Music Notation

At Grade 6 you will cover the following aspects of music notation:

• Understanding rhythm: double dotted rhythms and less-common time signatures

• Rhythm: rewriting with a new time signature, and as compound and simple time

• Understanding pitch: double accidentals

• Understanding pitch: writing enharmonic pitches

• Understanding pitch: enharmonic transposition

• Recognising note values: 16th, triplet, double dots

• Understanding time signatures: 2/2, 3/2, 4/2

• Understanding key signatures: double flats and sharps

Popular Music Harmony

At Grade 6 you will cover the following aspects of popular music harmony:

• Identifying intervals: b5, b2

• Understanding modes: modal basics, modal transformation, modal differences, modal knowledge, writing out modes in notes and note names

• Recognising modes: ionian & aeolian, dorian & mixolydian

• Understanding, and identifying scales: country, pentatonic, major, minor, and blues

• Chromaticism: completing chromatic scales, recognising gaps in chromatic scales, writing out chromatic scales, and identifying chromatic fragments

• Transposition: transposing in major 3rds and perfect 5ths

• Transposing chord charts

• Understanding chords and chord inversions: 3rd inversion

• Adding chords: 6th, sus 2 & 4, diatonic chords including maj 9th, min 9th and dom 9th

• Identifying harmonic and melodic intervals

• Identifying chords: naming chords, chord charts, chord sequences, and use of roman numeral notation

• Understanding key signatures up to seven sharps and flats

Band Knowledge

At Grade 6 you will cover the following aspects of band knowledge:

• Identification of Drum kit parts

• Genre- specific instrumental techniques of band instrument

• Identification of Guitar and Bass Guitar parts

• Understanding the use of music technology with band instruments

• Understanding instrumental performance technique

• Identification of keys: acoustic and electronic piano keyboards

• Identification of vocal techniques

• Understanding the function of a microphone

• Understanding how a singer uses music technology to improve performance

• Genre- specific instrumental techniques of brass instruments

• Identification of parts on a brass instrument

• Identifying key musical terms associated with band performance

• Recognising instrument- specific techniques

• Recognising notation across different instrumental disciplines

• Identification of instrumental parts across different disciplines

• Identification of pitch range across different instrumental disciplines

Band Analysis

At Grade 6 you will cover the following aspects of band analysis:

• Understanding scores with up to eight different instruments

• Understanding the use of improvisation techniques

• Genre- specific techniques: style and content

• Understanding of stylistic traits across varied instruments

• Understanding the harmonic content in band scores

• Understanding score writing

• Understanding the transposition of instruments whilst score writing

• Understanding musical devices: melodic, harmonic, rhythmic

• Recognising instrument-specific techniques

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.