🌱
ABRSM Grade 1
Grade 1 Theory Preparation
Exact ABRSM syllabus · 7 interactive mini-games
📌 Official ABRSM Grade 1 syllabus — this is exactly what the exam covers.
🎵 Note Values & Rests
- Semibreve (whole) = 4 beats, Minim (half) = 2, Crotchet (quarter) = 1, Quaver (eighth) = ½, Semiquaver (sixteenth) = ¼
- Rests for every note value
- Dotted notes (add half the value: e.g. dotted minim = 3 beats)
- Tied notes (same pitch, second not re-struck — add durations together)
⏱️ Time Signatures
- Simple time: 2/4, 3/4, 4/4
- Top number = beats per bar; bottom number = type of beat (4 = crotchet)
- Common time (C) = 4/4
- Bar lines, double bar lines, repeat signs
- Correct grouping of notes within bars
🎼 The Stave & Clefs
- Five-line stave
- Treble (G) clef — EGBDF (lines), FACE (spaces)
- Bass (F) clef — GBDFA (lines), ACEG (spaces)
- Middle C in both clefs (ledger line below treble / ledger line above bass)
- Notes from ledger line C below treble up to around F5
♯ Accidentals
- Sharp (#) — raises note by one semitone
- Flat (♭) — lowers note by one semitone
- Natural (♮) — cancels a previous sharp or flat
- Accidentals last only for the remainder of the bar
- Tones and semitones — pattern of whole/half steps in a scale
🔑 Major Scales & Key Signatures
- C Major — no sharps or flats
- G Major — 1 sharp: F#
- D Major — 2 sharps: F#, C#
- F Major — 1 flat: Bb
- Know scales in both treble and bass clef
- Understand tone/semitone pattern: T T S T T T S
🎹 Tonic Triads (Root Position)
- C Major: C – E – G
- G Major: G – B – D
- D Major: D – F# – A
- F Major: F – A – C
- Built on notes 1, 3, 5 of the major scale
- Always in root position at Grade 1 (tonic = lowest note)
📐 Intervals
- Intervals numbered above the tonic of the key
- Count inclusive of both notes (C to E = 3rd)
- 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, Octave (8th), Unison
🎭 Musical Terms & Signs
- Dynamics: pp, p, mp, mf, f, ff · Crescendo, Decrescendo, Diminuendo
- Tempo: Adagio, Andante, Moderato, Allegretto, Allegro
- Changes: Accelerando, Rallentando, Ritardando, Ritenuto, A tempo
- Articulation: Staccato (detached), Slur (smooth), Accent (emphasis)
- Signs: Fermata/Pause (hold longer), Tie, Repeat dots