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Key signatures.

For grade 5 you need yo know all of your keys and scales. You can download a diagram to help you practice them on your harp below.
​The lever harp is different from the pedal harp!
Depending on how you learn you can memorise the key signatures using the diagrams or you can also play along with the videos below. 

Lever Harp Keys

Pedal Harp Keys

The lever harp cannot play all of the keys that exist in western music. So! We also have to learn the others ready for the exam.
​However, there are nifty ways to learn so don't worry!

The pedal harp can play all of the keys!
Lucky us! 
So, now you just have to practice them and learn how they are written on sheet music. 

The cycle of fifths is a way that you can learn all of the keys, mathematically, visually and aurally. In this section we will go through multiple ways to learn the keys and you can pick what suits you best. 

ABRSM Music theory question 3.1, 3.2
In these questions you have to correctly identify whether a key signature has been written correctly. They will jumble the accidentals in different orders so you need to know the position of each accidental, the order in which they appear and what accidentals are required for each key signature. 

Practice Questions

Enharmonic equivalent notes

For this it is really helpful to know the notes of the piano. 

An enharmonic equivalent is when tow notes sound the same.
This is the same as when two words are different but mean the same thing (synonym), such as: beautiful and stunning or plod and mooch or cuddle and hug. 
For example, D# is the same note as Eb. 
​It is helpful to play these two notes on your harp so you can hear that they are the same. 
You can also see this on a piano.

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Double sharps and double flats
These aim to make the music easier to read when there are modulations and accidentals added that are not usually expected. They are not too common but, you do need to know them for grade 5 ABRSM music theory. 

Double Flat

This is when a note is lowered by two semitones. 
C double flat sounds the same as Bb. 
​An easy way to work this out is to just go down two steps on the piano keyboard. 

Flat

This is when a note is lowered by one semitone. (This is a tricky one)
C flat sounds the same as B. 
​An easy way to work this out is to just go down one step on the piano keyboard. 

Natural

This is what a natural sign looks like. It is used when the note has previously been sharpened or flattened to show the player that they should play the note as a natural again. If the note does not have an accidental and it is not sharpened or flattened in the key signature you should always treat it as a natural.

Sharp

This is when a note is raised by one semitone. 
C becomes C sharp.
​An easy way to work this out is to just go up one step on the piano keyboard. 

Double Sharp

This is when a note is raised by two semitones. 
C becomes D.
​An easy way to work this out is to just go up two steps on the piano keyboard. 

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ABRSM Music theory question 2.2
This questions is designed to assess your ability to understand enharmonic equivalent notes. It will show you a note on a stave, followed by 3 more notes. You have to match one of the three notes to the first note.
Top Tip! ​Make sure you work out what all of the notes are before you choose. Sometimes they can be tricky!!! You are allowed to write notes on note paper. 

Practice Questions

Transposition

This is a big section and it is worth reading the transposing for harp page before you start with this explanation. 

Transposing for harp

ABRSM Music theory question 2.3
Once you have read and taken in all the information on how to transpose you can apply it to the music theory questions in an exam. 
​Finding the Interval
In an exam we are asked to check and see if an extract of music has been correctly transposed by a certain interval to another. 
So, here we go! 
Look at the extract below and we will work it through like the questions in a theory paper.
Question: Has the extract been transposed correctly up a major 3rd? Tick or cross the key signature and each note.

Instructions

1. First things first! Key signatures. The first extract is in D major. Get your harp into D major. (This makes it easier to check your answer and relate these questions back to your harp practice, which is the whole point of learning it really hey!) The question wants you to move the music up a major 3rd. On your harp count up 3 strings. (Remember to count the string you are on). You should end up on an F. Check to see if the transposed extract is in F major … it is!!!!!!! Tick tick tick that purple box because the key has been transposed up a major 3rd.

1. Next for each note - compare the extracts to see if they are the correct intervals away from each other. Put your finger on the D string, is the G a 3rd above the D? Count up the strings…. NO! So thats a big old cross in the ORANGE box under the note. Continue for all of the other notes. (These boxes are not on the exam paper so just get in the habit of ticking and crossing above the notes. Its really important in high anxiety environments to stick to your methods and habits to make sure you don’t make silly mistakes because you are nervous).
2. Now for each note check the accidentals (or lack of accidentals) are correct! Lets check those semitones! Fill out the PURPLE boxes. Look at the interval/semitone table above. A major 3rd has 4 semitones. So for each note check the amount of semitones - even ones with crosses as there might be a pesky double flat or sharp in there and it also give you a chance to double check your counting! Lets take the first two notes. D to the G. Put your finger on the D key below. Count up 4 semitones or steps - which is a major third. You land on an F. Not a G so thats still a cross. Put a cross in the purple box. This is your final answer. Now, see if you can do the same with all the other notes. ​

In an exam you don’t have the luxury of having your harp or a piano. But you have scrap paper! So draw them!!!! This isn’t breaking any rules and is a really good way to bring your  happy place into the exam!

Practice Questions