ABRSM Grade 1 Music Theory August 2020

Question 1

Answer 1

interval of a 2nd – line to space or space to line

Question 2

Answer 2

interval of a 3rd – line to line or space to space

Question 3

Answer 3

interval of a 5th – space to space or line to line

Question 4

8ve

Answer 4

octave - 8 note interval (same letters)

Question 5

a tempo

Answer 5

in time

Question 6

accelerando (or accel.)

Answer 6

gradually getting quicker

Question 7

Answer 7

accent - a sign placed over/under note

Question 8

Answer 8

accidentals

Question 9

adagio

Answer 9

slow

Question 10

allegretto

Answer 10

fairly quick (but not as quick as allegro)

Question 11

allegro

Answer 11

quick (literally ‘cheerful’)

Question 12

andante

Answer 12

at a medium (‘walking’) speed

Question 13

Answer 13

bar line - divides several notes into bars

Question 14

Answer 14

bass clef

Question 15

Answer 15

beam – line(s) joining flagged notes (replaces the flags)

Question 16

cantabile

Answer 16

in a singing style

Question 17

Answer 17

common time - same as:

4

4

Question 18

Answer 18

crescendo - gradually getting louder

Question 19

crescendo (or cresc.)

Answer 19

gradually getting louder

Question 20

Answer 20

crotchet note - 1 count

Question 21

Answer 21

crotchet rest - 1 count rest

Question 22

Da Capo (D.C.) al fine

Answer 22

play again from the ‘start’ then play to the ‘end’

Question 23

da capo (or D.C.)

Answer 23

repeat from the beginning

Question 24

Answer 24

decrescendo - gradually getting quieter

Question 25

decrescendo (or decresc.)

Answer 25

gradually getting quieter

Question 26

diminuendo (or dim.)

Answer 26

gradually getting quieter

Question 27

dolce

Answer 27

sweet

Question 28

Answer 28

dotted minim note = 3 counts i.e. 2 + 1, (dot = ½ of note)

Question 29

Answer 29

dotted minim rest (rest plus dot) - 3 counts

Question 30

Answer 30

double bar line - end of music

Question 31

dynamics

Answer 31

loud, quiet, etc. | (symbols - ff, f, mf, mp, p, pp)

Question 32

f (= forte)

Answer 32

loud

Question 33

Answer 33

pause or wait (‘fermata’) - over/under note

Question 34

ff (= fortissimo)

Answer 34

very loud

Question 35

fine, al fine

Answer 35

the end, to the end

Question 36

Answer 36

flag

Question 37

Answer 37

flat - sign placed before note on the stave

Question 38

Answer 38

forte - loud

Question 39

Answer 39

fortissimo

Question 40

harmonic interval

Answer 40

interval of 2 notes played together at the same time

Question 41

interval

Answer 41

the distance between two notes

Question 42

key note

Answer 42

the name of the first note in a scale

Question 43

Answer 43

key signature - at the start of each stave

Question 44

legato

Answer 44

smoothly

Question 45

Answer 45

ledger line - for notes above and below the stave

Question 46

major scale

Answer 46

8 notes with this formula of tone / semitone: T T S T T T S

Question 47

melodic interval

Answer 47

interval between two notes, played one after other

Question 48

Answer 48

72 crotchet beats per min. – Maelzel Metronome

Question 49

Answer 49

mezzo forte - moderately loud (‘half’ loud)

Question 50

mf (= mezzo forte)

Answer 50

moderately loud (literally ‘half’ loud)

Question 51

Answer 51

minim note - 2 counts

Question 52

Answer 52

minim rest - rest sits on middle line

Question 53

moderato

Answer 53

moderately (allegro moderato: moderately quick)

Question 54

Answer 54

mezzo piano - moderately quiet (literally ‘half’ quiet)

Question 55

mp (= mezzo piano)

Answer 55

moderately quiet (literally ‘half’ quiet)

Question 56

Answer 56

natural - sign placed before note on stave

Question 57

Answer 57

octave – interval of 8 notes apart (same letter)

Question 58

p (= piano)

Answer 58

quiet

Question 59

Answer 59

sustain pedal (holds the dampers away from strings)

Question 60

Answer 60

pianissimo - very quiet

Question 61

Answer 61

piano - quiet (soft sound)

Question 62

pitch

Answer 62

sound of note (e.g. higher or lower pitch)

Question 63

pp (= pianissimo)

Answer 63

very quiet

Question 64

Answer 64

quaver note - 1/2 count

Question 65

Answer 65

quaver rest - 1/2 count rest

Question 66

rallentando (or rall.)

Answer 66

gradually getting slower

Question 67

Answer 67

repeat signs - play between signs, or from the beginning

Question 68

ritardando (or ritard. or rit.)

Answer 68

gradually getting slower

Question 69

Answer 69

semibreve note - 4 counts

Question 70

Answer 70

semibreve rest - 4 counts (or whole bar)

Question 71

Answer 71

semiquaver notes - 1/4 count

Question 72

Answer 72

semiquaver rest - 1/4 count rest

Question 73

semitone

Answer 73

interval from one note to the next physical note (S)

Question 74

Answer 74

sharp - sign placed before a note on stave

Question 75

Answer 75

slur

Question 76

Answer 76

staccato note - play detached (dot is placed over or under)

Question 77

staccato (or stacc.)

Answer 77

detached

Question 78

stave

Answer 78

5 lines that music notes are written on

Question 79

Answer 79

stem

Question 80

Answer 80

tie

Question 81

time signature

Answer 81

number of beats in a bar, and what note has 1 beat

Question 82

tone

Answer 82

interval from one letter to 2 physical notes away (T)

Question 83

Answer 83

Tonic Triad - three notes- 1st, 3rd and 5th notes

Question 84

Answer 84

treble clef

Question 85

Answer 85

repeat same note - interval of a “unison”