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Grade 5: Contents

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Grade Five Resources:

2007 Past Papers Grade Five Music Theory


Choose a lesson or exercise from the list below.


Grade Five is the most popular level to study. A pass in Grade Five theory is needed if you want to take Grade Six or higher in any instrument, so it's often the grade many students begin with.

The online course at My Music Theory is designed to be accessible by students who have never studied music theory before - you don't need to work through the earlier grades, you can just jump right in at Lesson 1, Grade 5. You should be around Grade 4 or 5 on your instrument (or voice), to have the background knowledge needed. However, if you have any problems, you could check the lessons for earlier grades, or Ask Us for a personalised explanation!


Need more practice? Buy the 2007 Grade Five Music Theory Exam Past Papers. The booklet contains four complete exams used during 2007. Model Answers Booklet (2007) is also available.


Check out our suggestions of other books for Grade Five Theory music students.




Grade Five Contents on My Music Theory


1. Good Notation Lesson Exercises
2. Musical Terms Lesson Exercises
3. Time Signatures Lesson Exercises
4. Clefs Lesson Exercises
5. Key Signatures Lesson Exercises
6. Scales Lesson Exercises
7. Intervals Lesson Exercises
8. Transposing Instruments Lesson Exercises
9. SATB - Writing for Voices Lesson Exercises
10. Describing Chords Lesson Exercises
11. Cadences Lesson Exercises
12. Composing a Melody (General) Lesson Exercises
13. Composing a Melody (Instruments) Lesson Exercises
14. Composing a Melody (Voices) Lesson Exercises
15. Orchestral Instruments Lesson Exercises
16. Practice Exam N/A Exercises




Books

Music Theory in Practice: Grade 5

The Associated Board Guide to Music Theory Vol 1

Music Theory for Dummies

Theory is Fun: Grade 5


Grade Five Music Theory ABRSM Syllabus

As in preceding grades, with the addition of:

  1. 1 Irregular time signatures of 5/4, 7/4, 5/8, 7/8 and the grouping of notes and rests within these times. Irregular divisions of simple time values.
  2. Tenor clef (C clef centred on 4th line). The identification of notes in the four clefs in any of the keys set for this grade, and the transposition at the octave of a simple melody from any clef to another. The writing at concert pitch of a melody notated for an instrument in Bb, A or F, and vice versa (the interval of transposition up or down will be given). The writing in open score, using treble and bass clefs, of a passage for SATB written on two staves, and vice versa.
  3. Scales and key signatures of all major and minor keys up to and including six sharps and flats. All simple and compound intervals from any note.
  4. The identification of the 5-3, 6-3 and 6-4 forms of the tonic, supertonic, subdominant and dominant chords in any of the keys set for this grade. The identification of the progression 6-4, 5-3 (Ic-V) on the dominant note in any of the keys set for this grade. The choice of suitable chords, using any recognized method of notation, at cadential points of a simple melody in the major key of C, G, D or F.
  5. The composition of a simple melody of not more than eight bars, using a given opening and writing for a specific instrument (some choice will be given) or (at candidate’s choice) the composition of a melody to given words. Appropriate performing directions relating to tempo, dynamics and articulation will be required.
  6. More terms and signs. The recognition of ornaments, including the replacement of written-out ornamentation with the appropriate signs, but not vice versa. Questions about a passage of music written for voices or instruments appropriate to the grade will include questions on the types of voice and names of instruments, the clefs they use, instrument family groups and the basic way by which they produce sound, as well as points of general musical observation designed to test the candidate’s ability to apply theoretical knowledge to actual music.