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ABRSM Music Theory Grades 1 – 5

The ABRSM (Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music) Music Theory exams (Grades 1 to 5) test your understanding of how music works — including notation, rhythm, scales, key signatures, intervals, chords, clefs, transposition, ornaments, musical terms, and related concepts.

Structure & Format

Grades 1–5 exams are online and on demand, meaning you can book and take them at a time that suits you.
Each exam includes a variety of question types across multiple theory topics.
The syllabus becomes progressively more advanced: earlier grades focus on note values, clefs, rhythms, and key signatures; by Grade 5, students encounter transposition, chord inversions, irregular time signatures, and ornamentation.

Why take it?

Music theory strengthens your ability to interpret, perform, and compose music with confidence.
To take ABRSM Practical Grades 6, 7, or 8 (instrument or voice), candidates must first pass Grade 5 Music Theory or an accepted equivalent.
Practice materials, mock exams, and past papers are widely available to support exam preparation. As part of this course, I provide guided practice problems and sample-style questions aligned with the syllabus.

Important Note

MusicMasters is an independent educational platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to ABRSM. All references to ABRSM are for informational and educational purposes only.

Official ABRSM Resources

For full details on the syllabus, exam rules, specimen papers, and booking information, visit ABRSM’s official website:

About Music Theory – ABRSM

Optional paper-based practice materials:

ABRSM Theory Practice Books on Amazon

Optional online practice tests:

ABRSM Online Practice Platform

Music Theory Syllabus (Grades 1–5):

2020 Music Theory Syllabus (Grades 1–5)

What is ABRSM Theory?

ABRSM Music Theory Grades 1 – 5

Structure & Format

Why take it?

Important Note

Official ABRSM Resources

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