Grade 5 Theory Revision Notes

7/27/2019 Grade 5 Theory Revision Notes

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Writing Music out: General Points

Note Stems

If on the middle line or higher the stem must go down

If on the middle line or lower the stem must go upTies must be written from the notehead

Accidentals

Must be written before the note head on the stave, and after in written

descriptions.

Key signatures

For full marks, sharps and flats must be in the correct order and octave.

GroupingRemember, in compound time the beat is a dotted crotchet

In simple time the beat is a crotchet or minim


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Key signatures

Required for EVERY LINE. Time signatures required just for the first line.

Sharps in Fives


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Flats in Fours

Scales [MACK]

Check: Major/Minor/Harmonic/Chromatic

Ascending/descending

Clef?

Key signature?

Harmonic Minors: Raised 7th ascending and descending

Melodic Minors: Raised 6th

and 7th ascending,, back to normal descending

Chromatic: Sharps ascending, flats descending

Transposition [NICK]

Notes? Write them out

Interval?

Clef?Key Signature?


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Short Score to Open Score

Soprano

Alto

TenorBass

Copy soprano, alto and bass exactly, thinking about which way stems go.

Then for tenor,

- If you are going to short score, remember to transpose into the bass clef

and put an octave down.

- If you are going into open score, remember to transpose into treble clef

and put an octave up.

Instruments of the Orchestra

Two important points:

Transposing instruments: Clarinet, trumpet, horn

Family Instrument Picture Clef Transposing?

String

Violin No

Viola No

Cello No

Double bass 8ve down


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Woodwind

Flute No

Oboe No

Clarinet Yes (Bb/A)

Bassoon No

Brass

Trumpet Yes (Bb)

French horn Yes (F)

Trombone No

Tuba No

Percussion

Tuned Percussion/Definite Pitch: xylophone, glockenspiel.

Untuned percussion/indefinite pitch: snare drum, bass drum

Voice [highest] Soprano Alto Tenor Baritone Bass [lowest]


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Time Signatures

The lower number is the VALUE:

1= Semibreve (rare) 2= Minim

4= Crotchet 8= Quaver

16= Semiquaver 32= Demisemiquaver (rare)

The upper number tells you how many of those beats to count.

Eg. 2/4 means 2 crotchets

2/2 means 2 minims

8/16 means 8 semiquavers

Every time signature also has a technical name. You work out thetechnical name by looking at the upper number of the time signature.

You will need to learn this table:

Duple Triple Quadruple

Simple 2 3 4

Compound 6 9 12

Eg. 2/4 is Simple Duple

6/8 is Compound Duple

12/16 is Compound Quadruple.

Grade 5 Theory Revision Notes

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