Music Notation

At Grade 1 you will cover the following aspects of music notation:

• Understanding note lengths and adding barlines

• Recognising note values and adding missing notes

• Understanding how to beam notes of different values

• Understanding equivalent notes and rests

• Understanding note names

• Recognising and adding clefs

• Identifying chords#

• Recognising and understanding accidentals: sharps, flats and naturals

• Identifying and using repeat marks

• Identifying and understanding dynamics

• Identifying and understanding articulations

• Understanding the major scale

• Writing accidentals

• Identifying the 2/4 time signature

• Understanding ties

• Understanding dotted notes

• Recognising dynamics: p, f, cresc. and dim.

• Recognising articulations: staccato, legato, accents

• Identifying pitch ranges: D below 1 ledger line on the bass clef to D above middle C, B to B in the treble

Popular Music Harmony

At Grade 1 you will cover the following aspects of popular music harmony:

• Identifying major 2nd intervals

• Identifying major 3rd intervals

• Identifying scale intervals

• Writing scales with accidentals

• Writing scales with key signatures

• Understanding, and adding, accidentals

• Identifying arpeggios

• Understanding, and writing, chords correctly

• Applying chord knowledge

• Recognising tones and semitones

• Applying scale knowledge

• Understanding tones and semitones

• Identifying F major scales, chords and arpeggios

• Understanding major chord formula

• Recognising the F key signature

Band Knowledge

At Grade 1 you will cover the following aspects of band knowledge:

• Identification of Drum kit parts

• Identification of Guitar and Bass Guitar parts

• Identification of keys on acoustic and electronic piano keyboards

• Understanding vocal pitch ranges

• Understanding and identifying varied instrumental notation

• Understanding and identifying instrumental scores and clefs

Band Analysis

At Grade 1 you will cover the following aspects of band analysis:

• Understanding scores with up to three different instruments

• Understanding time signatures

• Recognising melodic intervals

• Understanding note values and their equivalent rests

• Understanding and recognising music symbols and directions

• Understanding rhythms and note values

• Recognising time signatures

• Identification of clefs

• Recognising keys

• Understanding pitch, and pitch range of specific instruments

• Chord analysis

Digital Popular Music Theory Exams

We’ve been working hard to make our Popular Music Theory Exams available online, and we’re delighted to announce that is now possible to continue your musical progression from the comfort of your own home.

The content of the exams remains largely unchanged and an interactive sheet music editor means you and your students’ exam experience will be straightforward and accessible.

You can learn more about how our Digital Popular Music Theory exams work, including how to enter for an individual exam or arrange a private exam day, here, and download the full list of FAQs below.

During your music theory exam, you will be expected to complete some tasks which involve writing notation. These are completed using software called ‘Flat’, which is embedded into the online exam system. Please download the guidance below for instructions on how to access the software and some sample tasks to help you practise prior to your exam day.