Grade 1 - Exercises

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Contents
Lesson 1: The Staff and Notes.............................................................................................................................. 3
Lesson 2: Clefs ...................................................................................................................................................... 4
Lesson 3: Accidentals ........................................................................................................................................... 5
Lesson 4: Note Names ......................................................................................................................................... 6
Lesson 5: Rests ..................................................................................................................................................... 7
Lesson 6: Dotted Notes ........................................................................................................................................ 8
Lesson 7: Beaming ............................................................................................................................................... 9
Lesson 8: Tied Notes .......................................................................................................................................... 10
Lesson 9: Time Signatures.................................................................................................................................. 11
Lesson 10: Tones and Semitones ....................................................................................................................... 13
Lesson 11: Major Scales ..................................................................................................................................... 14
Lesson 12: Key Signatures .................................................................................................................................. 16
Lesson 13: Intervals............................................................................................................................................ 17
Lesson 14: Tonic Triads ...................................................................................................................................... 18
Lesson 15: Rhythm ............................................................................................................................................. 19
Lesson 16: Dynamics .......................................................................................................................................... 21
Lesson 17: Musical Symbols............................................................................................................................... 22
Lesson 18: Foreign Terms .................................................................................................................................. 23
Lesson 19: Handwriting Music ........................................................................................................................... 24
Lesson 20: Practice Exam ................................................................................................................................... 25
© Victoria Williams/www.mymusictheory.com 2013 1

Answers.................................................................................................................................................................. 31
Lesson 1: The Staff and Notes............................................................................................................................ 31
Lesson 2: Clefs .................................................................................................................................................... 31
Lesson 3: Accidentals ......................................................................................................................................... 32
Lesson 4: Note Names ....................................................................................................................................... 33
Lesson 5: Rests ................................................................................................................................................... 34
Lesson 6: Dotted Notes ...................................................................................................................................... 34
Lesson 7: Beaming ............................................................................................................................................. 34
Lesson 8: Tied Notes .......................................................................................................................................... 35
Lesson 9: Time Signatures.................................................................................................................................. 35
Lesson 10: Tones and Semitones ....................................................................................................................... 36
Lesson 11: Major Scales ..................................................................................................................................... 37
Lesson 12: Key Signatures .................................................................................................................................. 38
Lesson 13: Intervals............................................................................................................................................ 39
Lesson 14: Tonic Triads ...................................................................................................................................... 39
Lesson 15: Rhythm ............................................................................................................................................. 40
Lesson 16: Dynamics .......................................................................................................................................... 40
Lesson 17: Musical Symbols............................................................................................................................... 41
Lesson 18: Foreign Terms .................................................................................................................................. 41
Lesson 19: Handwriting Music ........................................................................................................................... 42
Lesson 20: Practice Exam ................................................................................................................................... 42

Lesson 1: The Staff and Notes
Note Names (Treble Clef)
1. Give the letter name of each of the notes marked *. The first answer is given.
Writing Notes (Treble Clef)
2. Write the notes which these letters represent.
(Sometimes there are two possible positions, as in the first F.)

Lesson 2: Clefs
Note Names (Bass Clef)
1. Give the letter name of each of the notes marked *. The first answer is given.
Writing Notes (Bass Clef)
2. Write the notes which these letters represent. (Sometimes there are two possible positions, as in
the first A.)
Writing Clefs - (Treble and Bass Clef)
3. Draw the correct clef for each of these notes.

Lesson 3: Accidentals
Higher or Lower?
1. For each pair of notes, circle the one which one is higher.
2. For each pair of notes, circle the one which is one is lower.
Barlines and Accidentals
3. Circle every A flat in this piece.
4. Circle every C sharp in this piece.

Lesson 4: Note Names
Time Names
1. Give the time name of each note marked with a star (e.g. "semibreve")
2. Put these notes in order of length, starting with the longest.
Note Names and Time Names
3. Give the note name and time name of each of the following notes.
4. Give the note name and time name of each of the following notes.

Lesson 5: Rests
Notes and Rests
1. Next to each note write a rest that has the same time value.
Adding Rests
2. Add the rests together, to make a new rest. The first one has been done for you.

Lesson 6: Dotted Notes
Dotted Notes Sums
1. Write one dotted note which is equal in length to the notes given.
More Dotted Notes Sums
2. Write one note (dotted or undotted) which is equal in length to the notes given.

Lesson 7: Beaming
Beaming Exercises
Rewrite the following melodies, grouping (beaming) the notes correctly.
1.
2.
3.

Lesson 8: Tied Notes
Ties or Slurs?
1. For each pair of notes, say if there is a tie or a slur.
Good Ties
2. Correct the mistakes

Lesson 9: Time Signatures
Time Signature Meanings
1. Give the meaning of the 3 in
2. True or false? The time signature means that there are four crotchet beats in a bar.
Adding a Time Signature
Add the time signature to each of these three tunes.
3.
4.
5.

Adding Barlines
Add the missing barlines to these three tunes. The first barline is given in each.
6.
7.
8.

Lesson 10: Tones and Semitones
Tones and Semitones
Describe each pair of notes as either a tone or a semitone.
1.
2.
Tones and Semitones in Major Scales
3. How many semitones are there in one octave of a major scale?
4. What is the pattern of tones and semitones in ascending major scales?

Lesson 11: Major Scales
Degrees of the Scale
Name the degree of the scale (e.g. 2nd, 3rd, 4th) of the notes marked *.
1. The key is F major
2. The key is G major
Writing Scales
Write as semibreves (whole notes) the scales named below. Do not use a key signature, but
remember to add any necessary sharp or flat signs.
3. C major descending
4. D major ascending

Naming Scales
Name the key of each of these scales. Draw a bracket over each pair of notes making a semitone.
5.
6.
Scales in Melodies
7. This melody uses all the notes of the scale of C major - true or false?

Lesson 12: Key Signatures
Naming Key Signatures
Name the major keys shown by these key signatures.
1. 2.
Writing Key Signatures
Add the correct key signatures to these bars.
3.
4.
5.
Reading Key Signatures
6. Give the letter name of each of the notes marked *, including the sharp or flat sign where
necessary.

Lesson 13: Intervals
Naming Intervals
1. Give the number (e.g. 2nd, 3rd, 4th) of each of these harmonic intervals. The key is D major
2. Give the number (e.g. 2nd, 3rd, 4th) of these melodic intervals. The key is F major.
Writing Intervals
3. Above each note, write a higher note to make the named harmonic interval. The key is C
major.
4. After each note, write another note to make the named melodic interval. The key is G major.

Lesson 14: Tonic Triads
Naming Tonic Triads
1. Name the keys of each of these tonic triads (e.g. C major).
Adding a Clef & Key Signature
2. Add the correct clef and key signature to each of these tonic triads.

Lesson 15: Rhythm
What's Wrong?
In each of the following rhythms the answering phrase (bars 3 &4) is not very good, but why?
1.
2.
3.

Choose the Best Response
4. Choose the best 2-bar answer (a, b or c) to the given rhythm.
a)
b)
c)

Lesson 16: Dynamics
Order of Static Dynamics
1. Write the dynamics p mf ff pp f mp in the correct order, from the loudest to the quietest.
The first answer is given.
Changing Dynamics
What do the following mean?
2.
3.

Lesson 17: Musical Symbols
Symbols
What do these symbols mean?
1. 6.
2. 7.
3. 8.
4. 9.
5.

Lesson 18: Foreign Terms
Foreign Musical Terms
What do these Italian terms mean in English?
&
1. A tempo 15. Fortissimo
2. Cantabile 16. Ritenuto
3. Lento 17. Mezzo piano
4. Dal Segno 18. Piano
5. Allegro moderato 19. Fine
6. Mezzo forte 20. Legato
7. Poco 21. Ritardando
8. Rallentando 22. Da capo
9. Forte 23. Accelerando
10. Staccato 24. Crescendo
11. Allegretto 25. Mezzo
12. Decrescendo 26. Moderato
13. Diminuendo 27. Adagio
14. Andante

Lesson 19: Handwriting Music
Handwriting Music
This is something which is really easy to practise at home!
Find any piece of music, take a piece of manuscript paper, (or download some for free from the
website), and copy exactly what you see. Choose music which has a lot of performance directions on
it - dynamics, foreign terms and symbols, and choose music which has different rhythms, especially
with beamed notes.
Use a well-sharpened pencil and a ruler.
When you've finished, look very carefully at your work for mistakes, or better still, ask somebody else
to look at it for you. Keep practising!
Here are a couple of excerpts you can try to copy:
1.
2.

Lesson 20: Practice Exam
Time limit – 1.5 hours
1 (a) Add the time signature to each of these tunes (6 points)
1 (b) Choose the correct clef for each of these tonic triads (4 points)

2. Choose the best answering phrase to this 2-bar rhythm. (10 points)

3. Give the number (e.g. 2nd, 3rd, 4th) of each of these harmonic intervals, as shown in the first
answer. The key is F major. (10 points)
4. Write the dynamics (p, mf, ff, pp, f, mp) in the correct order, from the loudest to the quietest.
The first answer is given. (10 points)
FF -

5. Next to each note write a rest that has the same time value, as shown in the first answer. (10
points)

6. a. Name the degree of the scale (e.g. 2nd, 3rd, 4th) of the notes marked *, as shown in the first
answer. The key is C major. (8 points)
b. Find two notes next to each other that are a 4th apart. (2 points)
7. a. Give the letter name of each of the notes marked *, including the sharp or flat sign where
necessary. The first answer is given. (8 points)
a. G
b. Give the time name (e.g. crotchet or quarter-note) of the rest in the first bar. (2 points)

8. Look at this melody and then answer the questions below.
(a) Give the meaning of each of these. (2 points each)

1. Allegro Moderato
2. (bar 1)
3. The dots above the notes in bar 3:
4. (bar 5)
5. The bottom 4 in the time signature
6. Give the number of the bar which contains a crotchet
(quarter note) rest. (2 points)
7. Give the letter name of the highest note.
8. Bar 4 uses all the notes of the scale of G major.
True or False?
9. How many times does the rhythm occur?
10. The key is G major. On which degree of the scale (e.g. 4th, 5th, 6th)
does the melody begin?

Answers
Lesson 1: The Staff and Notes
1.
2.
Lesson 2: Clefs
1.
2.

3.
Lesson 3: Accidentals
1.
2.
3.
4.

Lesson 4: Note Names
1.
2.
3.
4.

Lesson 5: Rests
1.
2.
Lesson 6: Dotted Notes

1.
2.
Lesson 7: Beaming
1.
2.
3.

Lesson 8: Tied Notes
1.
2.
Lesson 9: Time Signatures
1. Three crotchets (quarter notes) per bar.
2. True
3.
4.
5.

6.
7.
8.
Lesson 10: Tones and Semitones
1.
2.
3. Two.
4. TTS TTTS

Lesson 11: Major Scales
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7. False. The melody doesn’t have an A.

Lesson 12: Key Signatures
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Lesson 13: Intervals
1.
2.
3.
4.
Lesson 14: Tonic Triads

1.
2.

Lesson 15: Rhythm
1. The last bar has the wrong number of beats.
2. No new rhythms have been created – they are exact copies.
3. The answering phrase has no rhythmic connection with the given phrase.
4a. Wrong! This rhythm has no connection with the given rhythm.
4b. Wrong! This rhythm is not connected with the given rhythm. Bar 3 also has the wrong number
of beats in the bar.
4c. Correct! This answer is based on the given rhythm.
Lesson 16: Dynamics
1.
2. Gradually getting louder.
3. Gradually getting quieter.

Lesson 17: Musical Symbols
1. Tie.
2. Diminuendo/Decrescendo – gradually getting quieter/softer.
3. Repeat everything between the double bars.
4. Accent.
5. Crescendo – gradually getting louder.
6. Slur.
7. Repeat from the start.
8. Staccato – short and detached.
9. Pause.
Lesson 18: Foreign Terms
1. In time 15. Very loud

2. In a singing style 16. Held back
3. Slowly 17. Moderately soft
4. From the sign 18. Soft/quiet
5. Moderately fast 19. The end
6. Moderately loud 20. Smoothly
7. A little 21. Gradually slowing down
8. Gradually slowing down 22. From the beginning
9. Loud 23. Gradually getting faster
10. Short and detached 24. Gradually getting louder
11. Fairly quick 25. Half
12. Gradually getting softer 26. Moderately
13. Gradually getting softer 27. Slowly
14. At a walking pace

Lesson 19: Handwriting Music
Compare your answers with the original. Make sure you haven’t forgotten any details like dynamics or
phrasing, that the spacing between the notes is similar to the original, and stems are pointing in the
same direction.
Lesson 20: Practice Exam
Q1a
1. 2/4
2. 4/4
3. 3/4
Q1b
1. d
2. b
Q2 – a
Q3
a. 2nd
b. 7th
c. 6th
d. 5th
e. 4th

Q4 – FF, F, MF, MP, P, PP
Q5
a-1, b-7, c-8, d-3, e-2
Q6a
a. 1st
b. 1st or 8ve
c. 5th
d. 2nd
e. 4th
f. 3rd
g. 6th
h. 7th
Q6b
Q7
b-B, c-G, d-C, e-F#, f-D, g-A, h-G, i-F#

Q8a
1. Moderately fast
2. Slur
3. Short and detached (staccato)
4. Pause
5. Count crotchet beats
6. bar 5
7. G
8. True
9. 3 times
10. 5th

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Lesson 2: Clefs ...................................................................................................................................................... 4

Lesson 3: Accidentals ........................................................................................................................................... 5

Lesson 4: Note Names ......................................................................................................................................... 6

Lesson 5: Rests ..................................................................................................................................................... 7

Lesson 6: Dotted Notes ........................................................................................................................................ 8

Lesson 7: Beaming ............................................................................................................................................... 9

Lesson 8: Tied Notes .......................................................................................................................................... 10

Lesson 9: Time Signatures.................................................................................................................................. 11

Lesson 10: Tones and Semitones ....................................................................................................................... 13

Lesson 11: Major Scales ..................................................................................................................................... 14

Lesson 12: Key Signatures .................................................................................................................................. 16

Lesson 13: Intervals............................................................................................................................................ 17

Lesson 14: Tonic Triads ...................................................................................................................................... 18

Lesson 15: Rhythm ............................................................................................................................................. 19

Lesson 16: Dynamics .......................................................................................................................................... 21

Lesson 17: Musical Symbols............................................................................................................................... 22

Lesson 18: Foreign Terms .................................................................................................................................. 23

Lesson 19: Handwriting Music ........................................................................................................................... 24

Lesson 20: Practice Exam ................................................................................................................................... 25

© Victoria Williams/www.mymusictheory.com 2013 1

Lesson 1: The Staff and Notes............................................................................................................................ 31

Lesson 2: Clefs .................................................................................................................................................... 31

Lesson 3: Accidentals ......................................................................................................................................... 32

Lesson 4: Note Names ....................................................................................................................................... 33

Lesson 5: Rests ................................................................................................................................................... 34

Lesson 6: Dotted Notes ...................................................................................................................................... 34

Lesson 7: Beaming ............................................................................................................................................. 34

Lesson 8: Tied Notes .......................................................................................................................................... 35

Lesson 9: Time Signatures.................................................................................................................................. 35

Lesson 10: Tones and Semitones ....................................................................................................................... 36

Lesson 11: Major Scales ..................................................................................................................................... 37

Lesson 12: Key Signatures .................................................................................................................................. 38

Lesson 13: Intervals............................................................................................................................................ 39

Lesson 14: Tonic Triads ...................................................................................................................................... 39

Lesson 15: Rhythm ............................................................................................................................................. 40

Lesson 16: Dynamics .......................................................................................................................................... 40

Lesson 17: Musical Symbols............................................................................................................................... 41

Lesson 18: Foreign Terms .................................................................................................................................. 41

Lesson 19: Handwriting Music ........................................................................................................................... 42

Lesson 20: Practice Exam ................................................................................................................................... 42

© Victoria Williams/www.mymusictheory.com 2013 2

Note Names (Treble Clef)

Writing Notes (Treble Clef)

2. Write the notes which these letters represent.

(Sometimes there are two possible positions, as in the first F.)

© Victoria Williams/www.mymusictheory.com 2013 3

Note Names (Bass Clef)

Writing Notes (Bass Clef)

Writing Clefs - (Treble and Bass Clef)

3. Draw the correct clef for each of these notes.

© Victoria Williams/www.mymusictheory.com 2013 4

Barlines and Accidentals

3. Circle every A flat in this piece.

4. Circle every C sharp in this piece.

© Victoria Williams/www.mymusictheory.com 2013 5

2. Put these notes in order of length, starting with the longest.

Note Names and Time Names

© Victoria Williams/www.mymusictheory.com 2013 6

Notes and Rests