First published in full in 1996, Theory of Music Workshop was created to provide plentiful resources for teachers and pupils, with Worksheets and Factsheets in a convenient, photocopiable loose-leaf format.  It conforms to the Theory syllabus of the Associated Board, and fully covers every aspect of Theory of Music from beginner level up to Grade 5.  The course is so designed that every user can select from it what he or she needs.
 

THE WORKSHEETS

The course is founded on the 132 Worksheets of Sets A and B.  There are 11 to 15 pairs of Worksheets for each Grade. Those of each A and B pair cover the same ground, and each single Worksheet covers its topic in full, but wherever possible the questions are in different forms, so that the two Worksheets can be used as one task or separated into two courses.  The A and B sets are supplied as "masters" for photocopying and are printed back to back (to keep large packs to a manageable size), but it is recommended that photocopies be single-sided.  Private purchasers can of course use the master copies as working copies if no future re-use is planned.

There is an additional parallel series of Worksheets called the 0 Series -- printed back-to-back with the Factsheets (see below).  These were added later, and are optional.  If used, it may be good to take them before the A and B Worksheets. By themselves they can provide a foundation course.  Again, different question forms are used as far as possible.

THE HANDBOOKS

There is a student Handbook (A4, wirebound) for each Grade.  The Handbooks are addressed directly to the student, on the basis that she or he is actually working for the ABRSM Grades and that the time available for Theory with a teacher may be limited or even non-existent.  The Handbooks deal with the Theory in generous detail, and also offer much advice about the exams themselves.  A separate strand, woven through the main text and distinctively printed, covers the particular skills of musical handwriting.  After each topic, the user is directed to the corresponding pair (or trio) of Worksheets.

The standard Handbooks are printed in black-and-white, but there is also a colour edition.  The text is the same, but colour printing makes possible some useful additional highlighting, as well as pleasing the eye.

Additional Handbooks (black-and-white) can be ordered as required by teachers.

THE FACTSHEETS

An alternative course of instruction, more concise than that of the Handbooks, is embodied in the Factsheets.  These were added to the Workshop in response to teachers who wanted backup material to their own lessons, in a photocopiable format.  The Factsheets deal sparingly with musical handwriting and do not mention the Grade exams at all.  Because there has to be just one Factsheet to each trio of Worksheets, some Factsheets give a terse and concentrated summary of their topic, while others have more space to be interesting.

The Factsheets are designed to be used either independently of, or in parallel with, the Handbooks.  There is no duplication of content.  They offer strong support to a fully-taught course in Theory.

THE ANSWER BOOKLETS

For a student working alone, answers may be indispensable, but many others have found them useful.  They are given in concise form and not as "worked copies" of the Worksheets. An important section of the ABRSM syllabus is that which requires the candidate to compose a rhythm or (at Grade 5) a melody.  Of course no set answers can be given to questions on these topics, but the in-depth guidance given by the Handbooks and Factsheets will be a strong aid to success in this department of Theory.

THE TEACHERS' GUIDE

A free teachers' guide (in the same format as the Handbooks) is provided with every pack that includes Worksheets.  This guide briefly summarises the topics that must be taught or studied before any particular Worksheet is set.

STRUCTURE OF THE COURSE

The material for the first three Grades allows a student to begin with any one of them.  The Grade 1 course caters for an absolute beginner, introducing (for example) E G B D F etc., the keyboard and the table of note-values before going on to actual Theory.  For Grade 2 the basics are covered briefly in passing.  The Grade 3 material assumes knowledge of notation and basic musical handwriting, but starts at the beginning of actual Theory (with major scales).

The Grade 4 and Grade 5 units deal only with new requirements for those Grades.  So,  to prepare "from scratch" for the Grade 5 Theory exam, Grades 3, 4 and 5 of Theory of Music Workshop are needed.

This is the total of all the contents of the print edition of Theory of Music Workshop:
198 Worksheets, 66 Factsheets, 5 Handbooks, 5 Answer Booklets, 1 Teachers' Guide