Grade 5 Theory Quick Reference

The essentials for Grade 5 music theory, gathered on one page. Use it as a revision aid alongside proper study, not as a replacement for it.

Key signatures

• Order of sharps: F♯ C♯ G♯ D♯ A♯ E♯ B♯
• Order of flats: B♭ E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ C♭ F♭ (the reverse)
• Find a sharp major key: the last sharp is the leading note, so go up one semitone. Last sharp F♯ gives G major.
• Find a flat major key: the second-to-last flat names the key. Flats B♭ and E♭ give B♭ major. F major is the exception, with one flat.
• Relative minor: a minor third below the major (the sixth degree). C major and A minor share a key signature.

Grade 5 covers up to six sharps or flats. ♯ raises a note by a semitone, ♭ lowers it, and ♮ (natural) cancels either.

Scales

• Major: tone, tone, semitone, tone, tone, tone, semitone.
• Natural minor: the notes of the key signature, unaltered.
• Harmonic minor: raise the seventh degree, ascending and descending.
• Melodic minor: raise the sixth and seventh going up, return to natural coming down.

Intervals

Name an interval with a number and a quality.

• Number: count the letter names from bottom to top, including both ends. C up to G is a fifth.
• Quality: unisons, fourths, fifths and octaves are perfect. Seconds, thirds, sixths and sevenths are major or minor.
• One semitone wider than perfect or major is augmented. One narrower than perfect or minor is diminished.

Time signatures

• Simple time (2/4, 3/4, 4/4): each beat divides into two. The top number is the number of beats.
• Compound time (6/8, 9/8, 12/8): each beat is a dotted note that divides into three. Divide the top number by three to find the number of beats, so 6/8 has two beats.

Note values

A dot after a note adds half its value again. A tie joins two notes into one longer sound.

Rest values

A whole-bar rest uses the semibreve rest sign in any time signature.

Triads, chords and inversions

• Primary triads: I, IV and V, built in thirds on the first, fourth and fifth degrees.
• Root position: the root is the lowest note.
• First inversion: the third is the lowest note. Figured as b (or 6).
• Second inversion: the fifth is the lowest note. Figured as c (or 6/4).

Cadences

Transposition

• To transpose, move every note by the same interval, keeping the pattern of tones and semitones by adjusting the key signature or accidentals.
• Watch the new key signature carefully, and check awkward accidentals note by note.

Common terms

French and German you may see

Ornaments

• Trill: rapid alternation with the note above.
• Upper and lower mordent: a quick flick to the note above or below and back.
• Turn: the note above, the note, the note below, the note.
• Acciaccatura: a very quick crushed grace note. Appoggiatura: a leaning grace note that takes time from the main note.