instruments: Common woodwind (‘wind’) instruments from highest to lowest are flute (treble clef), oboe (treble clef, similar range to flute), clarinet (treble clef, slightly lower range), and bassoon (bass clef). Common brass instruments from highest to lowest are trumpet (treble clef), horn (treble clef, sometimes called ‘French horn’), trombone (bass clef), and tuba (bass clef). Like string instruments, brass instruments use mutes to soften the sound. Exercises involve identifying which woodwind instrument uses the bass clef and the lowest sounding brass instrument.
• Percussion instruments fall into two categories: those tuned to specific pitches (definite pitch) and those that are not (indefinite pitch). The four percussion instruments you will encounter at Grade 4 are: Timpani (definite pitch, sometimes called kettle drum), Side drum (indefinite pitch, sometimes called snare drum), Bass drum (indefinite pitch), and Cymbal (indefinite pitch, can be clashed or hit with a beater). The pitch of the timpani can be altered using a foot pedal or by turning taps on the drum’s perimeter. Timpani players usually have two, three, or more timpani to move quickly from one note to another. Exercises involve determining if statements about percussion and other instruments are true or false. Descriptions need to be matched with instrument names.

Chapter 9: Terms, Signs & Instruments (Part 2)

This chapter continues with new Italian and French terms and repeat signs.

• Ornaments are different types of decorations added to notes. The symbols and small notes used for ornaments do not count towards the number of beats in a bar. At Grade 4, you need to recognise trill, upper mordent, lower mordent, turn (or upper turn), acciaccatura (or grace note), and appoggiatura. Examples show the symbols and how they sound. Exercises involve identifying ornament symbols.
• Italian terms: New Italian terms at Grade 4 include:
  • Tempo: comodo/tempo comodo (convenient/at a comfortable speed), con brio (with vigour, lively), larghetto (rather slow), rubato/tempo rubato (with some freedom of time), stringendo (gradually getting faster).
  • Expression: affettuoso (tenderly), amabile (pleasant, amiable), appassionato (with passion), deciso (with determination), mesto (sad), misterioso (mysterious), ritmico (rhythmically).
  • General: alla breve (with a minim beat), assai (very, e.g., allegro assai – very quick), come prima (as before). Exercises involve answering questions about the meaning of Italian terms.
• French terms: New French performance directions at Grade 4 include: animé (animated, lively), douce (sweet), lent (slow), modéré (at a moderate speed), retenu (held back), vite (quick). Similar Italian terms are provided: animato, dolce, adagio/lento, moderato, ritenuto, allegro. Exercises involve answering questions about French terms and identifying similar Italian terms.
• Repeat signs are shorthand ways to indicate repeated notes or bars. Diagonal lines placed over notes show the time value of the repetition. Repeated bars are shown with a symbol containing a slash. Exercises involve checking the meaning of various terms.

Chapter 10: Music in Context

The final section of the Grade 4 exam is a Music in Context question, where you are asked about things seen in a passage of music, covering topics from this or previous grades. The chapter provides examples of such questions based on musical excerpts. These exercises involve analysing a short piece of music and answering questions about its rhythm, pitch, key, scales, chords, terms, and signs. Questions ask for bar numbers where specific events occur, true or false statements about the melody, and identifying bars that sound the same or are rewritten correctly.

Practice Exam Paper

The workbook concludes with a full Practice Exam Paper, allowing you to test your knowledge and understanding. This section provides a sample exam with questions covering all the topics from the preceding chapters, formatted like the actual ABRSM Grade 4 exam.