Outline of the INTERMEDIATE theory course
(Up to grade 5 ABRSM)

This course provides simple explanations of theory topics. It will prepare students for Royal Schools (ABRSM) grade 5 theory examinations. It will also help students who want to take school music at year 11 or above, or who would like to take the Grade 6 course, but do not have the basic understanding of theory.

Download the order form as a Word Document or PDF File.

To see examples of the resources, click the links below.

1. Notating simple rhythms
VALUES OF NOTES AND RESTS, SPACING AND BEAMING, 6/8 TIME
2. Key Facts
KEY SIGNATURES, DEGREES OF THE SCALE, MAJOR/MINOR CHORDS
3. Time signatures
SIMPLE AND COMPOUND METRES AND TIME SIGNATURES
4. Intervals
NUMERIC, DIATONIC AND CHROMATIC
5. Notating chords
JAZZ/ROCK (incl. aug. & dim.), EXTENDED ROMAN NUMERALS
6. Instruments of the Orchestra
TECHNIQUES, REGISTERS, CLEFS, TRANSPOSING INSTRUMENTS
7. Cadences
FINDING CADENCES, FINAL CADENCES, OTHER CADENCES
8. Terms and Signs
ARTICULATION, TEMPO, DYNAMICS, MOOD AND TECHNIQUE
9. Notating complex rhythms
IRREGULAR TIME SIGNATURES, GROUPING NOTES AND RESTS
10. Reading music for voices and instruments
CLEFS, TRANSPOSITION, SATB (closed and open score)
11. Recognising keys & chords
MAJOR/MIINOR KEYS, PRIMARY/SECONDARY TRIADS

12. Advanced Notation
BREVES, DOUBLE DOTS, DUPLETS, DOUBLE SHARPS AND FLATS
13. Ornamentation
COMMON ORNAMENTS, SMALL NOTES
14. Inversions
NAMING, RECOGNISING AND WRITING CHORD INVERSIONS

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