Find a Grade 6 Music Theory tutor

Grade 6 asks you to use theory to write and explain music. Recognising a chord is a starting point; choosing it for a melody, following the movement of its notes and checking the result are useful lesson tasks. Tell the tutor whether you are preparing for ABRSM, Trinity or studying without an exam.

Try this short harmony exercise relevant to ABRSM Grade 6. In C major, a melody moves from F to E while the bass moves from G to C. For this exercise, both melody notes must belong to their chords.

A first attempt might put a G major triad under F. But that triad contains G–B–D, so it leaves out the given melody note. The dominant seventh chord, G–B–D–F, contains it. Move next to the tonic chord, C–E–G: the F, which is the seventh of the first chord, moves down by step to E. This follows the usual resolution of a chordal seventh in this style.

The harmonic sketch is V7 → I. V means a chord built on the fifth scale degree; I means the tonic, built on the first. A useful explanation is: “I chose G7 because the bass is G and the melody needs F; F then resolves to E over C.” This explains the choice instead of naming two chords from memory. It is a chord outline, not a complete four-part answer: the remaining voices still need to be written and checked.

For a follow-up, move the idea to G major: D–F♯–A–C → G–B–D, with melody C → B. Can you identify the seventh and explain its movement without looking back?

Trinity’s Grade 6 melody task specifies the clef, time signature, instrument and tonality. Before writing eight bars, check which notes the question allows.

For this practice example in C major pentatonic, the available notes are C, D, E, G and A. A sketch such as C–D–E–G–A–G–F–E slips into the full major scale by adding F. Replacing F with D gives C–D–E–G–A–G–D–E, which stays within the five-note set.

That correction checks pitch choice; it does not yet supply an eight-bar melody. Next, give the idea a rhythm that fits the set time signature, develop it across the required length, and keep it within the named instrument’s range. A useful sign of progress is being able to spot an out-of-scale note and explain the correction before the tutor points it out.

Latimer offers online one-to-one tuition. For theory lessons, prepare manuscript paper, a pencil, the correct board’s materials and a clear way to show your working. A readable photo or scan lets the tutor see the exact accidental, bass figure or rhythm that caused trouble. Test whether the camera or screen view makes small notes legible before the lesson.

A keyboard can be a useful learning aid for hearing the two chords in the example, but discuss materials with the tutor before buying equipment or software. Microsoft Teams is Latimer’s default lesson platform; another platform can be agreed. In-person lessons require an individual arrangement.

If dense notation or unfamiliar terms are difficult, ask for one stave at a time, larger examples and an explanation spoken aloud before independent writing. Returning adults can start with a short review of keys and notation. Tell the tutor what helps the learner concentrate and read comfortably; exam access arrangements are a separate decision for the exam board.

Agree who will book the exam, check the current fee and deadline, and handle any access-arrangement application. Use the chosen board’s current instructions for the intended sitting. Do this before committing to an exam date or buying a book that may suit a different format.

For ABRSM, include handwritten practice under paper-exam conditions. For Trinity in the UK, try the official digital demo and check its device and room requirements. Lesson video calls and exam supervision have different rules: learning online does not determine how the exam is taken.