Musical literacy (notation, theory, harmony and aural skills)
What the domain tests
Musical literacy covers notation, theory, harmony and aural skills: clefs, key signatures, intervals, scales, chords, inversions, cadences, transposition, rhythmic notation and the ability to hear what you write.
Core rules
- Key signature first: order of sharps F C G D A E B; flats B E A D G C F.
- Interval number comes from letter names; quality comes from semitones. Invert by subtracting the number from 9.
- Triads: root, third, fifth; inversions use figured bass 5/3, 6/3 and 6/4.
- Harmonic function: tonic, predominant, dominant. Avoid parallel perfect fifths and octaves.
- Aural work: sing the tonic, then scale degrees; clap rhythms in the given metre.
Worked example
Harmonise a melody in G major: G–B–D | C–E–G | D–F#–A | G. Reasoning: the first bar is I (G major). The second bar is IV (C major) on a strong beat. The third bar contains D–F#–A, which is V; the melody’s A is the fifth, so root-position V works. The final bar is I. The cadence is V–I, perfect authentic. If the third bar had F natural, the chord would be D minor (v), weakening the dominant and suggesting a move towards C major.
Traps
Forgetting the key signature when naming notes; spelling intervals by semitones only; labelling a chord by its bass note rather than its root; mixing up 6/4 and 6/3; writing parallel octaves between outer parts; grouping rests incorrectly in compound time.