Level 6 Theory and Level 7 Theory are written exams in the Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) program. Each one goes with the practical exam of the same level. This page lists what each exam covers and how the two differ.
Quick facts
| Level 6 Theory | Level 7 Theory | |
|---|---|---|
| Length in person | 2 hours | 2 hours |
| Length online | 1 hour | 1 hour |
| Needed for | Level 6 certificate | Level 7 certificate |
| Older exam it replaced | Intermediate Rudiments | None. It was new in 2016. |
| History unit | Baroque and Classical | Romantic and Modern |
| Pass mark | 60 out of 100 | 60 out of 100 |
Both exams use all the major and minor keys. Level 5 Theory stops at four sharps or flats.
What Level 6 Theory covers
Notes. Double sharps and double flats. Moving a major-key tune up by any interval within an octave. This is called transposing.
Rhythm. Thirty-second notes and rests. Dotted sixteenth notes. Compound meters such as 6/8.
Intervals. Every interval within an octave. That now includes augmented and diminished intervals.
Scales. Every major and minor scale, in all forms.
Chords. Major and minor triads in root position and inversions. The dominant 7th chord in root position. Students name two kinds of cadence, the authentic cadence and the half cadence. A cadence is the pair of chords that ends a phrase. Read what is a cadence? They also add the chord symbols I, IV, and V to a tune.
Melody writing. The student gets the first two measures and writes the rest of the tune. The form is called a parallel period. Its two phrases start the same way.
Analysis. Naming the key of a passage, with or without a key signature.
Music history. The unit covers Baroque and Classical styles. It has three pieces.
- Bach, Invention in C Major, BWV 772
- Bach, Brandenburg Concerto No. 5, first movement
- Mozart, Eine kleine Nachtmusik, first movement
Students learn words such as invention, concerto grosso, sequence, chamber music, and sonata form.
Terms. More Italian words, such as con brio and poco a poco.
What Level 7 Theory covers
Notes. Transposing a tune by any interval or into any key.
Rhythm. Double-dotted notes. Irregular groups, from two notes in the time of three up to groups of seven.
Intervals. Every interval and its inversion, written above or below a given note.
Scales. New kinds of scale: chromatic, whole-tone, octatonic, pentatonic, and blues.
Chords. Diminished and augmented triads. Triads on any note of the scale. The dominant 7th chord in all its inversions. The diminished 7th chord in minor keys. Students now write authentic and half cadences. In Level 6 they name them.
Melody writing. Passing tones and neighbor tones. The student writes a contrasting period. That is a pair of phrases in which the second phrase differs from the first.
Analysis. Adding chord symbols to a tune, with one chord in each measure.
Music history. The unit covers the Romantic and Modern eras. It has five pieces.
- Mendelssohn, Overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream
- Chopin, Etude in C Minor, Op. 10, No. 12, called the “Revolutionary”
- Stravinsky, Petrushka, first tableau
- Hugh Le Caine, Dripsody
- Duke Ellington, “Ko-Ko”
Students learn words such as program music, nationalism, ballet, electronic music, and twelve-bar blues.
Terms. Words for mood, such as agitato, dolente, and giocoso.
Does a student need both exams?
Each exam belongs to its own certificate. A student who takes the Level 6 practical exam needs Level 6 Theory for the Level 6 certificate. A student who skips the Level 6 practical exam does not need it.
RCM’s FAQ gives one piece of advice about Level 7. It says the Level 7 content should not be skipped, since it holds new melody writing and history content. For the full chart, read RCM theory requirements by level.
Two ways to write the exams
In person. RCM holds written theory exams on set days in each session. In Canada, the next theory days are December 11 and 12, 2026, and May 14 and 15, 2027. See RCM exam dates and deadlines.
Online. RCM offers both exams online, on demand. One version is the final exam alone. It counts for 100 percent of the mark. The other version is the Online Theory Study Guide with Exam. It has lessons, eight unit tests worth 40 percent, and a final exam worth 60 percent.
If the mark may be used for a high school credit, RCM recommends a proctor for the online exam. The proctor cannot be a relative or the student’s own music teacher. Read RCM high school credits by province.
What they cost
These are the fees on RCM’s pages on November 14, 2026. Fees change. Check RCM’s page before you register.
| Exam | Level 6 | Level 7 |
|---|---|---|
| In person, Canada | $159 | $170 |
| In person, United States | $149 US | $159 US |
| Online Theory Exam Only | $159 | $170 |
| Online Theory Study Guide with Exam | $225 | $225 |
How to prepare
RCM estimates 30 hours to finish its online study guide for each of these levels.
Keep Level 5 fresh. Both exams build on Level 5. A student who is slow at key signatures will be slow at everything else. Review with key signatures explained and the circle of fifths.
Drill intervals. Intervals are in both exams. Read intervals explained for kids.
Listen to the history pieces. Play each piece several times before the exam. These pages help with the composers and the music:
- Bach for kids
- Eine kleine Nachtmusik listening guide
- Mendelssohn for kids
- Chopin for kids
- Stravinsky for kids
Write a timed paper. Set a timer and write a full practice paper. Mark it with the teacher.
The exams before and after
- RCM Level 5 theory: what the exam covers
- RCM Level 8 theory: what the exam covers
- RCM Level 6 piano: what the exam asks for
- RCM Level 7 piano: what the exam asks for
Sources
Checked in November 2026.
- The Royal Conservatory. Theory Syllabus, 2016 Edition.
- The Royal Conservatory. Celebrate Theory: frequently asked questions.
- The Royal Conservatory. Theory Syllabus, 2016 Edition: overview and what is new.
- The Royal Conservatory. Examination information for intermediate theory, Levels 5 to 8.
- The Royal Conservatory. Theory exam overview.
- The Royal Conservatory. Examination dates, Canada.
- The Royal Conservatory. Examination and other service fees, Canada.
- The Royal Conservatory. Examination and other service fees, US.
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Use it with your kids
Print a listening page, a practice chart, or a composer fact sheet. Or try a tool, such as the composer timeline or the piece picker.