AMEBMusic Theory Grade 1

Clefs and Staff

A Treble Clef is also called G Clef because it comes from the old- fashioned letter G

A Bass Clef is also called F Clef because it comes from the old- fashioned letter F

F G A B C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C D E F G

G Line

F Line

Brace (Bracket)

Treble Staff and Bass Staff are combined with brace, a Grand Staff is created

Grand Staff

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Note and Rest Value

Length

(Beats)Brittish Term American TermNote Value

4 Semibreve Whole note

2 Minim Half-note

1 Crotchet Quarter-note

1/2 Quaver Eighth-note

1/4 Semi-Quaver Sixteenth-note

Length

(Beats)Brittish Term American TermRest Value

Whole Bar Semibreve rest Whole note rest

2 Minim rest Half-note rest

1 Crotchet rest Quarter-note rest

1/2 Quaver rest Eighth-note rest

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Time Signature A Time Signature tells you how many beats in a bar.

24

Top number tells you how many beat in a bar.

A crotchet gets one beat.

Simple Duple Simple Triple Simple Quadruple

Simple time means an un-dotted note gets one beat

24

2 34

3 44

4

Rules for writing quavers

24

24

Beats:

or

Quavers can be written in a group of 2 or group of 4

24

False Confusing, where is the 2nd

crotchet beat

Writing Quavers in 2/4 TimeG

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44

Beats:

Quavers can be written in a group of 2 to show each crotchet beat.

Quavers can be also written in a group of 6 when there are 6 quavers in a bar.

When there are 8 quavers in a bar, quavers must be written in group of 4, and the 2nd and 3rd crotchetbeats must be separated.

44

Beats:

34

44

Beats:

34

34

Beats:

or

False

Rhythm can be writtenlike this.

False

Writing Quavers in 3/4 Time

Writing Quavers in 4/4 Time

Rules for writing rests a Semibreve rest is also called“whole - bar rest”It’s value depends

on the time signature

24

34

44

Rests in 34 Time

34

34

Use a separate rest for each beat Do Not use minim rest.

Beats: Beats:

44

44

Beats: Beats:

A minim rest must be used for 1st and 2nd beats, or 3rd and 4th beats

44

Beats:

A separate rest must be used for 2nd and 3rd beats.

False44

Beats:

Example:

False

Rests in 44 Time

or

Semitone and Tone

A semitone is also called a“half- tone”, It is the smallest distance (interval) between any pitches.

A tone is the distance (Interval) that is made of two semitones.

C

Db

A Semitone

C D

A tone

Scale and Key Signature

A scale is a selection of certain notes (usually within an octave)It is made of a combination of seven intervals: tone, tone, semitone, tone, tone, tone, semitone.

Tone Tone Tone Tone Tone

SemitoneSemitone

C Major

Tone ToneTone Tone Tone

Semitone Semitone

# #Key Signature:

Key Signature:

G Major

Tone Tone Tone Tone Tone

Semitone Semitone

b

Key Signature:

bF Major

The word Scale comes from the Latin word

“ Scala”, which means “ladder”.

C Major

Example:

Scale Degree Numbers

A scale degree is a number given to each note of the scale. It shows how a parcticular note of the scale relates to the tonic (Scale degree 1 )

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 1 1765 4

G Major

Example:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 1 1527 4

#

#

Chord - Tonic Triads

When there are two or more sound played or sung simultaneously, it is called a chord.If a chord is made of three line notes or spaced notes, a note together withthe notes a 3rd and 5th above it, we call it a “triad”.

Writing a Tonic Triad

C Major

Example:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 1 53

1. Pick up the notes of the 1st, 3rd, and 5th degree of the scale.2. Write these notes one above the others to make a three- note chord.

Tonic Triad

Writing Transposition

Steps:1. Identify the key of the original melody.2. Write down the scale degree numbers for the original melody.3. Write down the key signature of the transposed melody on the given staff4. Follow the scale degree numbers and transpose the melody in the given key.5. Keep the same articulations as the original melody.

G Major

Example:

2 3 4 5 6 7 1 53

#

1 1

F Major

Example:

2 3 4 5 6 7 1 531 1

b

Tonic Triad

Tonic Triad

44

1 1 5 5 6 6 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 1

44

#

1 1 5 5 6 6 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 1

Key Signature Slur and Staccato

C Major

G Major