| g - ASSENTIAL- MUSIC THEORY Gordon Spearritt ALLANS EDUCATIONALPREFACE g@\q\as PIM Vanh It is now fortyybane i music or the end of a section of a piece, a double bar-line is —————— i used: 1. Write a single rest to equal each of the notes given in (a), and a single note to equal each of the rests given in (b) @ lo = I w» = z L ti i Now add double bar-lines to the above examples. 2. Write: (a) a rest equal to half a minim () a rest equal to two quarter-notes Ee : 3. In each of the following substitute a rest for the tied note or the dot: Example: + How many (a) crotchet rests are equal in value to a minim rest? (b) quarter-note rests are equal in value to.a whole note? (©) crotchet rests are equal in valuie to a dotted minim? (d) half-note rests are equal in value to a whole note? Essential Musie Theory Grade 1 15Revision of Units 10 - 15 1. On the staff below write a treble clef, then write as semibreves the notes named Separate adjacent notes by inserting bar-lines, and conclude the example with a Gouble bar-line. Finally, insert a time signature at the beginning: B G E A ie D F E 2, Add bar-lines to the rhythmic patterns given below: gi didtdy gilitiiidy 3. Write these notes as crotchets on a treble staff: fered G D Middle Eonaline Einaspace = B FE A 4, Using beams, change each of these passages of crotchets into quavers and join the stems correctly: 5, Some bars in the following example have missing beats. Fill these in by writing the correct notes: gis bidd Jy) dd dy \ T I 1 I~ 6. Inthe following, insertabass clef, an appropriate time signature, the missing bar-lines, and a double bar- line. Write their names below the notes. Then count the time and clap the rhythmof the completed piece: sete Ps fp f FE asarsemes | z 7. Ineach of the following, substitute a tied note or a dot for the rest: 16 Essential Music Theory Grade 1Revision of Units 1 - 15 L. Name these notes: 2. In the space provided write a single note or a dotted note, as required, to equal in value | the notes given: i » a 3. In the following example write f (a) a brace; (b) a treble clef and a bass clef; and (c) the names of the notes: ieee 4. Some bars in the following example have missing beats. Fill these in by writing the correct rests: on 44 piddd 4d 1 Jd dds id i 5. Write a single note or a dotted note, as required, to equal each of the following ; 6 in value: a | (a) two eighth-notes (b) two minim rests —_(¢) three crotchet rests (d) a minim tied toa crotchet 100 7 Essential Music Theory Grade 1TRE ©——_The Octave; More Leger Lines] If Middle C is played on the piano, and then the next C above, it will be noticed that the two sounds are very alike. If they are played together it will scarcely be possible to hear two sounds — more like one sound, but witha brighter effect. The distance from any note with a certain letter-name to the next note above or below it with exactly the same letter-name is termed an octave (abbreviated 8ve). All of the following pairs of notes form octaves: i = CtoC DtoD EtE FtoF GtoG AtoA BtoB Ctoc As mentioned in Unit 5, a leger line is needed to write Middle C. Leger lines can | also be used to indicate notes above the treble staff, and notes below the bass staff: | Cn een aS=——_ e222 | —— sso Css (istineG) F E DC B Similarly, leger lines may be used to write notes on one staff that are normally written on the other staff. For instance, these notes: F we oS ED Middle cg 2 ea Aa a 2 a are the same’as these: 2, Name these notes: 1s Essential Music Theory Grade 1a ae Slurs, Staccato | In music a curved line can indicate not only a tie joining two notes of the same |. pitch; it may also show that two or more notes are connected in sound, and when | used in this manner it is called a slur. A slur is usually placed over the heads of the notes, that is, on. the opposite sides to the stems: “eS ¥ A group of notes joined by a slur is called a phrase: Tie — a curved line joining two notes Slur—a curved line over or under two of the same pitch so that only the firstis or more notes indicating that they are sounded but held for the value of both. tobe joined or connected, thatis, played | in a legato manner. (‘legato’ is the Italian word for ‘joined’). | | Just as there is a way of indicating sounds that are to be joined, so there is a way of showing sounds that are to be separated. This is done by placing dots above or below the heads of the notes. These dots are called staccato (another Italian word, meaning ‘detached’ or ‘separated’): j 1. Indicate which are the ties and which are the slurs in the following passage. Use T for tie, and $ for slur: oo SU : “yo 2, To this passage of quavers add the signs needed to show that they are to be played staccato: 3. In suitable places add three slurs and one tie to the following, placing the name above each: Essential Music Theory Grade 1 “SSnnnRevision of Units 1-19 Ensure that bar-lines ate straight. Use a ruler if neces 1. Add two ties and two sluts to this passage, and write T for the ties and $ for slurs: » | 2, Name these notes: = 3, There are several faults in the following passage. Rewrite it correctly: : " ’ 4. Add the missing bar-lines and a time signature to each of the following tunes: 2a34243=10 ” Essential Music Theory Grade6. Lf the following lines of verse were being set to music, how many beats in the bar 7. On the staff below write a bass clef and then write as minims the notes named. Make the stems of notes as straight as possible, and let them extend as far as the note an octave above or below them should there be? “Running, skipping, leaping, jumping, o'er the fields we go’ eee “Over the border went Morgan thebold’(Anon) eee Separate adjacent notes by inserting bar-lines and conclude with a double bar-line. 1410454218 Finally, insert a time signature at the beginning: —— G E C MiddleC A F D G A C 8. Count the time and clap the rhythms of the following patterns: 2 pe dlddd Wdddld db eld | RUINS | ess Od | 9, In each bar write an octave below the given note: 2 2 100 Write time signatures neatly; let each figure take up two full spaces. Essential Music Theory Grae 1 21Make the stems of notes as straight as possib te, ar and let them extend as far as the note an octave above or below them. 6. [é the following lines of verse were being set to music, how many beats in the bar should there be? Running, skipping, leaping, jumping, o’er the fields we go’ ss ‘Over the border went Morgan the bold’ (Anon) | 7. On the staff below write a bass clef and then write as minims the notes named. Separate adjacent notes by inserting bar-lines and conclude with a double bar-line. 14 10+5+2=18 Finally, insert a time signature at the beginning: ee Ge @ Mite = NF te] N= 8. Count the time and clap the rhythms of the following patterns: ts dlddd dais dd PILLS | RMD. | asd | 9. In each bar write an octave below the given note: R j 2 2 wo | Write time signatures neatly; let each figure take up two full spaces. Essential Music Theory Grade 1 20When writing quavers or eighth-notes, group together the notes which form a single beat. For example, this is correct: but not ‘The quavers circled belong to different beats of the bar. For the same reason: correct incorrect . ov But there are two exceptions to this rule. The first is thatin & or 4 time, the tails of four quavers are usually joined together by a beam; however, in & time this is | done only when the quavers fallin the first and second beats of the bar, or in the | third and fourth beats: =o ‘The tails of quavers that belong to the second and third beats of the bar must not be joined i This is wrong: Te must be written: ; t= 3 The other exception to the rule is that in 4 time, four quavers or six quavers are ° usually joined together in one group. Both of these are correct: 1. Write a bar of quavers in each of the following and group them correctly: ' = EE 2. Add notes to make up the value of a semibreve in each bar: i. = = t= = | 2 Essential Mus Theory GradeLOE ; ___Rests in Time | Just as there are certain rules about writing notes within bars, so there are points to watch when writing rests. The basic rule is to write a separate rest for each beat. For instance: , is correct, but is incorrect, because the beat is a crotchet beat and a minim rest worth two beats was used. However, in time a minim rst is used to show silence for the first and second beats of the bat, or for the third and fourth beats, but not for the second and third beats together. and are correct, oe at but is incorrect and should be written: 1, Complete the following bars by adding the appropriate rest or rests: The following examples show some incorrectly used rests. Rewrite them in the space provided, using the correct rests 3. Complete each bar with two notes: 4. Complete each bar with one rest: Essential Music Theory Grade 1 23Write each of these notes on a different staff: Example: : 2 Revision of Units 10 - 22 L 2. Add two ties and two slurs to each of these tunes: 54510] psscez] 3. Distinguish between staccato passages and legato phrases in the following tune. Mark staccato with an S, and phrases with P: 8 animes ——_S ; . . 4, In each bar write a note an octave below the given note: 2 5. Count the time and clap the rhythm of each of the following: 21 isis be slsi lls | aLIIINNIIL basis ls 1 od mu Essential Music Theory Grade 1Rewrite this passage in notes and cests of half the value of those given 7 There are several errors in note grouping inthe following example. Rewtite it correctly: 8. Add time signatures to the following bars: When an exercise is completed, make a final check to see that the stems of notes are going the right way Essential Music Theory Grade 1 25ne __Anacrusis Sometimes in music a tune begins on the last beat of a bar rather than on the fist beat, The same thing can be noted in poetry, for example in the line: “Tlove a sunburnt country’ (D Mackellar) where the first accented word is ‘love’, and the pronoun ‘I’ falls on a weak beat. The beginning of the tune, ‘The Ash Grove’, is a good example of this in music. Such an up-beat at the beginning is known as an anacrusis. By yon-der green val- leys Whenever this happens, the last bar of the music is also incomplete, so that the i first and last bars together make up the value of one complete bar: —~- + cor 1 may roam. 1. Add time sigiatures to éach of these tunes: etl 2: Add a time signature and the additional bar-lines necessary 10 complete each of the following melodies: eer ea 1 aS = == Ft = t + i 4 i 26 Essential Music Theory GraTones and Semitonés; Sharps and Flats | tn Western’ music (0 called because it has its roots in the music of Western | Europe), the smallest distance or interval between any sound and the very next | One above or below itis called a semitone. Sometimes a semitone will be between two white notes on a keyboard, but mostly it will be between a white note and a | black note. Since ‘semi” means ‘halt’, a semitone must be half a ‘tone’, and a tone must be equal to two semitones, There are twelve semitones in an octave, but only seven letter-names. The five | Rotes that are black notes on the keyboard have no letter-names of their own. To give these black notes a name it is necessary to refer to the white notes ext to them. To name a black note relative to the white note below it, a sign called a sharp # is used. To name the black note from the white note above it,a flat b is inserted. From this diagram of two octaves of a keyboard, notice how the notes are named, with alternative names for each of the black ones: cot orca ctpk FiGat Db Eb Gb AbBb Db Eb Gb Ab Bb eT The signs for sharps and flats are always written in front of the notes to which they refer; they must be written on the same line or in the same space as the note. ov Sharps raise a note a semitone Flats lower a note a semitone 1. Which of the following intervals are tones and which are semitones? Write T for tone, and § for semitone: 2. Write three examples of tones in the treble staff, and three examples of semitones in the bass staff: Essential Music Theory Grade 1 7Tie) 8 3=——_ The Natural; Accidentals | When a white note is raised a semitone and there is no black note immediately above it, the next white note becomes the raised note: refers to the same note as B: al | Similarly, to a keyboard player, C flat Sometimes a sharp or flat is used to raise or lower a note a Natural semitone, and then immediately afterwards it may be necessary to play the note without raising or lowering it. When this happens, a sign called a natural 4 is used, which restores a bo—te— note to its original pitch: These signs in music — the sharp, flat, and natural — are called accidentals. i ‘A sharp or flat placed on a line or space affects only the note in that line or space and | | has no effect on the note an octave above or below it. For example, in the passage below, the first F is F sharp, but the second F is F natural: | Note that an accidental in a bar affects every note on that line or space for the remainder of the bar, but for no longer. For example, in the following passage: : = i eet = Bélat (because of the rule _||Bnatural again || Wouldbe F sharp || Fratural mentioned above), even though | because itis in | unless anatural || becauseit | |_| ithas no flat of ts own. i] anew bar. | is inserted. } isinanew (bar, i 1, Write notes a tone higher than these: 2. Write notes a semitone lower than these: ; 28 Essential Music Theory GradeRevision of Units 25 and 26 L. Write two examples of tones in the bass staff, and’ two examples of —~ semitones in the treble staff: 2. Which of the following intervals are tones and which are semitones? ae Weite T for tone and $ for semitone: 3. Write different notes that are identical in sound to those given: Example: pao 4. Write below each of these notes the accidental to raise it a semitone: ‘Write below each of these notes the accidental to lower it a semitone: 6. Mark the tones and semitones in this passage. Use T for tone and S for semitone: (Ty Sy JL ttt 7. Using an accidental, lower each of these notes a semitone: JUL Lt Make sure that the signs for sharp, flat and natural are written on the a same line or in the same space as the notes to which they refer and that they are placed immediately before the note. Essential Music Theory Grade L 291. Count the time and clap the chythm of each of the following patterns: a | BDI Jd Jd | HII adel PUD | ts did SOs JI BJD JI Diss basis ld 2, Add three notes to each rest to make each bar equal to a semibreve in value: —_——— Revision of Units 1 - 27 | | v 3. Write as crotchets the following notes: a Gabove the staff Abelow the staff Dabove the staff G below the staff D below the staff Dabove the staff F below the staff F above the staff 4, Add a time signature and the necessary bar-lines to each of the following melodies: a oo —~ Aeseaeseut = = i J + oes = ov ——— 5. By means of a natural or sharp, raise each of the following notes a semitone: a S L100 J Essential Musie Theory Grade| diatonic scales — are made UP of some combination of five intervals each ofa tone, and two intervals each of a semitone In major scales there are semitones between the 3rd and 4th degrees, and between the {7th and 8th degrees, All other adjacent intervals are tones: G major scale has one sharp (F #) On the other hand, the scale of F major needs a flat: i F major scale has one flat (Bb) 1; How many semitones are there in a major scale, and where do they occur? ~ Show where the semitones and tones occur in the following scale. Use T for tone and $ for semitone: 3 Write in crotchets the scale of F major, one — SEtBv8 Boing up, on the bass staff. Mack the ———————————— + Semitones with slurs a ———— Essential Music Theory Grade 1 31Te Keys and Key Signatures | The term key refers to the scale that is used in a piece of music. For instance, if there are no sharps or flats in a piece, itis usually in the key of C major. Music written in keys which have many sharps or flats can be difficult to read when all of these are inserted in the music. To get around this, the main sharps or flats in the piece are usually grouped together and placed at the beginning of each staff, just after the clef sign. This is called a key signature. Any sharp or flat included in a key signature causes every note with that letter-name in the piece to be sharpened or flattened (not just the one on a particular line or space, as was the case with accidentals). If, for example, this is given: these ‘B's will all be played as 'B flats’ | 2 | —————— s In writing key signatures note the position of the flats or sharps. For instance, the G major key signature in the treble staff is always written: | and/in the bass staff: | 2 . Write the key signatures of the following scales: ee y—— . Write the key signatures of the major scales which would begin on these notes: == 3. Name the key of this tune: a oo Key - 32 Essential Music Theory GradeRevision of Units 29 and 30 |. Write the scale of C major, one octave descending, on the treble’ staff - Mark the semitones with slurs: 2. Write in minims the scale of G major, Mark the semitones with slurs: “face the proper clefs before each ofthese tunes, so that the first will be in G major, and the second in F major: = 1 et =F i 5. Write the scale of F major, one octave descending on the treble staff, _— Use the key signature and mark the semitones wear slurs: 8 6. Write the scale of G major, one octave ascending, on the bass staff, _ Use the key signature and mark the semitones with slurs: Remember that the key signature is always and that the time Signature then follow. alphabet. - / placed first after the cle, ___| . "K’ comes before 'T’ in the Essential Music Theory Grade 1 3BScale degree:numbers | In numbering the notes (or what are called the degrees) of ascale, the eighth-note or | cctave has the same letter-name.as the first, so it is numbered ‘I’ also. The scale of | G major will look like this when the degrees are numbered: SSS Wee ee Oe Ol When writing the scale degree numbers under the notes of a given tune, first decide the key of the piece, either from the key signature or from the accidentals. One other way of checking the key of a piece is to look at the final note. If the piece is complete, the final note will usually be the keynote. Here is a melody in C major with the scale degrees numbered: Bee te S22) lava tas) eee ‘Another way of naming the degrees of a major scale is by Sol-fa symbols. These are useful in learning to sing and memorise melodies: = I - “do re mi fa sol la ti do —_ Always space notes according to their time value within each bar; do not crowd them, nor spread them too much. cs Essential Music Theory Grade 1nv 4 Intervals and Chords ; in Unit 25 the terms tone and semitone were used to define the distance between notes |_ that are close together. Now it is necessary to discover how te express the distance or | interval between notes that‘are further apart than a tone. | To do this, look at the letter-names of the two notes concerned, For example, the | interval between C and the note A above it is a sixth, because in counting the alphabet fom to A there are six alphabetical names: C, D, ZF, Gand A. Notice atocth war, | are counted inclusively. The interval is not affected by an accidental such i as a sharp or flat. The interval from F to B flat above is a fourth, regardless of the flat: Bnet asked to write a fifth above G, start with G and count up five leter names: G, A B,C, D; so D must be a fifth above G. | When two or more musical sounds are sung or played together, the result is known as * | a chord. The simplest and yet one of the most complete chords is one consisting of a ote together with the notes a third and fifth above it. Such a three-note chord is called a triad. When the lowest note of the three is the keynote of a scale, the chord is known as a ‘onic triad, because tonic is the name given to the keynote. Here are some tonie tinda | oe Tonic triad of: C major F majér G major - Number the intervals given below: Example: » In each case write one note above the given note to form the inierval required; Se = Sth Octave 2nd 7th 3rd 2nd 7th Using a treble staff, write the tonic triad of C major; [== + Write the tonic triads of the keys indicated by the key signatures given: a Essential Music Theory Grade 1 35Transposition | sol-fa symbols will be the same in the new key as in the original. The note values will be the same also, The points to cemember particularly are to ensure that the interval remains constant, whether this be one step higher, one step lower, a fifth higher or lower, and so on, and that the stems go in the right direction in the new version. ' For instance, if the original phrase were in G major: and it was required to be written in F major: | ‘Transposition simply means moving a piece up or down from one key to another. The | | i NF it would be necessary to see that the two quavers after the first bar line had their stems going up in the new version instead of down as in the original. After alittle practice at transposition, it becomes very straightforward. 1. Transpose this melody down into F major. Add the new key signature and be careful to point the stems of the notes correctly: —— 2, Transpose this melody up into F major. Add the new key signature: ~~ a pe 3. Transpose this melody up into G major: 36 Essential Music Theory Grade 1Revision of Units 13 - 34 |. Number the intervals given below: 2. Name the keys of which 5 these are the tonic triads: 2 3. Mark the tones and semitones in this passage, with T for tone and S for semitone: 7 5 5 = poe | fF Fat to THSATL AL ACE tt tea ‘+ Using an accidental, raise each of these notes a semitone: Example 5. Write in minims the scale of G major, one octave descending, on the treble staff Use a key signature and mark the semitones with slure 2 6. Transpose this melody down into C ma SS 7- Count the time and clap the chythms of each of the following patterns: tJ IQ tds lola OD DOT EQUI Essential Music Theory Grade 1 37TESS Comprehensive Test No. 1 | 1. Complete each of the following bars with quavers properly grouped: 2. Write in minims one octave ascending of the scale of G major in the bass staff. Do not use a key signature, but add an accidental if necessary. Mark the fones with slurs: 2 3. Add a time signature and the missing bar-lines to this melody, and then write the scale degree numbers under the notes: 243+17=22! 4, Using an accidental, lower each note a semitone: i 5. Transfer the symbols in the third column to the boxes provided so that they match the descriptions in the first column. An example is given: A crotchet rest A dotted minim note A semibreve note Aminim rest A half-note An eighth-note A pair of quavers 6. Transpose this melody into the key of G major: a os an w | 38 Essential Music Theory Grade 1 wyTerms and Signs The terms and signs used in music (mostly borrowed from the Italian language), are used to show the intensity of sound (degree of loudness or softness) or the tempe (speed). The commonest terms indicating the intensity of sound or dynamics are as follows: | piano (p) soft crescendo (cresc.or —=——— ) gradually becoming louder | forte loud decrescendo (decese.or ———— } fradually becoming coves | Aiminuendo (dim. or —————) “gradually becoming softer Those indicating tempo are: adagio slowly ‘ccelerando (accel.) gradually becoming faster allegro lively, fast rallentando (rall.) gradually becoming slower presto very fast ritardando (rit, ritard.) gradually becoming slower andante at an easy walking pace _ritenuto (rit, rien.) immediately slower, held back | moderato ata moderate speed a tempo return to former speed Some terms indicate a certain required touch: legato smoothly, well connected staccato short, separated, detached Pome of the signs in general use in music include the brace or bracket, used to join together two staffs to form a Great Staff (see Unit 5), the bar-line, which is a vertical line draws: from ___ the top to the bottom of the staff (Unit 11), and the double bar-line (Unit 15). 1. Give the English meanings of : allegro crescendo ritenuto adagio moderato forte 2. What is meant by: staccato decrescenudo piano ritardando presto accelerando 3. Match the list of terms in the third column with the meanings given in the frst columa: smoothly, well connected andante return to former speed diminwendo at an easy walking pace rallentando gradually becoming softer legato gradually becoming slower a tempo Essential Music Theory Grade 1 39Comprehensive Test No. 2 ——$———— clefs in the following : srse10/ scales and then change the semi- SS —————— ‘Add a time signature to the following phrase, then name the key in which itis written: ~ 3, Write time signatures that fit the following descriptions: Simple quadruple Simple triple Simple duple 4. Some bars in the following passage have missing beats. Write in the missing notes, then count the time and clap the rhythm of the complete passage: gids J eld jd Jd 5. Write the names of these notes: Example: 10+ iS CO 6. For each of the following symbols, substitute those specified: 3r34263+32" Example: Two rests * Two notes One rest Onenote One dotted note Three rests, 7. In the following melody, insert the necessary signs and terms as follows: zs w iw) wy (wi) a) () x = eos + ae 2 = # == ae tated (i Giiy wi) (0) atempo sign that indicates ata walking pace; (vi) _a sign to show that the notes in this bar are tobe (i) anappropriate time signature; wellconnected; (Gi) asign thatindicates the melody begins softly: —_(vii)signs to show that the first four notes inthis bar (iv) a sign to show that these two notes are tied; are to be separated or detached 1) A a guslouter (io adouble baeline 0 i)“ AS to show that the melody gets louder from here to the end: a ime Essential Music Theory Grade 1Aural Work | bho C | Theory of Music and Aural Work are very closely | connected, especially when melodies are being | memorised or created. Singing from written music, | especially sight singing, is one of the best ways to a =. | develop a ‘good ear’. The three activities necessary Sa 1 to develop good aural ability can be shown in a Singing or Playing ‘ Reading Writing diagrar Music Music | Good co-ordination of eye and ear is very important. The eventual aim is to develop the following skills: (i) to be able to hear a tune with the ‘inner ear’ when reading it from music; (ii) to be able to write a tune when hearing it played or sung. Some examples of rhythm tests have already been offered in earlier units, Below are examples of pitch tests requiring the help of a teacher or friend. When examples like these can be managed easily, simple melodies involving both pitch and rhythm, like those in Exercise 2 below, should be written down or sung. Temay take a year or two of constant practice to be altogether confident of these early elements of aural work, but be patient and persevere. 1. Have someone choose examples in random order from the following. In each case have them play the first note and name it, for example, Ist space F. Then: (@) have them play the example as a whole (two or three notes as the case may be), while you write the notes on manuscript; or (©) have them show you the example in written form while you sing it. es 2. Write the following passages. The time signature and first note will be given and the passage will be 1 played three times. Essential Music Theory Grade 1 aNIT 40 Comprehensive Test No. 3 |. Arrange the meanings of terms in the third column in correct order, so that each one matches = its appropriate term in the first column, Write in the space provided 10 legato gradually becoming softer adagio lively, fast dliminwerdo an easy walking pace presto immediately becoming slower a tempo well connected allegro soft staccato very fast andante slowly piano separated, detached ritenuto retum to former speed 2. Using the treble staff, write the tonic triads required. Insert the correct key signatures: =— F major C major G major 3. The following melody shows six errors, each marked with a number. Rewrite it correctly: | aa 8 | @ (iii) (iv) @) a) ‘+ Study the following statements about note values and time signatures. If they are correct place a tick in the box; if they are wrong, mark a cross: (A semibreve is worth eight quavers... (3) time has two minims inthe bar (ii) Two crotchet rests are equal in value to a semibreve .... (iv) § is simple tripte time. (v) The lower figure of a time signature tells how many beats there are in the bar... (vi) A minim rest is worth two crotchet rests tn Essential Music Theory Grade 16. Add bar-lines to the following: | | | | 35a a | = 7. Write these intervals above the given notes: 6th 3rd Bve nd 7th = Sth 4th 6thS Sth Srd_—Bve Remember that dots after notes lengthen their value, but that dots above or below notes make their sounds shorter. ential Music Theory Grade 1 8