Music Theory Sample Paper 2020 Grade 4

Exam duration: 2 hours maximum Total marks (out of 75):

The following sample exam paper is a printed representation of how this exam will appear
online. The structure of the questions, the knowledge required and the topics covered will be
the same. However, in order to suit an online platform, the wording of the questions and the
method of answering them may be different.

Terminology:
bar breve semibreve minim crotchet quaver semiquaver demisemiquaver
measure double whole note half note quarter note 8th note 16th note 32nd note
whole note

© 2020 by The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music 1

 Music Theory Sample Paper 2020 Grade 4
Exam duration: 2 hours maximum

1 Rhythm ⁄10

#
1.1 Circle the correct time signature
3 for each of these bars. (3)

& # œ ™ œ œ œ3
3
œ œ™ ‰

&# œ™ œ œ œ œ œ™ ‰ 3 9 c

(a)
& œ™ œ œ œ œ œ™ ‰ 4 8
œ œ™ œ œ
? œœ #œ œœ œ œ™ œ œ 6 3 2
? œ #œ œ œ œ™ œ œ 16 8 4
#œ

(b) ? 3
&4 œ œ œ œ œ œ

? œ ˙˙ Œ œœ œœ 12 3 6 3
(c)
? Ϫ
œ™ Jœ ˙ Œ œ œ 8 2 4
? œ™ Jœ Œ 3œ 3 œ
œœœœ œ

J &4 &8 œ œ œ œ œ
3œ œœœœ œ
3 3
1.2 Here is a bar in simple time:  & 4
& 8 œ™ œ œ œ œ
(1)
3 3 œ 9 œ
&4 œ œ œ œ œ œ & 8 œ 3œ œ œ œ
Which of the following shows the bar above correctly rewritten in compound time? Tick ( ) one box.
3 œ œ œ œ
3 2

&8 œ œ
3

2& 38 œ3 œ 4œ œ 5œ œ 6 & 79 œ48™ 3 œ 49œ œ œ œ 11 &1298 œ ™ œ œ œ œ œ

48
10
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
4 9 ™
7 8 9 103 11 12  
4 4 4 4 4 œ œ
2 3
œ œœ œ
 

4 5œ 6 & 87 9 8
8 ™ œ8 œ œ 8 œ 8 8 œ 8™ œ œ8 œ2 8œ œ 8
2 9 3 9 10 11 12
7
8
&8 8 9
œ 10 11 12 & 8
8
8 8 8 8 82 8
97 by™ adding
8 aœ9number œ 10œto each.
3

16 & 816 œ 16œ œ 16

1.3 2Complete3 the following
4 5 two sentences
6 11 12
& 8 œ16™ there
16 16 16 16 16 16 16
Ϫ
(2)

7 8 9 9 œ16œareœ…………
10 11œ œ 16
12
16 16
(a) In 16 dotted-quaver beats3 in a bar. ? b 68 œ œ œ™ œ œ
2
2(b) In 2 ,
3 3
4œ3 is equal
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
œ œ 2 2 to …………
2 2 2
minim(s). 2 2 2 2

? b 68 œ ™
7 8 9 10 11 12
2 2 2 2 2 2
œ œ œ™ œ œ ? b 68 œ œ œ œ œ™ œ œ
J
1.4 Tick ( ) one box to show which bar is grouped correctly. (1)

? b 68 œ ™ œ œ œ™ œ œ ? b 68 œ œ œ œ œ™ œ œ ? b 68 œ ™ œ œ œ™ œ œ
 
J  
J

? b 68 œ œ œ œ œ™ œ œ ? b 68 œ ™ œ œ œ™ œ œ

J 2 J
1.5 Tick ( ) or cross ( ) each box to show whether the rests are correct or incorrect. (3)

? # 42 œ™ œ ˙ Ó Ó œœ ‰Ó œ™ œ œ ˙ ˙™ Œ Œ
J J œ ˙

&
2 Pitch ∫w ⁄10
&
∫w
&
2.1 Tick ( ) the box to select the name of each of these notes.

(4)

? ∫w
&
∫‹ w

(a) G double A double C double
A flat
? w flat flat flat

‹w

? D double B double
(b)

bw
‹ w
D sharp
sharp sharp
C sharp

B
?

bw
‹ w
B
(c) A flat C flat B flat G flat
bw
B # w
bw
&
B
(d) # w F sharp A sharp G sharp E sharp

& #w B #w &
& #w
2.2 Rewrite these notes in the given clefs, keeping the pitch the same. (2)

& w
B #w &

(a)
(b)
? &

w
?
&

A
  BRSM Sample Paper 2020 Grade 4 3 Turn the page
 3 ™ œ œ œ
& 4 œ™ œ œ
&4 œ œ 3 œ œ

™
2.3 Compare bars A, B and C, then circle true or false for each of the two statements.
œ œ
(2)
œ
B 433
œ œ ™ œ œ œ
œ™ œ œ
œ œ 3 œ œ
A &4 B  B 4
     

3 œ ™ œœ œœ œœ
B 443 œ ™ œœ
? ###
œ™ œ
C  ? 43 œ œ œ &
& ∫w
(a) A and B are at the same pitch true   false

œ ™ œ lower than A
? 43 œ œ œ ### ? ####
# w
& ∫ w & ‹w
?
&

(b) C is one octave true   false

# w b w
∫w
# &following #### & & #w
? ?
# #the two?

‹w B ## #enharmonic
2.4 Tick ( ) one box for each of
equivalent of each note.&

questions to show the correct
# (2)

# w b w ## #
w

& ∫ w & ‹w & #w &

& w

? ? ?
(a)                     

### ## # ? ## #
? #### B # #
& # w b w w ∫ w
### ? ? # #
& ‹w       & #w & w ##
? ? ?
(b) 

&
             

# ? # # ∫ w ? bbbbb
? ####b w B # #
#?


w # #
3 Keys& #wScales ## & w #
? ?
and
& ? #### B #### ⁄15

b bbb
w
# ∫ w ?
B(& ? #the
#?#) #one box to show # ? written keybbbsignature
bb &
3.1 Tick
# #
correctly of C# minor. (1)

### w ? #### ## # ? ###

& B # #

∫ w

? # # ? bb b bb b bbb
?
## bb & b & bb
? #### B #### ? ### ? bb b
#
3.2 Tick ( ) one box to show the correctly written key signature of Db major. b b (1)

b b ? bb b b
? bb b
bb & b bb & b bbb b
#
B ### ? ###

? bb b b

#
b b & b bb

bbbb bbbb ? bb b b
Sample Paper 2020 Grade&
  BRSM & b 4 b
? ### ? bb b b
A 4

# bb & b bb bbbb
 # œ ™ œ œ™#œ œ
™ key of each ofœ these three melodies.
3.3 Circle the4correct
& 44 # œ ™ œ œ™#œ œ œ œœ ##œœ œ ˙˙
(3)

& 44 # œ œ œ™#œ œ œ œ œ
(a) & 4 #œ œ ˙ C# minor D major A major E minor

? 68 œ j œ j
bœj œj œ ™ #œ œ œ™
? 68 œ j œ œj œ ™ #œ œ œ™
? 6 œ œ
8 b œ
œ œ ™ #œ œ œ™
(b) G minor G major F major D minor
bœ
? 42 œ bœ œ œ œ œ bœ bœ œ
(c)
? 42 œ bœ œ œ œ œ bœ bœ œ Ab major C minor Eb major F minor

? 42 œ bœ œ œ œ œ bœ bœ œ

3.4 Circle true or false for each statement. (2)

(a) This is the correctly written chromatic scale beginning on G true   false

w bw nw w #w w
& w bw nw bw nw w #w w
w #w w bw nw w #w
& w bw nw bw nw
(b) This is the correctly written chromatic scale beginning on B true   false
? w #w nw #w nw #w #w nw #w nw #w nw w
? w #w nw #w nw #w #w nw #w nw #w nw w

3.5 Tick ( ) one box for X and one box for Y to show which notes are needed (2)
to complete the scale of F# harmonic minor.

X Y
#w #w w #w
& w #w


X Bb A# A C

Y G# G B B#

A
  BRSM Sample Paper 2020 Grade 4 5 Turn the page
 ?
? w bw bw w w w
? w w b
b w
w b
b w
w w w
w w
3.6 Tick ( ) one box for each named scale, to show which scale is correctly written. (2)

? w b w b w w
w
?F melodic
w bw
w ascending b w w w w
w w bw bw
(a) minor,

? w bb w bb w
w w
w
? w w b
b w
w b
b w
w w w
? w w

? b w b w w bw w w
w w w bw bw w
? w b w b w
? w w b w w w
b w b w bw bw w

w w bw bw w
? w w
?
? w #w bw bw w bbw w
w w
w
w #b w #b w w w
B w w w #w #w w

? w #w #w #bw w bw w w
(b) BB major, w bw
w descending w #w #w w
? w #w b w w bw w w
w # w #b w # w
B w
B w #w ##w w ##w w w ##w w ##w w w w
B w #w #w w

w
w ##w w ##w ##w
B
B w w w w ##w w ##w w w w
w #w #w #w w

B w w ##w
w ##ww # w w #w #w w
B b w w w #ww bww ##w
B w ##w w w w
B w w bw
w
b w #ww #ww #ww bww #w #w w

B
B w w bw
3.7 Look atwthis scale:
#w #w #w w #w
B bb w w w
w w w w # w w
(4)

B
B w bbw w w w w w bbw w
& # w w ‹ w # w
#b w # w w w w # w
B w bw w w bw
& # w # w w ‹w #w
b
Circle#true w w
or# false forw
weach ofwthe following
B w bw four w statements
w bw
about this scale.

&
&This is the#correctly # w # w w ‹‹w
w ##w
w
(a)
## w w w # w w
written scale of G# melodic
# w
minor, ascending true   false
w #w w
(b) The largest interval between two notes next to each other is a major 2nd true   false
& #w w ‹w #w

w #w
(c) There are three pairs of semitones in this scale
#w #w
true   false

true   false
& #w
(d) The mediant is B
#w #w w ‹w
#w #w w
A
  BRSM Sample Paper 2020 Grade 4 6
 ? ?
bw & #w
4 Intervals  ⁄10
bw w
4.1 Write notes to form the named intervals. Your note should be higher than the given note. (6)

? ?
(a)
& #w (b)
bw (c) 
& #w
major 3rd perfect 5th diminished 4th

? ? ?
&
(d)
bw (e)
& #w (f) 
bw
minor 6th major 7th augmented 4th

?
& #w ?
& bw ?

4.2 Circle the type of each interval.

#w (4)
& w bw
& w bw
& w bw
&
(a) w bw perfect major minor diminished augmented
? bw w
w ?
?
?
& bw
bw w
#w & w
? bw w
?
(b) bw perfect major minor diminished augmented

?
? bw
? bw
? bw & w
? b #ww bw
(c) perfect
major minor diminished augmented

bw bw
bw
& bbw bw
(d)
& bw bw perfect major minor diminished augmented
w bw
& bw
& ww
& b

A
  BRSM Sample Paper 2020 Grade 4 7 Turn the page
 #ww
& w
5 Triads/Chords#ww
⁄10
& w
#wfalse for each of the following four statements.
5.1 Circle true orw
& w (3)

? #w w
(a) &
w
w This is the subdominant triad in F# minor true   false
? w
w
w
? w
(b) w
w
This is the dominant triad in Bb major true   false
?
? #w
#ww & # w
w

? w
#w
(c) This is the tonic triad in B major true   false
w

? w

#ww
? & w
w
(d) b w
w
This is the tonic triad in F minor true   false
#ww bbb w

&
w
w ? w
w
bww & #w #w
w
& bww
w
& bw
w
w
5.2 Name each of these triads by writing either I, IV or V in the boxes underneath. (3)

C# minor Db major E minor

? bbb w
w
w
(a)  & ##w
w
w      (b)       (c)  & ##w
w
w

bbb w
w

{
w
5.3 Write either I, IV or V in each of the three boxes underneath this extract to name each chord.
?
(3)
The key is G minor.
& ##w w
j w
b3 ˙ œ™ œ œ œ̇ œ œ
& b 4 œœ ˙ œ ˙ œ œ ˙
œ ˙
? bb 43 #œœ ˙ œœ ˙˙ œ ˙˙ #œœ ˙
˙ œ ˙

& ##w
w
w

A
  BRSM Sample Paper 2020 Grade 4 8
6 Terms, Signs and Instruments   ⁄10

6.1 
Tick ( ) one box for each term. (3)

giocoso means: 
tempo rubato means: amabile means: 

lively, quick with some freedom of time heavy

playful, merry in time at a medium speed
slow, stately as before in a singing style
sweet   at a comfortable speed pleasant

6.2 Circle one term that has a meaning similar to allegro. (1)

andantino     presto     allegretto     andante

œfi
œ
j
œ
j
œ œœ œ m
œ M
œ œ¶
T T
œ Ÿœ
6.3 Circle the name of this ornament: (1)

upper turn    trill    upper mordent    lower mordent

6.4 Circle true or false for each of the following five statements. (5)

(a) The cello is the lowest-sounding string instrument true   false

(b) ‘arco’ means to play near the bridge true   false

(c) The tuba can be played ‘con sord.’ true   false

(d) Cymbals produce sounds of indefinite pitch true   false

(e) The bassoon is a brass instrument true   false

A
  BRSM Sample Paper 2020 Grade 4 9 Turn the page
7 Music in Context ⁄10

Look at this melody and then answer the questions that follow.

œ ™™ # œ œ œ œ œ 2 œ™# œ œ
Agitato

#
## # 4 R œ œ œ Æ Æ
œ œ œ œ œ Æ j
œ
‰ Œ ‰ ‰ #œ J ‰ œ' ‰ Ó
1 3 4

& J J ™ ™
4 3
ff sf 3

#### . œ œ. ™ œ . œ . œ 8 .
Ϫ j U
r œ ‰ œœ œ™ œ œ Œ œ œ™ #œ œ ‰ œ‰ ˙
5
3 6 7

& œ ™™ œ œ
™
J .
p

7.1 Answer the following questions by writing numbers. (5)

(a) How many semiquavers is the first note of bar 5 worth? …………

(b) In which bar is there a sign which means ‘forced, accented’? Bar …………

(c) How many intervals of a perfect 4th are there in this melody? …………

(d) How many bars contain at least one quaver rest? …………

(e) How many times does the leading note in the key of C# minor occur? …………

7.2 Circle true or false for each of the following three statements about the melody. (3)

(a) All the notes in this melody can be found in the scale of C# harmonic minor true   false

(b) This melody is to be played calmly true   false

(c) Six notes are marked to be played staccatissimo true   false

A
  BRSM Sample Paper 2020 Grade 4 10
7.3 Which of the following bars will sound the same as bar 1? Tick ( ) one box. (1)

###### 4 ““œ™™ “””

Agitato
”
Agitato
Agitato
œœ œœ ‰‰ œœ œœœ œœœ
1

# ## ## 44 œ™™
1
1
&
& # 4 œ™™ œRR œ ‰ œ
& R 3

ff 3
ff 3
ff

# œ ™™™™
Agitato
œ
## œœ ™™ ## œœR œœœ œœœ ###œœœ œœ
Agitato
Agitato
# œR
1

cc ‰‰ 33
1
1
&
& c R ‰
& ff 3

ff
ff

œ ™™™™ # œ œ
Agitato
œ
##### 4 œœ ™™ ##œœR œœ ‰ œœœ ###œœœ œœ
Agitato
1
Agitato

#### 44 R ‰
1
1
&
& R ‰
& 4
ff
ff
ff

7.4 Tick ( ) one box to show bar 2 correctly rewritten in notes of twice the value. (1)

Ϫ
22 ## ###### 44 Ϫ
œ™ ###œJœœJ ˙˙˙ œœœ œœ œœ
&## 42 ÓÓÓ œœ
& # # 22
& J
2

sf
sf 33
sf 3

Ϫ
22 ## ###### 44 Ϫ
œ™ ###œJœœJ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœ œœ
# # Œ
Œ Œ
Œ
& 42 J
& # # 22
& Œ Œ œ3 œ
2

sfsf 3
sf 3

Ϫ
## ###### C Ϫ
œ™ ###œJœœJ ˙˙˙ œœ
ŒŒŒ ŒŒŒ œœ œœ œœœ
22

&### # CC
& J
2

& sf 3 3

sf 3
sf

A
  BRSM Sample Paper 2020 Grade 4 11 End of exam