Level 1
Grade 1 · 11 lessons · about 35 to 80 minutes of videoStaff and clefs, note values, sharps and flats, C, G and F major, triads, simple time signatures. No theory background needed; some experience on an instrument helps.
Suitable for students preparing for AMEB Theory of Music Grades 1–5
Grade 1–5 music theory, one short lesson at a time.
Under AMEB’s rules, Grade 6, 7 and 8 practical each need a written theory pass alongside them, and there is rarely room for theory in the instrument lesson.
MusoLearn is that theory lesson, taught the way a good teacher would if the timetable allowed it: one topic, a 3–7 minute video, a quiz marked straight away, a printable worksheet, and a MusoLearn teacher to ask in the course chat, usually within 24 hours.
4.8 out of 5 average student ratingTaught by a concert pianist and music teacher with 10+ years’ experienceLevels 1–5 all included
Full access for 3 days, then A$349 a year (about A$29 a month), a subscription that renews at A$349 each year until you cancel. Cancel online any time; 14-day money-back guarantee after your first payment.
Not sure which level? Take the free placement quiz · Which written grade goes with which practical exam · What membership includes
MusoLearn Music Theory Levels 1–5
Find the level for your grade.
Level 1 is for students preparing for Grade 1 theory, through to Level 5 for Grade 5. Every level is included in membership, so start where you are and move up when ready. If you are not sure, the free placement quiz takes a few minutes.
Find the level from your practical grade.
For Grade 6, 7 and 8 practical, Certificate of Performance and AMusA, AMEB requires a written theory pass alongside the practical exam (AMEB calls this a co-requisite): Theory of Music, Musicianship or Music Craft at the grade shown. Practical Grades 1–5 have no written requirement, and “for Leisure” subjects such as Piano for Leisure are exempt. AMEB allows the written grade to be sat before or after the practical; confirm the rule and its timing for your instrument and exam year in the current AMEB Manual of Syllabuses.
| AMEB practical exam | Written co-requisite | Suitable MusoLearn level |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 6 | Grade 2 | Level 2 |
| Grade 7 | Grade 3 | Level 3 |
| Grade 8 | Grade 4 | Level 4 |
| Certificate of Performance | Grade 4 | Level 4 |
| AMusA | Grade 5 | Level 5 |
Requirements are set by AMEB and can change. The level shown is the one the exam needs; a student new to written theory usually begins a level or two lower and moves up (all levels are included). MusoLearn does not enrol students in AMEB exams and does not set, run or mark them.
Yukina Tiong, AMusA · Completed MusoLearn Music Theory Level 5
Yukina completed Level 5, the written grade AMusA requires. Hear her experience in her own words.
Level 2
Grade 2 · 18 lessons · about 1 to 2 hours of videoKey signatures and the circle of fifths, minor scales, intervals, compound time, form and musical terms. The written grade for Grade 6 practical.
Level 3
Grade 3 · 18 lessons · about 1 to 2 hours of videoWriting for four voices (soprano, alto, tenor, bass — the first step into harmony), cadences (the two chords that close a phrase), rhythm and melody writing. Cadences are where most students first need someone to look at their working.
Level 4
Grade 4 · 24 lessons · about 1¼ to 3 hours of videoAlto clef, modulation (moving into a new key part-way through a piece), imperfect and interrupted cadences, and harmonising a melody. Harmonisation is the hardest chapter in the syllabus, which is why this is the largest level.
Level 5
Grade 5 · 22 lessons · about 1 to 2½ hours of videoHarmonising longer passages, melodies with modulation, musical forms and set works (the pieces AMEB names for study). The written grade AMusA requires.
Level 6
Grade 6 · coming soonIncluded in membership when it arrives.
Video totals count the lesson videos only. Quizzes, worksheets and revision add time, and the pace is the student’s. Two or three lessons a week and a level takes roughly four to twelve weeks.
“There are so many rules, and I struggle to remember them all.” Students tell us this more than anything else, so each lesson takes one rule, keeps it short, and can be slowed down and replayed. Cadences, intervals with accidentals, alto clef and harmonisation each get their own lessons, with quizzes and worksheets to practise on.
Free AMEB Music Theory study guides
Read the guide for your grade.
Use these free guides to understand what changes at each stage, then open the matching MusoLearn course or take the level quiz if you are unsure where to begin.
Grade 1 guide
The first written-theory topics, what students need to recognise and how to prepare.
Grade 4 guide
Why Grade 4 is a turning point, including harmony, cadences and modulation.
Grade 5 guide
What the exam tests and how to organise revision for the most advanced MusoLearn level.
Harmonisation guide
A step-by-step guide to the four-part harmony work required at Grades 4 and 5.
Ready for the next step? Take the free level quiz or compare MusoLearn plans.
Why people come here, in their own words.
Most students and families arrive at theory with one of a handful of questions. Here they are, in the words we hear them, and what MusoLearn does about each.
“Nobody told us Grade 6 piano needs a written pass.”
It does, under AMEB’s rules, and the grade depends on the practical exam; the table above shows which. The written grade can be sat before or after the practical, but AMEB holds the practical certificate back until the written pass is recorded, so the order matters less than starting at the right level and getting it done. The free placement quiz shows where that is.
“Theory is taking up too much of the piano lesson, and at home it never gets done.”
Keep the lesson for playing. With MusoLearn the theory happens in short videos, between lessons. One video and one quiz, 10 to 15 minutes, two or three times a week is enough; it does not need to be every day, and it works in the browser and the MusoLearn app on iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows and Mac, so it can happen in the car or before practice.
“I want to help, but I never learned theory myself.”
You do not need to. Every video explains the rule before the exercise. Worksheets come with answers, so you can check the work without knowing the theory. And when your child is stuck, the question goes to a MusoLearn teacher, not to you.
“She understood it in the lesson, then got stuck doing the questions at home.”
Understanding a rule and being able to do the question are different things. Every MusoLearn topic runs the same loop: watch, do the quiz, write it out on the worksheet, correct it against the answers, ask if it still will not click. The quiz is marked the moment it is submitted, so the sticking point shows at home, not in the exam.
“I have no idea whether he is actually ready.”
MusoLearn does not set or mark AMEB exams and cannot predict a result. What it can show you is what has been learned. The student dashboard lists every completed lesson and every quiz score, and you can look at it from your child’s login without having to ask.
“I’m doing Grade 5 myself because AMusA needs it, and I don’t have a theory teacher.”
Level 5 is the written grade AMusA (the Associate diploma) requires: 22 short lessons on harmonising longer passages, modulation, forms and set works (the pieces AMEB names for study). Two or three lessons a week and it takes roughly two to three months, leaving time to revise. For a student working alone, the questions go to the course chat: attach a photo of a harmonisation and a MusoLearn teacher looks at it and replies in the chat, usually within 24 hours, so a question sent tonight is normally answered by tomorrow evening.
“Theory of Music, Musicianship or Music Craft — which one?” is answered in the questions below.
How a lesson works
Watch, try, write it down, ask.
A textbook can tell a student the rule. It cannot tell them which part they have misunderstood. Every MusoLearn topic runs the same four steps so that part shows up at home, while there is still time to fix it.
Watch
A 3–7 minute video on one topic. Pause it, replay it, or slow it down until the step makes sense; there is nothing to read through first.
Try
An auto-marked quiz gives the score the moment it is submitted. There are 80+ quizzes across the library, and every score is saved, so a pattern of slips, such as missing the same sharp or flat every time an interval comes up, is easy to spot and fix early.
Write it down
Every level has printable worksheets with answers. Writing the exercise out by hand is where the sticking point appears, and the answer sheet lets a parent mark it without knowing the theory.
Ask
When a topic still will not click, or a harmony exercise looks wrong, the student types the question or attaches a photo of their work in the course chat. A MusoLearn teacher replies, usually within 24 hours. No booking a lesson and no waiting for next week.
See progress without asking.
The student dashboard shows which lessons are complete and every quiz score. The student sees it every time they log in, so it works as a study tracker on its own; for a student working alone it answers “what have I actually finished”, which is the useful question between now and the exam. A parent can log in to the same account and see what actually got done this week.
Theory alongside the lessons you already have.
MusoLearn is not a replacement for the instrument teacher. It is the theory lesson that runs beside the practical one, so the teacher’s time stays on the instrument and the written grade still gets done.
If you are the instrument teacher
The written requirement table and the free placement quiz are the two things to send a family, and the student can show you their dashboard at the next lesson. MusoLearn runs beside your teaching, not over it: your call on the student’s written work stands.
Student voices
What students say after a level or two.
From MusoLearn course surveys. Yukina’s video is above, beside the written requirement for AMusA.
My MusoLearn experience is positive as the course covers many points that I struggled to understand with the AMEB course book. The videos are quite helpful and definitely developed my understanding more with examples.
MusoLearn has been really helpful for me and my brother, our teacher was very impressed by how much we learned.
It has helped me to grasp a deeper understanding of unfamiliar topics, and provided more depth to learning these topics than self-learning.
MusoLearn has really helped me with my music theory, and in so little time I already have a notebook full of music theory notes ready to use! I’m so happy with my progress!
MusoLearn has helped me through learning Music Theory greatly, they videos are short and straight to the point, offering easy ways to learn difficult topics.
MusoLearn is a really useful app that helped me a lot with my musical terms. I really wish I knew this app earlier!
MusoLearn has been really helpful, as i don’t have a theory teacher.
MusoLearn has made learning music theory fun and engaging!
1 of 8
Reviews are from MusoLearn students, shown exactly as written, and describe their individual experiences.
Membership
One membership, the whole exam path.
Try everything free for 3 days first. One topic, watched, quizzed, written out and asked about, will tell you more than this page can. If it suits, membership continues as below. One membership includes Levels 1–5, so there is no new course to buy at each grade.
Annual membership
3-day free trial
then A$349 a year — about A$29 a month.
A subscription that renews at A$349 each year until you cancel.
- Music Theory Levels 1–5, every lesson, with 80+ auto-marked quizzes and printable worksheets with answers
- Start at the level you need; the next ones are already there when the next grade comes round
- Aural training (interval, rhythm and pitch recognition), the full Interval Trainer game, and the piano technique courses, including scales and arpeggios
- Course chat with a MusoLearn teacher, for questions and photos of written work
- Works in the browser and in the MusoLearn app
Prices in Australian dollars. Cancel online before the trial ends and nothing is charged. If you continue and change your mind, ask for a full refund within 14 days of your first payment.
Level 6 (Grade 6) is coming soon and will be added to membership at no extra cost.
Prefer to pay month to month?
Monthly membership
A$94.95 a month
One level at two or three lessons a week takes roughly two to three months, so Monthly comes to about A$190 to A$285 for one level. If that one level, finished inside three months, is all you will need, Monthly is the cheaper choice. Annual is A$349 for the year and includes every level and the aural courses, so it costs less as soon as a second level is ahead (Grade 8 needs Grade 4; AMusA later needs Grade 5), a level runs past three months, or the exam is months away and you want the lessons there to revise right up to the day. A year of Monthly comes to over A$1,100.
The same courses, Interval Trainer game and course chat, billed at A$94.95 a month after a 3-day free trial until you cancel. Cancel online any time. The 14-day money-back guarantee above is stated for Annual; for Monthly, see the Terms for refund details.
Common questions
Before you start
Is MusoLearn suitable for AMEB Theory of Music preparation?
Yes. MusoLearn Music Theory Levels 1–5 are written for students preparing for AMEB Theory of Music Grades 1–5: Level 1 is for students preparing for Grade 1, through to Level 5 for Grade 5. Always check the current AMEB syllabus for the exam you are entering.
Which level should I start at?
Start at the level for the theory grade you (or your child) are preparing for: Level 2 for Grade 2, and so on. Playing grade and theory grade are different things. A student who plays at Grade 6 or 7 but has never done written theory usually still starts at Level 1 or 2, because the harmony in Level 3 builds on the keys, intervals and time signatures taught there. Level 1 is 11 short lessons, so it goes quickly, and membership includes every level, so starting lower costs nothing extra. If you are unsure, take the free placement quiz.
My child is doing Grade 6, 7 or 8 practical. Which theory grade do they need?
AMEB requires a written theory pass alongside the practical exam (its co-requisite): Grade 2 for Grade 6 practical, Grade 3 for Grade 7, Grade 4 for Grade 8 and Certificate of Performance, and Grade 5 for AMusA. A pass in Theory of Music, Musicianship or Music Craft satisfies it. For the Theory of Music route, the suitable MusoLearn level is Level 2, 3, 4 or 5. Practical Grades 1–5 have no written requirement, and “for Leisure” subjects are exempt. Check the current AMEB Manual of Syllabuses for exactly when it has to be completed.
Theory of Music, Musicianship or Music Craft — which one?
AMEB accepts a pass in any of the three for the written co-requisite (confirm in the current Manual). MusoLearn’s Music Theory Levels 1–5 are written for students preparing for AMEB Theory of Music Grades 1–5, the written syllabus without an aural component. Separately, membership includes aural training courses and the Interval Trainer game, which support the aural tests in the practical exam. MusoLearn’s courses are not designed for the Musicianship or Music Craft syllabuses.
Where should we start in the 3-day trial?
If you (or your child) already know some theory, pick one topic you are genuinely stuck on, such as a cadence, a modulation or an interval with an accidental. If written theory is new, take the free placement quiz first, then start with the first lesson of the level it gives. Watch that lesson, do the quiz, print the worksheet and correct it against the answers, and if it still is not clear, ask in the course chat. By the end you will know whether the level fits and whether the explanation got through; a parent trying it for a younger student will also see whether it gets done without reminders.
I’m a student working on my own. Is it for me?
Yes. If you are working towards Grade 8 or AMusA on your own, Level 4 or 5 is yours to run: watch the lesson, do the quiz, write out the worksheet, and send the harmony work to the course chat yourself. Nobody needs to sit beside you. Younger students often have a parent watching the dashboard; adult learners and instrumental teachers use it too.
What happens after the 3-day trial?
You have full access during the trial, which runs for 3 days from sign-up; the exact end time is shown at checkout. Unless you cancel online before it ends, the Annual subscription starts at A$349 for the year and renews at A$349 each year until you cancel. You can cancel online at any time; access then runs to the end of the paid year. If you continue and then change your mind, the 14-day money-back guarantee applies.
Is there a money-back guarantee?
Yes. If you continue past the free trial and MusoLearn is not right for you (or for your child), contact us through the Contact page within 14 days of your first payment and we will refund it in full. See the Terms for details.
How long does a level take?
Level 1 has 11 lessons, Levels 2 and 3 have 18 each, Level 4 has 24 and Level 5 has 22. Each lesson is a 3–7 minute video, quizzes are auto-marked along the way, and every level has printable worksheets with answers. At two or three lessons a week, that is roughly four to twelve weeks, leaving time to revise. The pace is the student’s.
Can a parent see progress?
Yes. The student dashboard shows which lessons are complete and every quiz score. Log in to the student’s account and you can check without having to ask.
How does course chat work?
From inside the course, the student types a question or attaches a photo of their work, including written harmony or melody exercises that a quiz cannot mark. A MusoLearn teacher replies in the chat, usually within 24 hours.
Does MusoLearn run the exam, or help with the online exam format?
No. AMEB runs its Theory of Music exams itself and offers online exam sessions for Grades 1–5; the format and the exam software are AMEB’s, and AMEB provides its own practice exams for learning the notation tool. MusoLearn helps students learn the theory itself, so that on exam day the only unfamiliar thing is the tool, not the content. MusoLearn does not enrol students in the exam, set it, run it or mark it, and cannot predict a result.
Does MusoLearn cover Grade 6 or the diplomas?
Not yet. MusoLearn Music Theory currently covers Levels 1–5, suitable for students preparing for AMEB Theory of Music Grades 1–5. Level 6, for Grade 6, is coming soon.
Does it help with the aural tests in the practical exam?
Membership includes MusoLearn’s aural training courses (interval, rhythm and pitch recognition) and the full Interval Trainer game. A few minutes at a time through the year is the point, rather than the week before the practical. They support the aural section alongside your instrumental teacher’s preparation.
Does it work on an iPad or phone?
Yes. MusoLearn works in any browser and in the MusoLearn app on iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows and Mac. Lessons can be paused, replayed and played at a slower or faster speed.
We are preparing for a different exam board.
The levels are written for students preparing for AMEB Theory of Music Grades 1–5. Students preparing for other boards, such as ABRSM or Trinity, can follow along but will need to adapt to their own syllabus, and should check that syllabus for what it requires.
Can I buy one level only?
Yes. Individual level memberships are available if you only need one MusoLearn level. Prices vary by level.
When you are ready
Start with the level you need, free for 3 days.
Watch a lesson, do a quiz, print a worksheet, ask the teacher a question. Then decide.
Try it free for 3 days, or take the free placement quiz first.