Ready to master grade 4 music theory? Our comprehensive study guide takes you from zero to confident exam candidate, breaking down every music theory concept into simple steps.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Music theory is finally making sense! - Joanne S
The Challenge Ahead
You already know that advancing in music theory is essential—it deepens your musical understanding and unlocks new levels of creativity and expression. But as you progress to Grade 4, the concepts become quite a bit more complicated.
Whether you're preparing for exams or simply expanding your musical knowledge, success at this level requires a strong grasp of a lot of concepts.
But there are so many challenging topics to navigate:
Compound time signatures
Double accidentals
The Alto clef
Ornaments
Extended note values
Primary triads
The list can feel daunting even for experienced musicians...
That's why we've created a comprehensive 90-page PDF guide designed to clarify these advanced concepts and take the uncertainty out of Grade 4 Music Theory.
Our mission? To make learning advanced music theory accessible and engaging for everyone, so you can tackle these complex topics with confidence!
Introducing
Ready for a clear path to Grade 4 Theory? Our comprehensive 90-page guide was crafted with a clear mission: to transform these musical concepts into clear, simple steps that build your understanding and ensure exam success.
This guide takes every topic from the ABRSM Grade 4 Theory test and breaks it down into easy-to-understand chunks. We explain tricky ideas like compound time signatures, double accidentals, the alto clef, and ornaments in a way that makes sense.
You won't need to look through lots of different books anymore. Everything you need to know for Grade 4 Theory is right here in one clear, simple guide.
Whether you're studying independently or supplementing your music lessons, this guide provides the clarity and structure you need to approach Grade 4 Theory confidently. :
Each new idea builds on what you already know, so you'll feel confident as you learn more about music.
Ready to get started?
Take a look at what some of the 7000+ people who bought our study guides had to say about them.
Teacher, UK
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Student, South Africa
"Thank you for your excellent resources. I received my results yesterday and achieved 100% on my first exam. Your guides helped me prepare well for my exam, and I was confident and relaxed."
Parent, US
"A game-changer! The explanations are clear, the examples are practical, and the guide is structured in a way that makes learning enjoyable.
What You'll Learn
Chapter 1
In this chapter, we delve into compound meter and explore signatures like 6/8, 9/8, and 12/8. Learn how beats can be divided into groups of three, understand the relationship between simple and compound meters, and discover how to handle the new 4/8 time signature.
Chapter 2
In this chapter, we introduce the alto clef, essential for viola players and certain orchestral scores. Learn how to read notes in this new clef, understand its relationship to treble and bass clefs, and practice writing key signatures in the alto clef.
Chapter 3
In this chapter, we explore extended note values and more complex rhythmic notation. Learn about the double whole note and its rest, understand how double dots affect note duration, and see how these elements appear in different time signatures.
Chapter 4
In this chapter, we examine duplets - the opposite of triplets. Learn how to read and write these special rhythmic groupings, understand their use in compound time signatures, and practice converting between simple and compound meters.
Chapter 5
In this chapter, we discover double sharps, double flats, and notes that sound the same but look different. Learn when to use these advanced accidentals, understand enharmonic relationships, and see how they function in different musical contexts.
Chapter 6
In this chapter, we expand our scale knowledge to include more complex key signatures. Learn to construct and write major and minor scales with up to five accidentals, understand their relative relationships, and identify their key signatures.
Chapter 7
In this chapter, we explore a comprehensive range of musical intervals. Learn to identify and write perfect, major, minor, augmented and diminished intervals, understand their quality and size, and see how they function within scales.
Chapter 8
In this chapter, we learn the specific terminology for each scale degree. Understand the differences between tonic, dominant, mediant and other scale degrees, and learn how these terms relate to musical function and harmony.
Chapter 9
In this chapter, we explore the three most important chords in any key. Learn to identify and construct tonic, subdominant, and dominant triads, understand their Roman numeral notation.
Chapter 10
In this chapter, we examine the scale that uses all twelve notes in Western music. Learn proper notation of ascending and descending chromatic scales, understand the rules for using sharps and flats, and explore its relationship to diatonic scales.
Chapter 11
In this chapter, we discover various decorative musical elements. Learn about mordents, trills, turns, and grace notes, understand their proper execution, and see how they enhance musical expression.
Chapter 12
In this chapter, we explore the standard instruments found in an orchestra. Learn about the four main families of instruments, understand their ranges and characteristics, and discover how they work together in an orchestral setting.
Chapter 13
In this chapter, we study Italian and French musical terms used to guide performers. Learn essential tempo and expression markings, understand their proper usage, and see how they affect musical interpretation.
Hi, I’m Dan, and I run Hello Music Theory. I’ve been teaching music for the last 18 years and studied my undergraduate at the Royal Academy of Music in London.
My mission is to make learning music easier. Whether you're teaching music and want resources, or you're learning an instrument and want to be able to read music, we're dedicated to helping you on your journey.
If you have any questions feel free to reach out and I’ll be happy to help.
FAQ section
You've got questions. We've got answers.
We've written this book specifically with the ABRSM Grade 4 Music Theory syllabus in mind. But, it's suitable for any beginner whether you're following a syllabus or not.
Sadly, not yet. We're looking into getting these printed at one point, but at the moment, they're only available as a digital download.
Absolutely. While we've worked hard to make this guide as good as it can be, we realize it might not be for everyone. Just let us know within 30 days of your purchase, and if we can't make it right, we'll refund you.
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