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Grade 5 Music Theory

Every Grade 5 topic, with a mock paper at the end.

First lesson free, then Plus or Brainlag Music

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9 units, 22 lessons

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Practise

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    Flashcards

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    Mixed practice

    10 questions across the course.

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    What you’ll be able to do

    • Read triplets, duplets, quintuplets and sextuplets
    • Transpose a melody by a given interval
    • Find the key of a melody
    • Write a note a given interval above another
    • Name perfect, plagal and imperfect cadences
    • Give the meaning of every performance direction set up to Grade 5

    Units and lessons

    9 units, 22 lessons

    1. Unit 7: Music in context

      14 minPlus or Brainlag Music

    2. Unit 8: Music in context: longer extracts

      18 minPlus or Brainlag Music

    1. Unit 9: Exam preparation

      12 minPlus or Brainlag Music

    A look inside

    Time signatures, from simple to irregular

    What a time signature tells you

    A time signature is two numbers at the start of the music.

    • The top number tells you how many.
    • The bottom number tells you which note value: 2 a minim, 4 a crotchet, 8 a quaver, 16 a semiquaver.

    So 3/4 means three crotchets in every bar, and 3/8 means three quavers. That is the whole meaning of the numbers. Whether those notes are the beats depends on the kind of time.

    3/4: three crotchets in every bar

    Open this lesson

    Alongside the lessons

    Music terms and the metronome

    About this grade

    Every topic in Grade 5 theory taught step by step, with new music in each question, the reason behind every answer and a mock paper.

    Follows the ABRSM Music Theory syllabus. ABRSM is a trade mark of its owner; Brainlag is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by ABRSM. Every example and question is original. Results are Brainlag estimates, not exam results.

    Questions
    Which syllabus does it follow?

    It follows the ABRSM Music Theory syllabus for Grade 5 (the syllabus from 2020, checked against ABRSM on 9 October 2026). Brainlag is independent and not affiliated with ABRSM.

    What is free?

    1 of the 22 lessons is free. Brainlag Plus (£14.99 a month) opens the rest of the lessons, the topic tests and the mock paper.

    Do I need an account?

    No. Progress saves in this browser; sign in to keep it on every device.

    How long does it take?

    About 4 hr 60 min of lessons in 9 units. Lessons take 9 to 18 minutes each.

    Brainlag Music opens every lesson and topic test in this grade: £14.99 a month or £149 a year. See plans