Music Theory Basics
What music theory basics means
Understand pitch, rhythm and the fundamentals of reading music.
Before you start
Not confident yet? Work through Elements of Visual Art first.
Worked example
One question from this skill's own question bank, shown with its full working.
How many notes are in a standard major scale (before repeating the octave)?
- 5
- 7
- 8
- 12
Working: A major scale has seven distinct notes; the eighth note repeats the first an octave higher.
Curriculum and exam alignment
Curriculum notes are a general guide to where this work normally sits. Always check the syllabus your school or examination body is currently using.
Related skills
Other Art & Music Foundations skills in Fine Art & Music, at the same point in the course.
Other Fine Art & Music topics
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Practise music theory basics
8 questions with a worked answer after every attempt, and a SmartScore that tracks how close you are to mastery.