LEVEL 1

YOSVANY ESTEPE DIAZ

 Practical Theory
and Sight Reading
LEVEL 1

YOSVANY ESTEPE D.
 Practical Theory and Sight Reading (Level 1)

Copyright © 2022 Yosvany Estepe Díaz

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Published by Estepe Music

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 Table of Contents
FOREWARD 1
AUTHOR’S NOTE 2

PART I: MUSIC THEORY 3

Staff and Ledger Lines 3

Note Symbols and Rests 3
The Parts of a Note 4
Relative Note Durations 4
Note Names 5
Clefs 6
Simple Meter 6
Repeat Signs 8
Dynamics 8
Tempo, Movement 9
Basic Articulation Symbols 10
Ties and Dots to Lengthen Note Duration 11
How to Keep, or Mark, Time 12
Accidentals, Semitone, and Tone 12
Scale 14
Scale Degrees 14
Intervals 15
Triad 16
Primary, or Tonal, Triads 16
Minor Scale and Variations (Harmonic and Melodic) 17
Using Accidentals 18
Key Signature 18
Compound Time Signatures 19

PART II: PRACTICE 21

PENTATONIC LESSONS
Exercises 1, 2, 3 21
Exercises 4, 5, 6 22
Exercises 7, 8, 9, 10 23

TONAL LESSONS IN MAJOR MODE (C MAJOR)

Exercises 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 24

TONAL LESSONS IN MINOR MODE (A MINOR)

Exercises 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 25

TONAL LESSONS COMBINING MAJOR (C)AND MINOR (A MINOR) MODES

Exercises 21, 22, 23 26
Exercises 24, 25, 26, 27 27
 INCLUSION OF THE KEY OF G MAJOR AND ITS RELATIVE MINOR (E MINOR)
Exercises 28, 29, 30, 31 28
Exercises 32, 33, 34, 35 29

LESSONS IN THE DIFFERENT KEYS STUDIED

Exercises 36, 37, 38 30
Exercises 39, 40, 41, 42, 43 31

INCLUSION OF THE KEY OF F MAJOR AND ITS RELATIVE MINOR (D MINOR)

Exercises 44, 45, 46, 47 32

INCLUSION OF THE KEY OF D MAJOR

Exercises 48, 50 33

INCLUSION OF THE KEY OF B MINOR

Exercises 51, 52, 53, 54 34

LESSONS WITH SMALL MODULATIONS

Exercises 55, 56 35

PART III: SUPPLEMENTARY LESSONS 37

PENTATONIC LESSONS
Exercises 1, 2, 3 37
Exercises 4, 5, 6 38
Exercises 7, 8, 9, 10 39

TONAL LESSONS IN MAJOR MODE (C MAJOR)

Exercises 11, 12, 13, 14 40
Exercises 15, 16, 17, 18 41
Exercises 19, 20, 21, 22 42

INCLUSION OF THE KEY OF A MINOR

Exercises 23, 24, 25, 26 43
Exercises 27, 28, 29, 30 44
Exercises 31, 32, 33, 34 45
Exercises 35, 36, 37, 38 46

INCLUSION OF THE KEYS OF G MAJOR AND E MINOR

Exercises 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44 47
Exercises 45, 46, 47, 48 48

INCLUSION OF THE KEY OF F MAJOR

Exercises 49, 50, 51 49

INCLUSION OF THE KEYS OF D MAJOR AND D MINOR

Exercises 52, 53, 54, 55 50
Exercises 56, 57, 58, 59 51
Exercise 60 52
BIBLIOGRAPHY 53
 Foreward
For all of us who have been immersed in the study of music, it is well known that solfège is the
vertebral column of a good musician. If you master this area, you have won a large part of the
battle as an instrumentalist, singer, pedagogue, or whatever your chosen career within the field. It is
not for nothing that many books have emerged throughout the history of the teaching of this art
form to support the development of this skill, in many cases dividing it into solfège for singers and
solfège for instrumentalists.

With ample experience in the classroom and having achieved efficient results, Professor Yosvany
Estepe proposes this new material for the study of solfège, which is very wisely divided into two
parts: 1. Theory and 2. Practice.

Practical Theory and Sight Reading is a clear and effective material that functions both as a textbook in
its first section, where students can easily learn basic terms that are important for any beginning
musician through the use of mnemonic associations and simple explanations, as well as a
compilation of original sight reading exercises.

Another key characteristic of the book is that the author utilizes both alphabetic and syllabic
nomenclature at the same time, allowing students to familiarize themselves with and become
proficient users of systems used in various European countries and the United States within the
classical realm as well as those used universally in popular music.

In the Practice section, Estepe fittingly begins with a reading of the minor third Mi-So, which has
been more than proven to be easy for anyone of any age to sing correctly. As the exercises advance,
he incorporates sounds that compose the pentatonic scale, which are typical in pre-hispanic music
and the folklore of many cultures. Later he incorporates exercises that are founded on the diatonic
scales. One can observe that the exercises have been constructed not only melodically, but also
harmonically, making it easier for the teacher to guide students through initial harmonic analysis
using the major and minor triads that appear in this first level.

It is important to stress that the solfège class is an integration of sight reading with interpretation,
which involves phrasing, dynamics, and of course tuning and correct note duration, theory, and ear
training. This book includes two of those components, and it is a critical part of the teacher’s work
to, employing his creativity, take the elements presented here and during his classes develop the
other components that are so essential to the comprehensive training of a musician.

Sincerely,

Ileana Gueche Hernández

1
 Author’s Note
The main objective of this book is to provide you with the basic musical-theoretic knowledge that is
necessary for good sight reading in solfège, as well as to provide you with exercises that allow you to
apply and practice what you have learned.

I am not at all trying to “innovate.” Rather, I am sharing years of experience as a teacher and
musician, along with the knowledge I have gained throughout my life, thanks to my great teachers
and that divine art form, music.

I humbly hope that Practical Theory and Sight Reading becomes a good friend for both students who
are beginning their music studies as well as for other teachers of this subject.

With all of my heart, for all, and with much affection and respect,

Yosvany Estepe Diaz

2
 Part I: Music Theory

Staff and Ledger Lines

Staff

The staff is a group of 5 parallel, equidistant lines and 4 spaces where music is written. They are
counted from bottom to top.

Pitch and Ledger Lines

Pitch refers to the highness or lowness of a sound. If a note’s pitch falls outside the range of the
five lines of the staff, we can write it on ledger lines. These are small lines placed above or below
the staff that simulate its continuation.

Note Symbols and Rests

The symbols below represent the duration of a sound or rest (silence).

whole half quarter eighth sixteenth thirty-second sixty-fourth
note note note note note note note

Note symbols

Rests

The only rests that have a fixed position on the staff are:

• the whole rest, placed below the 4th line

• the half rest, placed above the 3rd line.

The remaining rests are placed in the center of the staff.

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The Parts of a Note

Music symbols are written with the stem pointing upward when they are below
the 3rd line of the staff and downward when they are above it.

3rd line

When using more than one consecutive symbol with flags, replace those with beams:

Relative Note Durations

When looking at note symbols and rests, the whole note is considered to have the longest duration.
This is why it is used as a unit of value and the rest of the notes as fractions of it.

Note Value In other words, one whole note can be split into two
half notes, one half note can be split into two quarter
notes, and so on. In the same respect, two eighth
whole note unit or whole notes fit inside of one quarter note, two quarter
notes fit into one half note, two half notes fit inside of
half note 1/2 of the whole one whole note, and so on.

quarter note 1/4 of the whole

eighth note 1/8 of the whole

sixteenth note 1/16 of the whole

thirty-second note 1/32 of the whole

sixty-fourth note 1/64 of the whole

If any note symbol is taken as the whole, you will notice the following: the chosen note will last half
as long as the note that precedes it and double the duration of the note that follows it. (The same
occurs with rests.)

4
 or or or or or

or or or or

or or or

or or
The figure on the left shows relative note values
when different note symbols are used as the whole.
or

Note Names
The following syllables and letters1 represent a note’s pitch. They correspond to the keys of the
piano.

Syllabic System Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti

Alphabetic System C D E F G A B

Location of Notes on the Piano

1Unlike English nomenclature, in German the note TI is identified by a letter H, and the note TI flat (Bb) with the letter
B. We will use the English system as it is the most used around the world.

5
Clefs
Clefs are placed at the beginning of the staff. These symbols name the line on which they are
located. Not all instruments read using the same clef due to their register. A note symbol written on
a staff with no clef would lack pitch.

The three clefs are:

Bass Clef (F) C Clef Treble Clef (G)

For lower registers For middle registers For higher registers

They can be placed in seven positions:

• Bass clef on the 4th and 3rd lines

• C clef on the 4th, 3rd, 2nd, and 1st lines
• Treble clef on the 2nd line.

As an example, we will use one staff:

The fourth line The fourth line

is called “F” or is called “C” or
The third line is “Do.” The third line is
“Fa.” The second line The second line
called “F” or called “C” or
is called “C” or is called “G” or
“Fa.” “Do.”
“Do.” “So.”

The first line is

called “C” or
“Do.”

Simple Meter
Music has a rhythmic pulse, like a heartbeat. That consistent pulse is known as the beat, and one
pulse is called a beat unit.

The word meter means measurement, or structure. In music, it refers to the way beats and notes are
organized into measures2, or bars, and it is represented by a time signature that can be found at

2 Barlines are drawn through the staff perpendicularly to create these spaces, or measures. (See “Simple Time
Signatures,” Example 2).

6
the beginning of a piece after the clef. There are different types of time signatures, but for the
moment we will examine simple meters.

Simple Time Signatures

Time signatures can be thought of as fractions with a numerator and denominator. Simple time
signatures use 2, 3 or 4 as their numerator.

Their beats are binary. In other words, the note symbol that occupies one beat (beat unit) can be
divided into two equal note symbols. This is why they are called simple, or binary, time signatures.

Knowing what the time signature tells us is important. We will use the letter X to represent time
signature numbers (numerator and denominator).

X Quantity of beats per measure

X Note symbol (fraction of the whole note) that occupies one beat

Example 1:

Example 2:

This time signature shows four beats per

4 beats with binary subdivision in each measure
measure (numerator) with the quarter note as
the beat unit (denominator). Each quarter
note can be divided into two eighth notes,
four sixteenth notes, or any combination of
notes that fits3.

How to Read a Time Signature

3 Refer to the Relative Note Durations diagrams on pages 2-3 to determine some basic note combinations
that can be used in each beat.

7
Repeat Signs
(APPEAR BEGINNING WITH LESSON 2)

Repeat signs are symbols that we use to repeat a fragment of music. The most well-known are:

D.S. al Coda/Fine

These symbols are used with large fragments of music. When the second sign appears, we return to
the first and conclude at the word “Fine,” or guide ourselves using the indications left by the
composer.

Repeat Bars

Any musical fragment found within these bars should be repeated one time upon arriving at the
second bar. Return to the first repeat bar and continue playing. If there is no first repeat bar, return
to the beginning of the piece.

Da Capo

This is represented by the initials D.C. and means “from the beginning.” Upon seeing this sign,
return to the beginning of the piece.

1st and 2nd Endings

These almost always appear in conjunction with repeat bars. When you arrive at the 1st ending, play
it and return to the first repeat sign or to the beginning of the piece if you do not see one. When
you arrive at the 1st ending again, skip it and continue playing at the 2nd ending.

Repeated measures

We use the following symbols to repeat small fragments of music and usually find them in modern
sheet music.

Repeat the first measure before the symbol.

Repeat two measures before the symbol.

Repeat four measures before the symbol.

Dynamics
(APPEAR BEGINNING WITH LESSON 7)

Dynamics refer to the degree of intensity, or loudness, used to execute one or more sounds in a
musical work. It can be thought of as volume.

Different types of dynamic markings can appear throughout a piece. Some indicate a uniform
volume level, where others indicate gradual increases or decreases in volume or intensity.

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 Common Dynamic Markings and Their Effects

Marking Abbreviation Effect

piano p soft

pianissimo pp very soft

mezzo piano mp moderately soft

forte f loud

fortissimo ff very loud

mezzo forte mf moderately loud

Markings That Indicate Gradual Change

Marking Abbreviation Effect

crescendo cresc.

gradually increase intensity

decrescendo decresc.

gradually decrease intensity

diminuendo dim.

Tempo, Movement
(APPEAR BEGINNING WITH LESSON 8)

Tempo in music refers to the speed which a musical work, or portion of it, should be executed. It is
represented by words in Italian that can be written at the beginning, or throughout the course, of a
piece. These indicators appear above the staff and are related to metronome4 marks, which
represent speed in beats per minute.

4 Metronome: physical, digital, or software device that marks time as beats per minute

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Basic terms to know are:

Range of
beats per Term
minute
200-208 Prestissimo
168-200 Presto
120-168 Allegro
116-120 Allegretto
108-120 Moderato comfortable to read and play
76-108 Andante
66-76 Adagio
60-66 Larghetto
40-60 Largo
40 or less Grave

Basic Articulation Symbols

(APPEAR BEGINNING WITH LESSON 9)

In music, articulation refers to the way in which sounds are played. In this book, we will focus on
some of the most basic articulation symbols.

Phrase Marks and Slurs

Phrase marks and slurs, which are represented by a curved line that spans two or more notes of
different pitches, can give various indications.

• When covering more than two notes, the slur can indicate that the passage should be played
smoothly, without any separation between its notes. This is called playing legato. With the human
voice, this can be done by singing the slurred passage using one breath.5

• When the slur spans only two notes of different pitch, it indicates that the second note (where the
curved line ends) should be played more softly and quickly than the note before it.

5 If the phrase mark is very long, one may breathe respecting the musical idea or phrase.

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Staccato

This is represented by a dot placed above or below the note head. Notes that have it should be
played in a quick, detached fashion as if there were rests written after them.

Ties and Dots to Lengthen Note Duration

(APPEAR BEGINNING WITH LESSON 10)

Tie

The tie, not to be confused with a slur, is represented by a small curved line that spans two notes of
the same name, or pitch. Its purpose is to lengthen note duration by adding the value of the first
note to the second. It can be written above or below note heads.

Augmentation Dot

When a dot is placed to the right of a note head, it increases, or augments, its duration by one half
of its original value.

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How to Keep, or Mark, Time
The beats of different time signatures should be shown by different hand movements.

• When the time signature has two beats, begin with a downward hand movement on the first
beat and an upward movement on the second beat.
• When the time signature has three beats, begin with a downward hand motion on the first
beat, move to the right (or outward) on the second beat, and upward on the third beat.
• When the time signature has 4 beats, begin with a downward motion on the first beat, a left
(or inward) motion on the second, a right (or outward) movement on the third, and an
upward movement on the fourth beat.

Accidentals, Semitone, and Tone

(APPEAR BEGINNING WITH LESSON 16)

Accidentals are symbols that modify a note’s height, or pitch. They are placed to the left of a note
head, occupying the same line or space as the note. The following table shows each symbol, its
name, and its effect.

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A semitone (or half step) is the smallest visible distance between two consecutive keys on a piano.
There are two types of semitones: diatonic and chromatic.

• The diatonic semitone is formed between two notes of a different name.

• The chromatic semitone is formed between two notes of the same name, with one having an
accidental.

Db Gb

Semitones are divided into chromas. The chromatic semitone is larger (5 chromas) than the diatonic
semitone (4 chromas). Two distinct semitones can be added together to create one tone, or whole
step (9 chromas).

Example:

To easily identify a distance of one tone on the piano, just look for two consecutive keys with one in
between them.

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Example:

C# Bb F# G#

Scale
(APPEARS BEGINNING WITH LESSON 11)

A scale is an ordered succession of sounds. The type of scale depends on the quantity of sounds
and distances between them.

There are various types of scales: pentatonic scales have 5 different sounds, diatonic scales have
7 different sounds, and hexatonic scales have 6 different sounds, among others.

If we ascend from a C on the piano until we reach the next C, we will obtain a major scale. This
scale is made up of diatonic tones and semitones. These diatonic semitones can be found between
the III-IV and VII-VIII scale degrees. The name of each major scale is given by its first degree
(tonic)6.

C Major Scale

Scale Degrees
Each note in a scale is called a scale degree. Due to their tonal function and position, each degree
has a specific name:

6In this example, we begin with the note C, but a major scale can be built beginning with any note. One must
only respect the location of the tones and semitones.

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I Tonic

II Supertonic

III Mediant

IV Subdominant

V Dominant

VI Submediant

VII Leading tone (when one semitone apart from the VIII degree), subtonic (when one tone away
from the VIII degree)

Degrees I, IV, and V are called primary or tonal scale degrees.

Intervals
An interval is the distance between two notes. Intervals can be classified according to the quantity
of tones and semitones that they possess as major, minor, perfect, augmented, or diminished.

A practical way to determine and learn the amount of tones and semitones in intervals is to use the
major scale. All intervals initiating on the first degree and ascending will be major or perfect.

M2 M3 P4 P5 M6 M7 P8

Classification of Intervals by Tones and Semitones

Major 2nd = 1 tone Note: Intervals of 4th, 5th, and 8th (unison) cannot
Major 3rd = 2 tones be classified as major or minor. The rest of the
Perfect 4th = 2 tones and 1 diatonic semitone intervals cannot be classified as perfect. ALL can
Perfect 5th = 3 tones and 1 diatonic semitone be augmented or diminished.
Major 6th = 4 tones and 1 diatonic semitone
Major 7th = 5 tones and 1 diatonic semitone
Perfect 8th = 5 tones and 2 diatonic semitones

Understanding the pattern above, one can easily obtain the quantity of tones and semitones of
minor intervals. A minor interval has one less tone and one more diatonic semitone than a major
interval.

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 Interval Tones Diatonic Semitones

Major 6th 4 1

minor 6th 3 2

Major 3rd 2 0

minor 3rd 1 1

Major 7th 5 1

minor 7th 4 2

Triad
(APPEARS BEGINNING WITH LESSON 13)

A triad refers to a combination of three notes, with two of those placed at a distance of a 3rd and
5th from the root.

Perfect major triads are those whose 3rd is major and whose 5th is perfect.
Perfect minor triads are those whose 3rd is minor and whose 5th is perfect.

Primary, or Tonal, Triads

(APPEAR BEGINNING WITH LESSON 13)

The primary triads are those formed on the tonal scale degrees (I-IV-V), maintaining their tonal
function.

• The I triad is the most stable in the scale or key.

• The V triad generates instability and attraction toward the tonic.
• The IV triad is not as unstable as the V, but not as stable as the I.

Tonal
Tonic Subdominant Dominant
Functions

16
Minor Scale and Variations (Harmonic and Melodic)
(APPEAR BEGINNING WITH LESSON 16)

A minor scale is formed beginning with the VI degree of a major scale. It has semitones between
degrees II-III and V-VI. It is called the relative minor because of the relationship that it has with the
major scale from which it came: it has the same key signature and its semitones are between the
same notes (not the same degrees).

A minor scale has two variations: harmonic and melodic.

• To build the harmonic minor scale, just ascend the VII degree in a minor scale by one half
step. Its semitones will fall between degrees II-III, V-VI, and VII-VIII.

A HARMONIC MINOR SCALE

• To build the melodic minor scale, raise degrees VI and VII when ascending. When
descending, those degrees lose their modifications and return to their original position. Its
semitones are between degrees II-III and VII-VIII when ascending and between degrees II-
III and V-VI when descending.

A MELODIC MINOR SCALE

17
Using Accidentals
(APPEAR BEGINNING WITH LESSON 16)

Accidentals can appear and be used in three ways:

1. Key Signature: Accidentals that belong to the key of the song.

2. Accidentals: Changes that are found throughout the course of a work that do not belong to the
key signature and only have an effect during the measure in which they appear.
3. Precautionary Accidentals: These can be found throughout the course of a work (almost
always in parenthesis) reminding us how to play the affected note.

Key Signature
(APPEARS BEGINNING WITH LESSON 29)

The term key signature refers to the accidentals that appear at the beginning of a score, placed
directly to the right of the clef and before the time signature. These show the notes that will remain
affected during the whole piece, unless otherwise indicated within a measure.

The key signature also helps determine the scale, or key, in which a piece is written. An easy way to
decipher the key is the following:

• If the key signature has sharps, the last sharp that appears will be the leading tone (degree
VII) of the major scale or key.

18
 • If the key signature has flats, the last flat that appears will be the subdominant (degree IV)
of the major scale or key. If there is more than one flat, the second to last flat will name the
major scale or key.

Compound Time Signatures

(APPEAR BEGINNING WITH LESSON 40)

Compound, or tertiary, time signatures are based on simple time signatures, but their beats are
subdivided in three parts. This is why they are counted, or measured, the same and are called relative
time signatures. They have the same beat unit as their simple counterpart, with an added dot to make
their beat subdivision tertiary. They have 6, 9, or 12 as numerators.

The time signature indicates the following:

X Quantity of subdivisions, or thirds, per measure

X Note symbol (fraction of the whole note) that occupies each subdivision, or third

Simple Time Compound

Signature Time Signature

beat unit subdivided beat unit subdivided

beat beat in thirds

Keep the following in mind:

• If we have a simple time signature and we multiply its numerator by 3 and its denominator
by 2, we will obtain its relative compound time signature.

19
• If we have a compound time signature and we divide its numerator by 3 and its denominator
by 2, we will obtain the relative simple time signature from which it came.

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Part II: Practice

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Part III: Supplementary Exercises

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 Bibliography
Arnoud, J. (1881). 1600 Exercices Gradués de Lecture et de Dictées Musicales. Alphonse Leduc Éditions

Musicales.

Cabrera, O. (1955). Solfeo Cubano I. Ediciones Trazos.

Dannhäuser, A. (1986). Solfeo de los Solfeos (Vol. 1A, 2A, 3A). G. Schirmer, Inc.

Eslava, D. H. (1986). Método Completo de Solfeo. G. Schirmer, Inc.

Fraga, S. (1946). Teoría Elemental de la Música. Imp. La Milagrosa.

Fuentes, E. (2009). Cuaderno de Ejercicios Para la Teoría de la Música, Nivel Elemental 1-5. Adagio.

Junoi, A. R. (1891). Método Práctico de Lectura Musical y de Solfeo (Vol. 1-3). Propiedad Editorial de

Música.

Lemoine, E., & Carulli, G. (1913). Solfeo de los Solfeos (Vol. 1A, 1B, 1E, 4D, 5B, 7A, 7B, 9A). Henry

Lemoine y Cia.

Melgar, E., & Larrimbe, C. R. (1942). Teoría y Solfeo (Primer Año) (2nd Ed.) Kapelusz y Cia.

Ramos Blanco, G., & Bidot, J. M. (1985). Fundamentos Teóricos de la Música I y II. Literatura Musical

Pedagógica.

Santoys, C. (1979). Solfeo I y II (1er Año). Adagio.

Zamalcois, L. A. (1968). Método Graduado de Solfeo (Vol. 1-5). Casa Editorial de Musica Boileau.

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 Yosvany Estepe Díaz is a Professor of Music
Theory, arranger, and composer with over 20
years of experience in the music industry.

Having played on international

stages and mentored hundreds of students
throughout his career, he thoroughly
understands the importance of acquiring a
solid foundation in theory and sight reading in
order to achieve success in the music
profession.

In this book, Estepe Díaz offers

concise explanations of basic
theory topics and practical
exercises that will get you
reading right away. With
consistent practice, you, too, can
obtain the necessary tools to
achieve fluent and efficient
reading at the beginner level.

L
E
V
E
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