ABRSM Grade 4 Online Music Theory

Explore how time signatures define rhythm: the top number sets beats per bar, the bottom number defines the beat's note value, with examples like 2/4, 3/4, 4/4 and 3/8, 6/8.

Explore how double dotted notes extend rhythm by two dots, multiplying a note’s value by 1.75, such as a double dotted crotchet equaling 1.75 crotchets.

Learn the time value of notes and rests from crotchet to brief, including dotted and double-dotted values, and practice common note-value combinations for exam familiarity.

Explore triplets, duplets, and other irregular time divisions, learning how three becomes two and two becomes three, with practical rhythm examples and note-value relationships.

Identify simple versus compound time by grouping beats into two or three, using examples like 2/4, 3/4, 4/4 (simple) and 6/4, 9/8, 12/8 (compound), and learn the convert-between rule.

Master the difference between simple and compound time, convert note values to preserve rhythm when changing time signatures, and apply triplets and dotted notes to crotchets, minims, quavers, and semiquavers.

Learn beat-by-beat grouping for 2/4, 3/4, and 4/4 time, avoid unnecessary ties, and beam quavers and semiquavers correctly while grouping rests and handling full bar rests.

Learn to group notes in 2/2, 3/2, and 4/2 time by minim beats, manage quavers, semiquavers and semibreves, and rest patterns without crossing beat boundaries.

Learn to group notes and rests in 3/8 time by beams for quavers and semiquavers, and split rests into quaver beats with semiquaver rests when needed.

Learn the grouping of 6/8, 9/8, and 12/8 as three beat patterns, beaming three quavers per beat. Apply the three eight time grouping consistently to avoid confusion.

Explore the alto (auto) clef, learn how middle C is indicated, and follow stepwise pitch changes from treble to bass ranges with reference notes C3, middle C, and C5.

Explore anharmonic notes and how sharps, flats, and their doubles alter pitch by semitones, revealing enharmonic relations such as c sharp with d flat and b sharp with c.

Explore enharmonic equivalence and anharmonic notes on the keyboard, learning spellings like C sharp, B sharp, D flat, and D double flat, with a guided fill-in using the course PDF.

Explore major and minor keys with sharps, including key signatures, harmonic minor seventh sharpening, and determining corresponding minors up to six sharps.

Explore major and minor keys with flats, fill a key-signature table, and determine sharpened seventh notes by counting four steps for flats and six steps from major to minor.

Explore major and minor keys via key signatures, apply harmonic minor sharpening of the seventh (including possible double sharp for sharpened seventh), and master melodic minor ascent and descent.

Learn the D minor scale with harmonic and melodic forms. Note ascending and descending patterns, sharpen the seventh in harmonic minor, and sharpen the sixth and seventh in melodic minor.

Learn chromatic scales by moving up or down a semitone, draw two octaves on the keyboard, and use sharps and flats while ensuring every note is used at most twice.

Learn how to evaluate chromatic scales in question 3.4 by applying rules: each note at least once, at most two repeats, and ascending semitone steps, using F and C examples.

Learn to identify intervals by their distance (the number) and by their quality, distinguishing major, minor, perfect, diminished, and augmented intervals, while ignoring accidentals for the count.

Learn a three-step method to find intervals by measuring distance between notes and identifying interval types—from perfect, diminished, and augmented for intervals to major, minor, diminished, and augmented for others.

Identify the interval by measuring the distance between two notes while ignoring accidentals. For example, from C to E you get a third.

Determine interval types by checking if they are second, third, sixth, or seventh. Then label major, minor, diminished, or augmented; if distance equals four fifths of eight, consider perfect.

Explore step three of finding intervals with two methods: use a major key as reference or count semitones and consult the interval chart, highlighting memorization needs versus key signature mastery.

Use method one by taking the lower note as the key and compare to the major key to identify interval type: major, perfect, minor, diminished, or augmented by semitone distance.

Use step three method two and the semitone chart to determine interval types by counting semitones, memorizing major, minor, diminished, and augmented forms, especially for fourth, fifth, and eighth.

Learn chords I, IV, V, identifying tonic, subdominant, and dominant functions with C major and D minor examples; minor keys require a sharpened seventh on chord five.

An overview of orchestral instrument families—strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion—covering key instruments, clefs, mutes, transposition, pitch types, and common performance terms for theory study.

Explore music in context by analyzing a short extract and answering exam questions on pitch, rhythm, orchestral instruments, terms, and signs.