A grade one music theory adventure
You find yourself in the basement of a local school. A mobile phone is lying discarded on the floor and a window has been smashed. But what is going on? Explore the online game to search for clues and complete the written worksheets to unlock hidden evidence.
Music teachers can add their own students to play this mystery
Sign up for a free teacher account to get started and follow the instructions in the Teacher Dashboard. Create a group, add your students (who automatically receive log-in details) and view a snapshot of their activity.
Learning has never been so much fun!
Students use their musical detective skills to crack the case while practising music theory topics such as key signatures, time values, tonic triads and more. Find out about what is covered in each worksheet here.
Seven online chapters
Search the school using seven online interactive chapters or games playable on a computer, laptop, tablet or smartphone. What’s hiding in the music teacher’s locker and why does that picture look odd in the art room?
Ten theory worksheets
The ‘Blue Raven’ includes a printable set of ten theory worksheets (with hidden clues!) to keep forever. The book comes in a PDF format for easy printing after checkout and more information about the topics covered can be found below.
Case Files and Suspects
Can you solve the mystery by working out the identity of the criminal mastermind and also what the Blue Raven actually is? Keep track with a handy set of Case Files and rule out any suspects. Successful investigators automatically unlock a printable certificate.
“This music theory mystery comes in three versions; a student licence, a studio licence for music teachers or the option of setting up teaching groups. It works great during in person lessons and online teaching using platforms like Zoom or Skype. Simply open a web browser on your computer, laptop or tablet, select a chapter and play! “
Susan Leigh MA LRSM LLCM FISM – Music teacher and creator of the games
Happy music teachers and students
LOVE your ideas and look forward to sharing with my students
Your games are great and will bring back a fun element to zoom piano lessons!
I loveeee this website, it is amazing!!!
Rule out the suspects one by one
Discover clues and hidden evidence by searching the mysterious school. What is the Blue Raven and who is the criminal mastermind behind it all?
Using in music lessons
There are questions to answer in both the written and online parts of the mystery and are all set at grade one level. It follows the new ABRSM theory syllabus from 2020 – but works great for students following any study path or exam board in any country!
- Worksheet 1 Pitch: treble and bass clef notes on the lines and spaces of the stave; rules for correctly writing notes on the stave
- Worksheet 2 Rhythm: time values (terminology is not used so perfect for those who use ‘crotchet’ as well as those who use ‘quarter note’), of quarter, half, 1, 2, 3, and 4 beat notes, plus dotted notes, and ties.
- Worksheet 3 Rhythm: time signatures of 2, 3, and 4 beats in a bar (2/4, 3/4, 4/4) including missing bar-lines, and adding the time signature to an extract of music.
- Worksheet 4 Rhythm: groupings of notes in the above time signatures
- Worksheet 5 Pitch: accidentals (sharps, flats and natural signs), plus tones and semitones (it also includes the names of the white keys on a piano).
- Worksheet 6 Keys and Key Signatures: C, G, D and F major
- Worksheet 7 Scales: degrees of the scale (numbers only), major scales of the above keys
- Worksheet 8 Intervals: above the tonic by number only
- Worksheet 9 Tonic Triads: in the keys of C, G, D and F major in both treble and bass clefs
- Worksheet 9 Terms and Signs: dynamic signs, tempo terms, instruction terms and musical signs such as the pause, staccato signs etc.
