Challenge!

Match each rhythm with the correct time signature by drawing lines

Smart tip
When beaming quavers w ith semiquavers,
make sure they are part of the same beat.

EXgfCiS€ 3 Number the beats and then complete the time signature for each melody

Beats

Beats:

Beats: Beats

14 I Discovering Music Theory: Grade 1

 EXgfCiSe 4 Number the beats and then tick(y' ) one box for each question to show
which bar is grouped correctly.

^t-.
-: J -5,

-leats

Beats

Beats

Theory in sound Challenge!

-"1, clapping the rhythms in Rewrite this rhythm so that all the quavers and semiquavers
:,:ercise 4, You will find that are grouped into beats using beams.
-e ones beamed correctly are
=:siest to read, because you
-an see the beats clearly.
 Grouping dotted notes
= i beat
,i,/e've learnt that quavers and semiquavers can be beamed together
.c that they are grouped into beats. The same is true of dotted notes:
.. ou will often see a dotted quaver joined to a single semiquaver,
= 1 beat

i nnart tip Remember!

t "- = next exercise, notes that are A dot adds on half the time value
*.-ed together add up to one beat. of the note.

gf CiSg I naa the time signature to each of these bars,

 Congratulationsl You've completed all the work for Grade 1 on Rhythm,
Turn to page 55 to try some practice exam questions.

ZB I Discovering Music Theory: Grade 1

 tn this chapter you will learn about
Grouping notes and rests
Grouping notes across multiple beats

Beats: 1
 Grouping notes across multiple beats
J

Beats: 1 2

Beats: 1

Beats:1 2 3 1 2 3 Beats:1 2 3 I 2 3

- For notes that last longer than a beat, it isn't necessary to show each new beat with a
new tied note, Avoid using ties within a bar when a single note could be used instead.

Did you know?

When a group of quavers or semiquavers contains notes on
either side of the middle line of the stave,
stems are added in the direction that is
correct for the majority of the notes.

EXgfCiSg 2 lck (y' ) or cross ( X ) each box to show whether the grouping in each bar
is correct or incorrect

Discovering Music Theory: Grade 2

 Grouping rests
, -en using rests, we must try to make the music as easy to read as possible'

r, -e helpful guidelines for using rests:

3 ngle rest for a complete bar of silence in any time signature
.I this will always be a semibreve rest: -

single rest when the first or second half of a

of silence
=' circumstances, use one rest for each beat

-- Lences in the middle of a beat, it's often best to use a new rest
: ' each half-beat of silence:

E XgfgiSg 5 fict (y' ) or cross ( X ) each box to show whether rests are correct or incorrect'

Chapter 4: Rhythm (Part 3) I 21

Exencise 3 continued.

EXgfCiSg 4 fict (y' ) or cross ( X ) each box to show whether the grouping in these
melodies is correct or incorrect.

Sn'rart tip
Are quavers and semiquavers beamed into Beams can be joined over rests if it
beats or bars? makes the music clearer to read.

Does each beat, half bar or f ull bar of silence

have its own rest?

Discovering Music Theory: Grade 2

heory in sound
E : :iece you are learning while your teacher or a friend counts the beats
i,::1e notes and rests been grouped to show the beats?

hallenge!
- you rewrite this rhythm so that the notes are grouped correctly?

.'atulations! You've completed all the work for Grade 2 on Rhythm.

.c the Practice Exam Paper on page 49 if you'd like to try some sampl

Chapter 4: Rhythm (Part 3) I 23

 EXefCiSg 1O Tick ( y' ) or cross ( X ) each box to show whether the notes are grouped
correctly or incorrectly.

Smart tip
Check the time signature carefully, Remember that the bottom number of the time
signature tells you whether the beat is measured in crotchets, quavers or minims.

8 I Discovering Music Theory: Grade 3

Chapter 1: Rhythm (Part l) I 9
 Which example shows the bar above correctly rewritten using notes of half the value? Tick (
y' ) one box.

Which example shows the bar above correctly rewritten using notes of twice the value? Tick (
y' ) one box'

How many duple, triple and quadruple time signatures can you name?

10 I Discovering Music Theory: Grade 3

 Beats: 1

Beats: I

Beats: 1 2

Beats: 1

. lf the first two quavers in a beat

are silent, use a crotchet rest
lf the second two are silent, use two quaver rests' ) l) \[ 1)., -
ara//

Chapter 2: Rhythm (Part 2) I 15

 EXgfCiSg 6 naa the missing bar-lines to each of these melodies

EXgfCiSg 7 fict (y' ) one box for each question to show which bar is grouped correctly

EXefCiSg 8 fict (y' ) or cross ( X ) each box to show whether the rests are correct or incorrect

6I Discovering Music Theory: Grade 3

 in simple and compound time are grouped so that each whole bar
half-bar or whole beat of silence has its own rest.
Use the smallest number of rests possible for each silence. Smart tip
The smallest
lf there are rests in the middle of a beat, use a new rest for each
possible number
subdivision of the beat
of rests should be
are used to join together notes of the same pitch, used, but don't
forget that the
ln simple time, ties are used for time values that cannot be written as
beats must be
a single note. Unlike rests, a new note is not usually required for each
clearly shown.
new beat in simple time. It might help to
ln compound time, ties are used to join together notes that are held number the beats
across different beats. However, you should avoid using ties when a ,,:

single note can be used instead.

EXgfCiSe 9 fict (y' ) or cross ( X ) each box to show whether rests are correct or incorrect,

g Music Theory: Grade 4

EXgfCiSg 10 Tick ( y' ) onebox for each question to show which bar is grouped correctly

3hallenge!
-
'- you rewrite this rhythm in the new time signature?

lfr-T ) l ll

. .:rlations! You've completed all the work for Grade 4 on Rhythm.

, rhe Practice Exam Paper on page 69 if you'd like to try some sample exam questions

Chapter 2: R
Theory in sound
Listen to examples of irregular time signatures in well-known pieces, and see if you can
count or tap the beats. Here are a few ideas; the first two are used in Exercise 5, opposite

Grouping in irregular time signatures

. As irregular time signatures contain an odd number of beats, bars are divided into unequal parts.
. The principles for grouping notes and rests in irregular time are similar to those for duple, triple
and quadruple time:
Beams are used to group together notes shorter than a crotchet within each part of an
irregular bar,
Ties are used to join notes across different parts of an irregularbar, oracross a bar-line.
Rests should show each beat, part-bar or whole bar, depending on how the bars are divided.
. However, in irregular time, it is possible to divide bars in more than one way. For instance, in
quintuple time, abar can be divided into 3+2 beats or 2+3 beats.

Did you know?

ln septuple time, bars can also
or I--l be divided into three parts:
3+2+2 or 2+2+3

Discovering Music Theory: Grade 5

E XgfCiSe 4 Stu,ay this melody and then circle TRUE or FALSE for each statement'

E :' :" bar contains seven crotchets,

tr 3ars 1 and 3 are divided into 3+4 beats,

E Er,ery bar is divided into the same groups of beats

E lgfCise 5 naa the missing bar-lines to each of these melodies.

They all begin on the first beat of the bar.
Tchaikovsky

E t_J

3--
E -?,

a
- --?-o- --
l-
-J 4_

'#?-

r-3 --l

Chapter 1: RhYthm ' 5

 Exgrcisg 6 rict ( y' ) one box for each question
to show which bar is grouped correctly Smart tip
Before doing this exercise, revise how
notes are grouped in regular simple
and compound time signatures.

Challenge!
This melody has an irregular time signature. Can you show how each bar is divided
by drawing brackets t-1?

t Discovering Music Theory: Grade 5