TRINITY
COLLEGE LONDON PRESS
Theory o f Music
Workbook
f o r Trinity College London
w r iitt tte
en exam s
Grade 1
Includes
sample exam
paper
C o n ten ts
ntroduction
1
h e stave
2
riting high
high and low notes
3
reble and b a ss clefs
4
id dle C
5
Grade 1 notes
6
Note values.
9
ests
11
Bars, bar lines and time signatures
Tones and semitones
16
Accidentals
eyss C
ey
17
major
ajor..
19
The tonic triad in the key of C major.
Other major keys G
and F
Key signatures
20
22
23
Intervals
28
T he
h e c iirr c
cll e o f 5 t h s
30
Arpeggios
Grouping
13
31
notes and
Grouping rests
beaming quavers
Answ
An
swer
erin
ing
gag
giv
iven
en rhythm
Ostinato
36
39
40
Musical words and
Analysis
33
symbols
41
43
Sample examination paper
47
Different words
53
same
meaning
TRINITY
COLL
CO
LLEG
EGE
E LO
LOND
NDON
ON PRESS
Theory of MusiC
Workbook
for
Trinity College London
written exams
Grade 1
b y Naomi Yandell
Published by
Trinity College London P re ss Ltd
trinitycollege.com
Registered in England
C ompa ny no . 09726123
Copyright Co 2 0 0 7 Trinity College London
Twei
Tweift
fth
h impression
impression,, December 2018B
Un au th o ris ed p h o to co p y in g is illegal
No part of this publication
publication may be copied or reproduced in any
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Designer an d editor: Na t a sha Witts
Music p r o c e s s e d by N ew N o tatio n s Lo n d o n
Printed in E n g l an d by Halstan, Amersham, Bucks
Introduction
Why write down music?
If you r e a d a b o o k y o u a r e read in g a n o t h e r p e r s o n ' s t h o u g h t s . If you play m u s i c y o u
a r e playing a n o t h e r p er
e r sso
o n'
n ' s m u ssii c
ca
a l t ho
ho u g
gh
h ts
ts . P e
eo
o pl
p l e w rrii tte
e b o ok
ok s a n d m u s i c s o t h a t
t h e y c a n s h a r e th eir ideas .
e m u si
si c is i m p o r t a n t b e c a u s e it he l ps mu sician s t o play
L earn in g to r e a d a n d w rrii tte
w h a t is w r i t t e n d o w n quickly a n d easily. Having sa i d th at, s o m e brilliant m u s i c i a n s
a t 's
's g r e
ea
a t , but if y o u w an
an t t o
h a v e n e v e r l e a r n e d t o r e a d m us ic. The y play by ear. T h at
play
in b a n d s a n d orchestras,
or
to write y o u r
own
music, you n e e d t o l e a rn to r e a d
and write music.
Using th is workbook
tellss you:
tell
you:
Th e writing in th e boxes
A b o u t t h e m usi c t h a t yo u sing, o r p la
la y o n y o u r i n s t r u m e n t
What you need to know to pass your Trin
Trinity
ity College London Grade 1 Theory of
Music exam
Doing t h e t a s k s
.
U se a pencil with a s h a r p poi nt a n d a fairly so ft lead s o t h a t y o u c a n easily r u b
o u t w h a t you h av e wri t t e n if you n e e d to
B e c a re ful t o b e a c c u r a t e with m us ical n o t e s a n d s i g n s t h i s will m a k e a
difference to your marks b e
ec
c au
au se
se t h e ex am
am iner
iner m u sstt be able to read what you
h a v e wri t t e n
R e a d t h r o u g h t h e boxe s t o m a k e s u r e you u n d e r s t a n d h o w t o d o t h e t a s k s a n d
a s k for he l p if you n e e d it
T h e first t a s k in e a c h sectio n h as usually b e e n d o n e for you in red t o s h o w you
wha t to do
pictures of the piano keyboards, including the o n e o n page 53.
d o not play a keyboard i n s t r u m e n t
They a r e t h e r e to help you, e v e n if you
Use the
Always try t o play, sing o r tap the music you write. This is a very important
part of learning,
you in t h e
exam
It will
you 'hear w h a t y o u write in y o u r h e a d .
w h e n you h av e to work in si l e nc e
and will
help
help
What comes next?
s o m e sample p ap ers. You c a n purchase t h e m from
you h a v e finished t hi s book try
a sk y o u r t e a c h e r t o e n t e r y o u for
www.trinitycollege.com/shop. You will t h e n b e ready to
t h e G r a d e 1 Theory of Music e x a m .
W he n
The s t a v e
Music is usually written on a set of five lines called a stave.
The n o t e - h e a d s ( t h e o v al-sh ap ed d o ts s h o w n below) c a n be put e i t h e r o n t h e
lines, like this :
Handy tip
Note-heads
are oval,
not round
in shape.
Or in the spaces between the lines, like this:
1
2
e ve ry line.
Leave ga ps be t we e n t h e notes a s shown in th e
Write
a
note-head
on
examples
above.
Wr
Writ
itee a note -hea d in every space.
3 W r i t e t h r e e not e -he a ds o n th e third line up from th e bottom.
Then write th ree not e -he a ds in t he first space.
4
2
Wr
Writ
itee a note-hea d on every line
line and in every space.
Writing high
High
a n d low n o t e s
notes
Th e lines
are
w r itten
coming
near
the
top
o f t h e s t a v e a n d l ow n o t e s
near
the bottom.
f r o m t h e n o t e - h e a d s a r e c a lle d s t e m s .
are
t h e s t e m s g o d o w n a n d if t h e n o t e s
the only line w h e r e a s t e m c a n
low t h e s t e m s g o up. T h e m i d d l e line is usually
m a k e s the m u s i c e a s y to r e a d .
u p o r d o w n . This
go
As a
general rule, if
the notes
Highnotes
are
high
Middle
L L o w not e s
line notes
Keyboard players will k n o w t h a t o n t h e keyboard high
with t h e right h a n d a n d low notes w i t h the left.
notes
are
usually played
1 A d d a s t e m to e a c h n o te -h e a d . Pl a c e e a c h o n e carefully a n d k e e p t h e l e n g t h of t h e
s t e m s t h e s a m e a s s h o w n in t h e e x a m p le s a bove .
Handy
tip
Put stem s on
2
Add a stem to each note-head.
the left of the
not e - he a d fo r
high notes.
Put stems on
he right of the
note-head for
W r i t e five high notes and five low notes using note-heads and stems.
low notes.
4 A d d a s t e m to e a c h n o te -h e a d .
Did you
know?
Some
note-heads are
solid black and
s o m e a r e not.
3
Treble a n d b a s s clefs
To s h o w e x a c t l y w h ic h hi gh o r low s o u n d t o play, e a c h s o u n d h a s a n a m e .
T h e l e t tte
ers use
ed
d t o n a m e n o t e s are A B C DEF G. T h e y r e p e a t t h em s e l ve s o v e r
and over again -
Did you
higher and
higher.
A t r e b l e c l e f ( or G clef) is u s e d fo r hi gh n o t e s . T h e little c u r v e d line in t h e
know?
middle of th e clef curls around the second line where th e note G sits:
People named
G
notes using
letter na m e s
as f a r back
as t he time of
the Ancient
Greeks
1
Write
over
the dotted lines to make treble clefs. Draw them
as one
continuous line.
2 W r i t e five treble clefs. Check that the curved line in the middle of t h e clef curls
a r o u n d t h e s e c o n d line.
A b a ss clef (or F clef) is used for low notes. (The little dots go o n eith er side of
t h e line where F sits):
4
Middle C
3
Write over the dotted lines to make bass clefs.
4
Write five bass clefs. Check that the dots go on either sid
sidee of the line where F sits.
Middle C is a note like any other. It has the word middle in front of it because it
is in the middle of most keyboard instruments. In both the treble and bass clefs
Middle C sits on a little line of its own (cal
(calle
led
d a leger line).
In the treble clef it is written like this:
Handy tip
In the bass clef it is written like this:
Leger lines
are written
the same
Both notes mean Middle C and sound the same.
di
dista
stance
nce away
away
from the
stave as the
If Middle C appears in the treble clef in music for keyboard, the player usually
plays it with the right h a n d - if in the bass clef, the player usu
usuall
ally
y plays
plays it with
stave lines
the left:
Usually
played with
the
right hand
Usua
Usuall
lly
y played
played wi
with
th the left hand
W r i t e three Middle Cs in the
treble clef.
3
Write
three Middle Cs in
the bass clef.
Write in a treble or bass clef to make these notes Middle C.
5
Grade 1 notes
note s
H e r e a r e t h e t r e b l e clef n o t e s you n e e d t o know f o r G r a d e 1:
B Middle D E
F
G A
B
D
E F
C
|
G
B
Learn these first:
Treble clef spaces:
Treble clef lin
lines:
es:
G
B
C
F
You may like to think of words to help you r e
em
m e mb
mb e r t h es
es e (for example,
Every Green Bus Drives Fast).
Did you
1
Name t he se
2
Wri
Write
te two differ
different
ent Ds.
notes
know?
f two notes
have the sa m e
letter name
but they are
in different
places on the
stave, they
are said to be
ot different
registers.
Listen out
fo r notes
a t different
registers next
3 Write two different Bs.
time you
practise your
instrument.
The distonce
be
ett we
w e en
en o n
ne
e
note a nd the
4Write two different Cs.
5
Wri
Write
te two diff eren
erentt Es
Es..
next with the
same letter
nam e is called
an octave
6
Grade 1 notes 9
H e r e a r e t h e b a s s clef n o t e s you n e e d t o k n o w for G r a d e 1:
E
Handy tip
Test yoursef
D
by writing out
every Grade 1
F
E
G
A
B C
D
GA
E F
B MiddleD
Learn these first:
note on a
separate sheet
Bass clef spaces:
Bass clef lines:
of p a p e r a n d
timing how
quickly you
can name
G
each one.
B
D
F
A
A
E
All notes can
be checked
using the G in
the G clef, the
1
Name these notes:
F in the F clef
or Middle C.
A
2
Write two different Gs.
W r i t e two different Cs.
4
Write two different As.
5
Handy tip
Check that
you put the
stems in the
correct place
Name he n o t e s
B
t o find t he h id d e n w or ds .
Write two different Fs.
G
2
Write notes to match the note names.
D
E
D
G
E
C
E
E
8
Note values
Each note lasts for a certain length of time; musicians measure this time by
t h e n u m b e r of silent regular beats within the n o t e value. The b e a t u s e d
t o measure notes in Grade 1 is the crotchet.
feeling
Did you
know?
N o t e s a r e d r a w n in d i f f e r e n t w a y s t o s h o w how m a n y b e a t s to c o u n t while t h e
note is played:
E
Sometimes
Semibreve
This n o t e l a st s for four c r o t c h e t b e a t s
Minims
These n o t e s las t for tw o c r o t c h e t b e a t s e a c h
Crotchets
T h e s e n o t e s last for
Quavers
Thes e notes last
other nam es
for note values
are used,
e s p e c i a l l y in
one
Ameri
Ame
rica
ca.. They
They
are shown a t
the back of
his book. You
do not need
to know them
for Grade 1,
but you can
They
111
are
always
for half
crotchet beat each
a c r o t c h e t beat e a c h .
b e a m e d together for G r a d e 1
(see page 33)
( cr otchet beat)
The note that lasts for three crotchet beats is known as a dotted minim: d
learn about
A d o t after
t h e m a nd use
a
note
means
t h a t half its va l ue
again
is a d d e d t o its
length,
for example:
them in your
exam if you
Minim
C rot c he t
Dotted minim
(two crotchet be a t s)
(one c r o tc
tc h e t b e at
at )
( t hr
hr e e c r o ttc
c h e t be a t s)
w a n t to d o so.
1
Add t h e total n u m b e r
h+
2 t
1
of c rot c he t be a t s in t h e s e not e
+2
values.
4 crotchet beats_
+
9
+
+
+
2 W ri t e six crotchet Gs.
Hand
Ha
ndyy tip
Dotted
m i n i m s in
a
space:
3
Write three mini
minim
m Es and two semibreve Ds.
4
Write three dotted minim
or
Dotted
minims on
line:
Fs and
two dotted minim Gs.
or
Write eight quavers
on
C, beamed
together
in twos.
10
Rests
Each silence withina piece of music lasts for a certain length of time and is called
a r e s t . M usi c i a ns m e a s u r e r e s t s by feeling t h e n u m b e r of silent r e g u l a r b e a t s within
them. The beat used to measure rests in Gr
Grad
adee 1 is t h e c r ot
ot c he
he t .
Rests are drawn in different ways to show how many beats to count while the silence
lasts:
Semibreve rest This rest lasts for four crotchet beats
or
a whole bar of silence in any time signature
s ee page 36)
Minim rests
Crotchet
These rests last for two crotchet b e at
at s e a c
ch
h
rests These rests last for one crotchet beat each
(crotchet beat)
A d o t after a rest means that half its value again is added to its length. But for a rest
lasting for three beats you write:
not
When you first see minim and semibreve rests they look rather sim
simila
ilar.
r. Think
Think
'semibreve submarine' and you will remember that the semibreve rest hangs down
from the line.
1
Write over the dotted lines to make crotchet rests.
rests. Draw them as one con
continu
tinu ous line
line..
2
Match the following rests to the names that cor
correc
rectly
tly describe
describe their
their length
lengths.
s.
semibreve rest
minim rest
crotchet rest
Match
to t h e rests.
note values
following
the
t h e l e ngt h of
in t h e s e n o t e v a l u e s a n d r e s t s .
of c r o t c h e t b e a t s
Add
the total n u m b e r
e
5 crotchet beats
4
.t
+
=
t
12
Bars, bar lines and time signatures
Beats are organised into b a r s with a ba r line a t the end of aach one. For &rade1
bars can hoid two. three o r four crotchet beats. The first beat of t he bar ia a t t e
s t r o n g e r t h a n t h e o t h e r s a n d t h i s a d d s a p a r t i c u l a r c h a r a c t e r to t h e mUSie:
Did you
know?
d u d i e d a r line
2-crotchet bars
Bars are
sometimes
numbered at
the beginning
3-crotchet bars
oeach
o m us
u s ic
icline
( se
se e
page 43) so
that players
ine
end of Diece
c a n easi s ee
where t h e
a r e in a piece
omusic
T h e r e is a t i m e s i g n a t u r e a t t h e be gi nni ng o f t h e m u sic .
Remember
T h e to p n u m b e r of a t i m e siqnature
shows
the
number
of
b e a s na d
For Grade 1
crotchets are
the bects used
T h e b o t t o m n u m b e r s h o w s t h e t y o e of b e a t in a d a r
i n all tim e
mesrs Tthet
Snatures, s o
the bottom
number fo r
t h e time
signatures
s ahways 4
except wtere
o r C s sometimes calied c o m m o n t i m e
C s witten)
W r i t e the correct time signatures
2Write
a
3 W r it e
a bass
treble
w ith c r o t c h e t s ( F s a n d
clef a n d fill e a c h b a r
c r o t c h e t s ( Bs a n d
clef a n d fill e a c h b a r with
Cs).
Gs)
d i f f e r e n t Cs).
with c r o t c h e t s (two
4 W r i t e a b a s s clef a n d fill e a c h b a r
5
C o u n t u p t h e n u m b e r of c r o t c h e t b e a t s in e a c h first bar. In t h e s e c o n d b a r w r ite o n e note
first bar.
E t o s h o w t h e total value of t h e n o t e s a n d r e s t s in t h e
6
Write the correct time signatures.
7
Look at the following music. Add bar lines to agree with the time signatures.
15
Tones a n d s em itones
n o tes from C t o C
If you play all t h e white
on a
keyboard you will be
nlavin. .
the
scale of C major:
Did you
e
0
e
know?
A scale usually
moves up or
down in steps.
These step
stepss are
The d iiss tan
tan c e b e
etw
tw e
ee
en eve
err y white note and the next is not always the same:
- if a black n o te
te c o m e
ess b e ttw
w e en
en them the distance is called a tone.
- if t h e r e is n o black n o t e b e t w e e n t h e m t h e d i st a n c e is c a l l e d a s e m i t o n e
called degrees
You will learn
(meaning 'h
'half
alf a ttone')
one')..
semitone (s)
major scales
on
your
instrument a t
first, but there
are other types
of scale too.
c D EF GA B c D E
semitone (s)
tone ()
In other words, there is a distance of a s em
em iitt on
on e b e tw
tw e en
en e ve
ve rry
y next-door note
o n the k e y b o a r d -
1
b l a c k or w h i t e .
Look at the following pairs of notes and say
say whether
whether the distance betwee
between
n them is a
tone or a semitone. Check the clef each time.
Did you
0
know?
Semitonne_
y o u are a
string player
you can feel
the different
O
distances
be
betw
twee
een
n tone
toness
and semitones
with your
left-hand
e
fingers. As k
your teacher
to show you.
,
6
Accidentals
Accidentals are signs that are put just before a note to tell musicians to change
the pitch (how high or low a sound is). The type of sign used shows how to
Handy tip
Tilt the lines
across the
change it.
The flat (6) lowers the pitch by a semitone.
pitch goes down from B to B flat
sharp signn so
that it doesn't
get muddled
up with the
The s ha r p (#) raises the pitch by a semitone.
stave lines
pitch goes up from F to F s ha r p
and become
difficult to
read:
The natural (t) c a nc
nc e llss a n y previous sign.
0
X
e
pitch g o e s u p f r o m B f l a t t o B n a t u r a l
(by cancelling out the flat)
pitch goes down from F s h a r p to
F natural (by cancelling out t h e sharp)
Did you
know?
An accidental lasts until a n o t h e r o n e on exactly the s a m e line o r s pa c e cancels
it, o r until the next bar line.
Quav
Qu
aver
erss are
are
(Bb)
(F#)
sometimes
beamed
t o g e t h e r in
groups of four.
Look at
(F)
p a g e 3 3 to
find out why.
1
Write over the dotted lines to make flats, sharps and naturals.
2
Write a flat in every space and a sharp on every line.
(Bb)
Handy
Write flat tip
and
natural
nat
ural si
sign
gnss
in t w o parts:
17
3
Write
a
T h e n w r ite t h e i r n o t e n a m e s .
flat just b e f o r e t h e s e n o t e s .
B
Handy tip
Be sure to
4 W r it e a s h a r p u s t before these notes. Then write their note names.
position
accidentals
carefully so
that they
apply to the
orrect note.
Ft
5
Write a natural just before th es e notes
notes.. Then writ
write
e their note names.
D
6
Flatten each middle note below. Then return it to it
itss
7
Sharpen each middle
original pitch.
n o t e below. Then return it t o its
o
O
original pitch.
6
e
O
18
Keys -
C
major
If som eone tells you that a piece of music is in th e key of C major, it means that the
music you hear will mostly us e the notes from the scale of C major.
Within any key, t h e 1st degree of the scale (whatever the register) is the tonic.
For Grade 1 you need to know that it can also be called doh. Tunes often begin and
end on it with the result that the tonic sounds special.
Here is the scale of C major going up:
2
3
A
5
6
tonic
onic
r doh
1
8 (1
or doh
Answer the following questions:
i v e t wo pos s ible n a m e s for t h e 1st d e g r e e in a ny key.
Tonico r doh
W h i c h note is the tonic in the key of C major?
.If
you write a piece in the key of C major, from which scale will you take most of the notes?
.If
you listen to a piece in the key of C major, on which note will the music often begin and
end?
Write the sca le of C major going up.
up. Use semibreves and number the degrees of the scale.
C i r c t e t h e C s in t h e sc a l e you ha ve wri t t e n a b
bo
o ve
ve a n
nd
d label t h e m doh.
2 M a r k the semitones in the following music with a bra
bracke
ckett ( A or V ) and an S for
semito n e.
19
The tonic triad i n t h e
key o f C major
t he s a m e time.
A c h o r d is two o r m o r e n o t e s played a t
A tonic triad is a chord made up of t h e 1st, 3r d a nd 5 th d e g r e e s of a scale,
Here is the scale of C major:
0
6
6
6
2
Handy tip
8 (1)
Here is the tonic triad in the key of C major:
Play this triad
so t h a t you
O
know how
it sounds.
It is called a tonic triad in the key of C major because it is built o n th e
1st degree (the tonic) of the C major scale.
andy tip
Often you will find a Roma
Roman
n numer
numeral
al written
written be
belo
low
w it (I), showing that the
chord is built
Write Roman
numerais
below the
stavels)
I
on
the 1st
degree
of the scale.
Composers (people who invent music) sometimes label
C major a s C
especially if they a r e writing chord
In
fact any chord that
an have this label:
uses
just the notes of
the tonic triad in
symbols for quitar.
this triad (whatever the
register)
C
Handy tip
Write chord
symbols obove
the stavel).
Chords and tunes that
only u s e C, E and G fit
hords o r tunes a r e in the
treble o r the bass
together
clef.
well
-
whether the
20
1 A d d Es and Gs to make tonic triads in the key of C major.
A d d either E or G to make tonic triads in the key of C major.
8
id you
B
Look a t t h e music below. It is all w r it
it t en
en u si
si ng
ng t he not e s of t h e tonic tr iad in t h e key of
C major. Label t h e pa rt t h a t has t h e t u n e a n d t h e pa rt t h a t plays t h e chor ds .
know?
The brace
shows that
Tune
the two
staves of
music should
be played at
the s a m e time.
Handy tip
Stems ona
high chord:
8
Chords
(
Stems o n a
low chord
4
Using
Using minims,
minims, write out the tonic triad in the key of C major
Choos e which t on
on ic
ic t o s t a r t on.
21
Other
major keys
- G and F
w h i t e n o t e s o f the
using just t h e
T h e key o f C major is t h e only major key
a d d e d to make the
fl a t s n e e d t o b e
a
n
d
ke yboa rd. In o t h e r keys sharps
major s c a l e y o u will find
a n d s e m i t o n e s . In a n y
t
o
n
e
s
o
f
majo r-scale pattern
8 t h d e g r e e s o f the scale.
4th and 7th
b e t w e e n the 3rd
semitones
only
1
Look a t th e
an d 7 th
following
scales
an d
put
a bra c ke t
A
or
V)
Then add a ny sharps
8 t h degrees of th e scale.
between
or
t h e 3 rd
4th
f l a t s n e c e s s a r y to
make
t h e s e major scales.
Scale of G major
e
2
Did you
know?
egrees of
Scale of F major
e
0
the scale g0
87654321
if th e scale
goes dowwn.
8 (1)
3
1) 8
7
e
Scale of G major
8 (1)
Scale of F major
0
2
5
8 (1)
Scale of G major
e-
(1) 8
22
3
2
1