RCM ear tests explained, level by level, with practice ideas

RCM ear tests check what a student can hear. Depending on the level, the student claps back a rhythm, names or sings intervals, names chords, names chord progressions, and plays back a short melody by ear. In piano exams at Levels 1 to 4, the ear tests are worth 10 marks out of 100. Five minutes of practice a day is enough to prepare.

RCM changed its ear tests on September 1, 2024, in a document called the Musicianship Addendum. The lists below follow that document.

The five kinds of ear test

Clapback. The examiner plays a short melody. The student claps its rhythm. The examiner counts one measure first to set the beat.

Intervals. An interval is the distance between two notes. The student either names the interval the examiner plays or sings one from a given first note. RCM lets the student choose.

Chords. The examiner plays a chord, and the student names its kind, such as major or minor.

Chord progressions. From Level 5, the student names a short chain of chords, such as I to IV to I.

Playback. The examiner plays a short melody, and the student plays it back on the instrument.

What each level asks for

Level	Ear tests
Preparatory	Clapback, chords, and playback
Levels 1 to 4	Clapback, intervals, chords, and playback
Levels 5 to 7	Intervals, chords, chord progressions, and playback
Levels 8 to 10	Intervals, chords, longer chord progressions, and playback

Clapback is no longer required at Levels 5 to 7.

The intervals, level by level

Level	Intervals
1	Minor 3rd and major 3rd
2	Adds the perfect 5th
3	Adds the perfect 4th
4	Adds the perfect octave
5	Adds the minor 6th and major 6th
6	Adds the minor 2nd and major 2nd
7	Adds the minor 7th and major 7th

Higher levels add more.

The chords

From Preparatory to Level 2, the student tells a major triad from a minor triad. At Levels 3 and 4, the student also hears one note and says if it is the root, the third, or the fifth of the chord. Level 5 adds the dominant 7th chord, and later levels add more kinds.

How the marks are split

In the Level 1 piano exam, the 10 marks for ear tests are split like this: clapback 2, intervals 2, chords 2, and playback 4. Playback carries the most.

Practice ideas

Clapback. Clap a short rhythm and have your child clap it back. Then swap. Next, hum a line from a known song and ask for its rhythm alone.

Intervals. Tie each interval to the start of a song your child knows. Many students use “Here Comes the Bride” for a perfect 4th, “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” for a perfect 5th, and “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” for an octave. Ask the teacher for songs for the others.

Sing them. Play one note and have your child sing the note a major 3rd above. Check it on the instrument.

Chords. Play a major chord and a minor chord, one after the other. Many listeners hear major as bright and minor as dark. Then play one of the two and ask which it was.

Playback. Play three or four notes that move by step. Have your child sing them, find the first note, and play them. Keep it short and slow at first.

Use a tool. RCM sells an online ear training program, and the Four Star books from the same publisher have daily exercises for each level.

How a parent can help without playing

A parent who does not play can still run clapbacks, press play on a practice track, and keep a tally. Ask the teacher to record a week’s worth of tests on your phone.

Start early

Ear skills grow in small steps over months. A student who starts ear tests in the last two weeks gives away marks that were within reach. Put ear tests on the practice chart from the first week of exam preparation.

For the full timeline, read how to prepare for an RCM practical exam. For the reading half of the musicianship marks, read RCM sight reading. For the words used here, see music theory for parents.

Source: RCM Musicianship Addendum, effective September 1, 2024, checked in November 2026. Confirm the current list for your child’s level with the teacher.