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AMEB · Grade 4 · Syllabus & study guide

AMEB Grade 4 Music Theory — Complete Syllabus & Study Guide

14 topics42 questions105 min83 marks

The AMEB Grade 4 music theory exam tests how confidently you read, write and understand notation at this level. A typical paper runs about 42 questions in 105 minutes for 83 marks, mixing identification, writing and matching tasks — the same shape as the real exam.

This guide lists every one of the 14 syllabus topics for Grade 4, each with a one-line summary and a suggested practice dose, plus the exact paper structure, a free full-length mock test, and a step-by-step study plan. Everything linked here is free to use.

Compared with AMEB Grade 3, the genuinely new material at Grade 4 is: Double sharps & flats, diatonic and chromatic semitones, Modulation, Time and rhythm, Four-part writing, The four principal cadences, Longer passages of harmony, Dances in the Baroque suite, Stringed instruments. Everything else consolidates and extends earlier grades — so shore up old ground first, then attack the new topics.

What's in the exam

Our free mock paper mirrors the question-type distribution of a real AMEB Grade 4 paper. Section by section:

  1. Note identification — 5 × 1 mark (5 marks)
  2. Rhythm tapping — 4 × 2 marks (8 marks)
  3. Bar division — 3 × 2 marks (6 marks)
  4. Key signatures — 5 × 2 marks (10 marks)
  5. Intervals — 6 × 2 marks (12 marks)
  6. Scale writing — 3 × 3 marks (9 marks)
  7. Triad identification — 5 × 2 marks (10 marks)
  8. Chord building — 3 × 3 marks (9 marks)
  9. Transposition — 2 × 4 marks (8 marks)
  10. Flashcards — 6 × 1 mark (6 marks)
83 marks total, 105 minutes. See the full mock paper →

Syllabus topics

Work through these in order — each topic builds on the one before it. The count in brackets is the practice dose we recommend per sitting.

  1. 1
    New major scales
    A♭, E and other Grade-4 major keys. Key signatures + scales. (~12 practice questions)
  2. 2
    New minor scales
    C♯, F and other Grade-4 minor keys — three forms each. (~12 practice questions)
  3. 3
    Double sharps & flats, diatonic and chromatic semitones
    Reading and writing 𝄪 and 𝄫; classifying semitones. (~10 practice questions)
  4. 4
    Intervals
    Augmented and diminished intervals; compound intervals; inversion. (~15 practice questions)
  5. 5
    Modulation
    Modulating to the dominant or relative minor; pivot chords. (~10 practice questions)
  6. 6
    Time and rhythm
    New time signatures and rhythmic patterns at Grade 4. (~12 practice questions)
  7. 7
    Four-part writing
    SATB voicing rules; first and second inversion triads. (~1 practice questions)
  8. 8
    The four principal cadences
    Perfect, plagal, imperfect, interrupted — major and minor. (~12 practice questions)
  9. 9
    Longer passages of harmony
    8-bar progressions: cadence placement and voice-leading checks. (~4 practice questions)
  10. 10
    Melody writing
    Completing 8-bar melodies to a given opening and modulation. (~1 practice questions)
  11. 11
    Transposition
    Transposing by a given interval; preserving key signature logic. (~8 practice questions)
  12. 12
    Dances in the Baroque suite
    Allemande, courante, sarabande, gigue — character and metre. (~10 practice questions)
  13. 13
    Stringed instruments
    Violin, viola, cello, double bass — clef and range basics. (~10 practice questions)
  14. 14
    Terminology
    New tempo, expression and Italian-form terms at Grade 4. (~12 practice questions)

How to prepare

  1. Work through the topics in order — start at topic 1 and move down the list above in order. Pair each topic with the free reference pages on intervals, key signatures, scales and triads.
  2. Learn the vocabulary — Italian terms and signs are the easiest marks to lose. Keep the music theory glossary open and review a handful of terms a day until they all stick.
  3. Sit the free mock under timed conditions — once you have covered the topics, sit the free AMEB Grade 4 mock test under timed conditions — 42 questions, 105 minutes, instant scoring, no signup.
  4. Review mistakes and re-sit — go back to the topics you dropped marks on, drill them, then re-sit from the AMEB Grade 4 mock paper page. Aim for a stable 80%+ before exam day.

Frequently asked questions

What is in the AMEB Grade 4 music theory exam?
The AMEB Grade 4 theory paper covers 14 syllabus topics: New major scales, New minor scales, Double sharps & flats, diatonic and chromatic semitones, Intervals and 10 more topics. A typical paper has around 42 questions and lasts 105 minutes.
How many questions is the AMEB Grade 4 theory paper?
Around 42 questions, mixing identification, writing and matching tasks across the syllabus topics.
How long is the AMEB Grade 4 theory exam?
105 minutes.
Is AMEB Grade 4 music theory hard?
Manageable with steady practice. The grade covers 14 topics; the genuinely new material versus Grade 3 is Double sharps & flats, diatonic and chromatic semitones, Modulation, Time and rhythm, Four-part writing, The four principal cadences, Longer passages of harmony, Dances in the Baroque suite, Stringed instruments — everything else consolidates earlier grades.
Where can I take a free AMEB Grade 4 theory mock test?
Theory Practice hosts a free AMEB Grade 4 mock paper with instant scoring at https://theorypractice.app/mocks/AMEB/4 — no signup required.

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