Explaining the parts of Gr1 Music Craft Exam: beaming

Explaining the parts of Gr1 Music Craft Exam

by Katherine Day

​Grade 1 consists

1. Beaming

2. Rest placement

3. ​Syncopation

4. ​Adding bar lines

5. ​Naming and writing key signatures up to 2 sharps and flats

6. ​Recognising and writing scales

7. ​Marking the tones and semitones of Major and Harmonic minor scales

8. ​Relative key relations

9. ​Enharmonics

10. ​Recognising and writing intervals

11. ​​Recognising and writing triads on I, IV and V

12. ​Terminology

13. ​Contrast and repetition

14. ​Sound production and range of woodwind instruments

15. ​Analysis of set works

16. ​Aural tests: higher/lower; high, mid, low range; instrument recognition; set works recognition; melodic contour; rhythmic dictation

​Beaming

​This refers to how we join notes faster than a crotchet together.

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​The question might look like the image above.

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​Your job is to show where the beats are, by beaming quavers within either the dotted crotchet beat, or crotchet beat, depending on the time signature.

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​In the example shown above, we need to beam quavers into crotchet beats as the time signature is 4/4.

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This is a trick question, because the first note is 1.5 beats.

​So the first quaver will NOT be beamed to the 3rd, as that position is between beat 2 and 3. We never beam between beats.

​Method for beaming

1. ​Read the time signature and decide how many beats per bar

2. ​Write the beats in under the notes

3. ​Start to beam within beats

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For example:

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The example is in 6/8, compound duple. There are 2 dotted crotchet beats in a bar, so you have to mark in the beats: 1 and a, 2 and a.

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​This is how you would mark in the beats

​In 6/8, quavers are beamed within the dotted crotchet beats, so your answer will look like this:

​The green notes show the start of each dotted crotchet beat.

Multiple Choice

How would you beam this rhythm

Multiple Choice

How would you beam this rhythm

Multiple Choice

How would you beam this rhythm

Multiple Choice

How would you beam this rhythm

​The big take away is:

​Whilst 3/4 and 6/8 both have 6 quavers in a bar, 3/4 will have quavers grouped in crotchet beats, and 6/8 will have quavers grouped in dotted crotchet beats.

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​It's quite a trick to learn. Let's compare a few identical rhythms and how they are beamed differently in these 2 times signatures.

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​It is VERY important to know how to show 3/4 and 6/8 in the way you beam quavers. If you beam quavers to show 6/8 when you are in 3/4, then you will get the question wrong.

Multiple Choice

Choose the correct time signature

• 4/4

• 3/4

• 2/4

• 6/8

Multiple Choice

Choose the correct time signature

• 4/4

• 3/4

• 2/4

• 6/8

Multiple Choice

Choose the correct time signature

• 4/4

• 3/4

• 2/4

• 6/8

Multiple Choice

Choose the correct time signature

• 4/4

• 3/4

• 2/4

• 6/8