What's covered
Key facts
Note values and rests
A crotchet lasts one beat.
Pitch names, sharps and flats
Sharps, flats and naturals are called accidentals.
The stave and clefs
The bass clef is used for lower-pitched instruments.
Note values and rests
A crotchet rest is one beat of silence.
Pitch names, sharps and flats
The same note can have two names, such as F sharp and G flat (enharmonic equivalents).
The stave and clefs
The bass-clef lines spell G, B, D, F, A.
Note values and rests
A minim lasts two beats.
Pitch names, sharps and flats
A flat lowers a note by one semitone.
The stave and clefs
The higher a note sits on the stave, the higher its pitch.
Note values and rests
A quaver lasts half a beat.
Practice questions with answers
A taste of the 30 questions in this topic, answers marked. Sign up to practise the full set with spaced repetition.
How many beats does a crotchet last?
- •Eight
- •Four
- ✓One
- •Two
Which letters does the musical alphabet use?
- ✓A to G
- •A to M
- •A to Z
- •C to P
How many lines make up a stave?
- ✓Five
- •Four
- •Six
- •Three
How many beats does a semibreve last?
- •Eight
- ✓Four
- •One
- •Two
What does a sharp sign do to a note?
- •Makes it louder
- •Makes it shorter
- •Makes it silent
- ✓Raises it by a semitone
The treble clef is used to write which notes?
- ✓The higher ones
- •The loudest ones
- •The lower ones
- •The silent ones
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