Who Is Working On Grade 6 Theory, And willing to support eachother. Options

[eldatom]

I am working on Grade 6 theory and think it would be great to know who else is on the forum. and who else would be interested in supporting eachother.

ET

[Sam94]

I am! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I've only just started, so I'll probably need a lot of advice once I get really stuck into it. It's so much more complex than Grade 5. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif)

Good luck with it!

Sam94. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[JoannaB]

I'm working towards it. It's been 5 years since I did much harmony but it's amazing how much comes back to me when I get stuck in.

[Rosie91]

I'm working on it slowly on my own so would love some support - and of course will give support if I can!

[piano*singing*lover]

I start on it in September when I go back to college. I suppose in a way i'm begining to like theory because at the end of each question there is always an answer!
I can't believe I got a merit let alone pass grade 5 theory, my first ever abrsm exam!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)
I'm going to be grinning about this for a long time methinks! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blush.gif)
What does everyone think of grade 6 theory so far?
PSL (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

[skylark]

I can't believe I got a merit let alone pass grade 5 theory, my first ever abrsm exam!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Well done PSL! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)


I'm hoping to take it next June if I'm ready, but I'm having a break from the books while I concentrate on picking up the piano. But I look upon that as part of my theory study anyway (that's why I took it up) and I'm really pleased I did - partly because I've really taken to it which I didn't expect to, and partly because I can already see how useful it's going to be in understanding theory and composition.


(IMG:style_emoticons/default/niceThread.gif)

[teoani]

I am working on Grade 6 Theory, but am moving rather slowly due to the very little time my teacher spends every week on it. I plan to get another copy of the book so that I can work on other sections while she marks the completed ones.

I hope to sit for the Grade 6 Theory exam by the end of 2009. I am not being overly ambitious with time, but I wish to attain at least a merit, because I have plans to become a music teacher in future.

Do you all have teachers? Or do you work on it through self-study? I feel that theory is still very much self-study. The teacher can only answer your queries when you have queries. And there will be no queries at all without any thought process.

What books are you all using? I am using Josephine Koh's. I also have ABRSM's Harmony in Practice, which I only refer to when I have very fundamental doubts on why certain rules are required.

Maybe we can post questions and help one another with it in this thread?

[skylark]

I am working on Grade 6 Theory, but am moving rather slowly due to the very little time my teacher spends every week on it. I plan to get another copy of the book so that I can work on other sections while she marks the completed ones

Hi teoani, and welcome to the forums (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Up to G5 I photocopied the exercise pages (Music Theory in Practice) and the past papers, and worked on the photocopies. That way I wasn't without the book or the papers at any time and I've still got a clean originals in case I want to return to them at any time for revision. If you've got access to a copier, that would be cheaper than buying another book as well (sorry AB (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) ).

Do you all have teachers? Or do you work on it through self-study? I feel that theory is still very much self-study. The teacher can only answer your queries when you have queries. And there will be no queries at all without any thought process.

I've got a teacher and I seem to have had a mix of weekly group lessons, weekly individual lessons and ad hoc individual lessons! I'm not having theory lessons at the moment and I'm not quite sure what I'm going to do next term - possibly start off with group lessons, see how it goes, and if necessary switch to individual lessons if the group lessons don't work out. My teacher's really interesting - he tends to digress quite a bit into history, composers and all sorts of things, but that's what I find fascinating.

What books are you all using? I am using Josephine Koh's. I also have ABRSM's Harmony in Practice, which I only refer to when I have very fundamental doubts on why certain rules are required.

I've got both of those, and also the Answer book to Harmony in Practice. I've also got Music Theory in Practice, which is what I'm starting with.

Maybe we can post questions and help one another with it in this thread?

My own feeling is (although others may disagree!) is that separate threads for questions would be best. Partly because it makes searching easier if anybody wants to find previous advice on G6 matters, and if several months worth of questions all appear in this thread, it would become difficult to find anything. Also because I tend to think that we might be more likely to get advice from teachers if there are separate specific threads, because they might not want to wade through the chit-chat in this thread. But I might be wrong! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Maizie]

I will be working on G6 theory though goodness knows when! I have MTiP6, Big 6, and Harmony in Practice. I didn't buy the answer book to the latter just yet, to remove any temptation to cheat (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

I'll be doing it teacherless, well, no specific teacher but I should from September have an instrument teacher who seems very nice and may well be able to help - oh, and she's part of the county music service so she would at least know someone to point me at if I did need someone.

I'll definitely be taking it in a June session because 5-8pm is no time to be doing an exam!

[iamdjoc]

Me too! I'll be looking to take Grade 6 theory in period A. I've ordered the books and will be studying mostly on my own, with some support from my piano teacher. This thread will be a great help (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Thanks,
Dave.

[muse]

I am working on grade 6 too. Its quite a step up from grade 5 so I'm working through Harmony in Practice to help me.

[teoani]

That way I wasn't without the book or the papers at any time.

Thanks, skylark. I get what you mean. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

My own feeling is (although others may disagree!) is that separate threads for questions would be best.

Point taken. Shall we use the forum "Theory and Composition" ? We can tag our discussions with "[Grade 6 Theory]" in the subject, and that would be easy to track.

To tell the truth, I have passed Grade 6 before when I was a child. But don't ask me how. I was plain lucky, even if you don't believe it is possible to be. I admit that I had no idea whatsoever what harmony is, and even the basic note doubling meant nothing to me. I had misconceptions about figured bass (I thought it was like Alberti bass... just imagine!!). I got those 5/3, 6/3 stuff right only 50% of the time during lessons. Chord progressions and the taboos? I never bothered about those. I didn't even revise the corrections my teacher made me do, because I simply didn't understand why they were important. How did I pass then? I still think it was a mistake. This is not an offence to those who passed, but I observe that sometimes child candidates tend to pass exams without understanding, which was the case with myself. I am so ashamed...

So this time round, as a responsible adult who is truly interested in music theory, I am going to study for Grade 6, and aim for a merit.

I have the Answer Book for Harmony in Practice too. We can discuss any doubts on that book too. Right now I am overwhelmed by the massive information in Harmony in Practice. I think following Josephine Ko's might give me a better structured guide on what's required in each grade. I will also be working on past year papers when I am done with all the topics. How is everyone structuring their study plan?

[skylark]

Shall we use the forum "Theory and Composition" ? We can tag our discussions with "[Grade 6 Theory]" in the subject, and that would be easy to track.

Good plan!

I observe that sometimes child candidates tend to pass exams without understanding, which was the case with myself.

I remember doing A Level Latin at school, and writing an essay about something and the teacher said "Yes you've grasped very well how..." and I remember looking really startled because I hadn't grasped that at all - I'd just paraphrased some of the chunks of information I'd gathered together from various books (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif)

Right now I am overwhelmed by the massive information in Harmony in Practice.

Same here, which is why I'm avoiding it for the time being and concentrating on Music Theory in Practice initially!

How is everyone structuring their study plan?

A bit unconventionally really - I regard learning the piano which I only started last week as part of my study for the higher theory grades because it will help me with a better understanding of harmony and composition. And I'm hoping to start going to an evening class entitled Music Appreciation in September which I hope will contribute to my music knowledge generally. I still hope to be ready by June because I don't want to do the exam in any of the other sessions (bad classroom environment for the other two sessions) but I'm conscious that I haven't got down to any "nitty-gritty" yet.

[singerpianist]

I'm working towards grade 6 theory too!! Some of you may have seen my posts a couple of months ago asking for advice with some of my answers to the harmony questions (which were disasterous!), so you may be glad to know I've now got myself a teacher!! I've only had two lessons, but it has made a big difference - more from having someone to check my answers and point out/explain my mistakes rather than to actually teach me...a lot of it is self study really...

I'm hoping to take the exam next Spring...I've got my grade 6 piano at Christmas, and hopefully (depending on my grd 6 singing results from this term) grade 8 singing in the summer...I'll slot it inbetween. Plus, I'm helping my friend get up to her grade 5 theory, so we can go for our exams at the same time!!

I think a support thread for grade 6 theory-ers is a good idea!! There are so many rules etc for this level (and above, I'm sure) that it'll be helpful to pass a few idea's and bits of advice around!!

Do people think you're crazy for doing grade 6 theory?! Loads of people who know I'm working on it think I'm absolutely mad, because they all want to stop it at grade 5! Even music teachers I know haven't done it (although they covered lots of the harmony stuff at a-level and at uni...). I can't imagine how people don't love theory!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

What books are you all using? I am using Josephine Koh's. I also have ABRSM's Harmony in Practice, which I only refer to when I have very fundamental doubts on why certain rules are required.

Hi Teoani, welcome to the forums! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

I'm currently using the pink and blue AB Guide to Music Theory, the ABRSM Theory in Practise books (more for the extra practise q's as opposed to gaining info), and the Big 6 book - which I'd really recommend...it has excellent step by step guides, a summary of rules etc and lots of practise q's, plus answers for the general questions at the back!

I'm also doing grade 6 theory as I want to be a music teacher, and think it'll be really useful to get to grips with before I do A-level in Sept and after that university. And on top of that I just love it!


Are you all planning to do grades 7 and 8 after 6? I am - sounds strangely exciting!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

I remember doing A Level Latin at school, and writing an essay about something and the teacher said "Yes you've grasped very well how..." and I remember looking really startled because I hadn't grasped that at all - I'd just paraphrased some of the chunks of information I'd gathered together from various books (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif)

Wow A-level Latin!!! I sooo wish they did that at my school, I absolutely love Latin - or singing in it at least! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif) I'd also like to do Italian, but they don't do that either (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) And I don't fancy any of the other languages!

[clk299]

I may be a lurker on this thread- I am currently off work with my leg in plaster following an op and so am heading tentatively back towards my goal of G6 theory (it was a thought at first so I could eventually do my singing diploma but now I'd quite like it just for the fact of having it and remembering all that theory from 10 years ago!) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)