Musicianship diagnostic revision sheet
Note reading basics in four clefs
Use the centre of the bracket in the c clefs to locate middle c
Treble clef rhymes are FACE and Every Good Boy Deserves Fun
Bass clef rhymes are All Cows Eat Grass and Great Big Dogs From Africa
Basic rhythms
Note tree
Simple/compound time
Circle of fifths
Go to the right up a fifth the number of sharps increases
Go to the left down a fifth the number of flats increases
From the major travel down four semitones/a minor third to find the
relative minor
Sharps are FCGDAEB – Flats are BEADGCF
Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle/
Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles Father
Intervals
Count the note you start on and the note you finish on
2nds, 3rds, 6ths, 7ths
Augmented
4ths, 5ths, 8ves
Augmented
Major/Minor
Perfect
Diminished
Diminished
The bottom note is always the key note of the interval. Regardless of the key signature the key the interval
follows is of the bottom note.
Transposition
Major Second/two semitones – Clarinet in Bb, Trumpet in Bb
Minor Third/Four semitones – Clarinet in A, Trumpet in A
Perfect Fifth/8 semitones – Cor Anglais, French Horn
Chords
Cadences
V – I Perfect (fully closed)
? – V Imperfect (unsettled)
IV – I Plagal (Amen)
V – VI Interrupted (opposite tonality)
Technical names of scale degrees
Instruments of the orchestra
Instrument
Violin
Viola
Cello
Double bass
Clef
Treble
Alto
Bass/tenor
Bass
Notes
Flute/piccolo
Oboe/cor anglais
Clarinet/bass clarinet
Bassoon/contrabassoon
Treble
treble
Treble
Bass/tenor
Piccolo transposes up and octave
Trumpet
French horn
Trombone
Tuba
Treble
Treble
Bass/tenor
Bass
Arco – with the bow
Pizzicato – plucked
Col legno – with the wood of the bow
Con sordino – with mutes
Sul ponticello – play near the bridge
Flutter tonguing – rasping tone (usually flutes)
Transposes down an octave
Contra transposes down an octave