 Sight Reading Or Aural Tests? |
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| Sight Reading Or Aural Tests? |
| xlouloux |
 Apr 9 2006, 11:59 AM
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#1
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Any messages here!
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| crazy_purple_piano_freak |
Apr 9 2006, 12:29 PM
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#2
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Sightreading without a doubt. I loathe aural tests. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif)
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| Violinia |
Apr 9 2006, 12:57 PM
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#3
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Sorry but I still think if we loathe aural tests, we probably need to work on your aural skills, because a lack of them will affect our playing in one way or another. Music is primarily aural, after all, and the word aural means merely 'listening'.
While the aural tests aren't perfect, they're quite good for measuring aural skills. Why would anyone loathe them? Because you have to sing in front of the examiner? Why are we all so afraid of singing these days? I have a terrible voice, but having a terrible voice and the ability to sing in tune are tow totaly separate things, and no examiner is going to fault you for having a terrible voice. I accept that there's not enough singing in schools these days but surely we can redress the balance by singing in the bath, singing a long to our favourite music etc etc, until we're more comfortable with singing. There's absolutely nothing wrong with being made to fine-tune our musical ear, and without aural tests the exams would be a mere indicator of how good we are at interpreting symbols on a page - which a machine can do. Thankfully, grade exams are trying to be more than that - which is measure our skills as people who can truly listen to and understand musical ideas - what could be wrong with that??? Violinia |
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| Frederic Chopin |
Apr 9 2006, 12:57 PM
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#4
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Definitely sight-reading all those wonderful piano works out there! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)
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| Car Expert |
Apr 9 2006, 01:35 PM
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#5
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Has to be sight-reading!
Car Expert |
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| nicki_flute |
Apr 9 2006, 01:40 PM
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#6
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Sight reading but only because I find it easier, as I have never had any sort of aural tuition.
Violinia - I don't mind singing at home to myself, but when it comes to singing in front of someone else, I just go (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) . I actually used to like singing and I doubt I was ever any good, but just people dented my confidence at primary school. There is nothing wrong with the AB testing aural skills, just the lack of good aural teaching means that many people fear them and see them as bad. |
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| xlouloux |
Apr 9 2006, 06:26 PM
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#7
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QUOTE(Violinia @ Apr 9 2006, 01:57 PM)  Why would anyone loathe them? Because you have to sing in front of the examiner? Why are we all so afraid of singing these days? I hate singing in front of the examiner! It's so embarassing! I HATE IT! And I'm not quite sure why we hate singing so much! |
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| AnotherPianist |
Apr 9 2006, 06:40 PM
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#8
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Well the answer to this thread I'm afraid, is quite boringly similar to the other one (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif). I find sightreading harder than aural; but I'd much rather be good at sightreading. Then again I do spend a lot more time listening to music than I do sightreading music, so maybe that's the problem (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif).
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| anakrron |
Apr 9 2006, 07:39 PM
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#9
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I voted for neither. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) But if I had to choose, I chose sight reading, because I'd rather be good at sight reading. And Violinia, the reason I don't much like aurals is not because I'm embarassed of singing (although I still have a horrible voice!) but because I find it so difficult.
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| Bagpuss |
Apr 9 2006, 08:34 PM
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#10
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"Sight reading but only because I find it easier, as I have never had any sort of aural tuition."
Nicki, Nicki, Nicki......the Aural Tutor is on her way! Bag's Guide to Aural Awareness is coming to Leicester! And yes, you WILL be singing! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) x |
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| andante_in_c |
Apr 9 2006, 08:43 PM
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#11
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Ooh, a tricky one. I like both because of the unknown factor - I like pitting my wits against the examiner. I enjoyed both the sight reading and the aural in my Grade 8 recorder exam last year. I preferred the aural to the sight reading for Grade 7 piano, as piano sight reading is much harder than woodwind sight reading. The only aural I disliked was my Grade 1 this term: I felt totally unprepared for it because I hadn't done any practice tests, and I was terrified of dropping a mark (I didn't). (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)
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| sarah-flute |
Apr 9 2006, 08:49 PM
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#12
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I like aurals because I find them easy (though having said that I'm yet to scale the heights of G7 and G8 aural, and I've not done a new style grade 6 one)
I don't think that's any native talent - it's because I was well taught as a child. I'd like to be good at both though. Piano sight-reading is so much harder (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) Andante: I felt the same in my G1 aural (I forgot to even read the blurb before it about what was supposed to happen) - it was a bit like groping in the dark and was completely unnerving. I still got 18 though (phew!) |
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| Violinia |
Apr 9 2006, 09:25 PM
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#13
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Annakron - if you find aural difficult - you're not alone, because so many seem to - i don't think it's very well taught in this country - but help is at hand. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) There are lots of pretty good aural-training websites and DVD's and if that doesn't suit you I highly recommend Kodaly - Bagpuss and Cyrilla will advise on what courses/days are available and where etc.
Good luck Violinia |
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| crazy_purple_piano_freak |
Apr 10 2006, 10:13 AM
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#14
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QUOTE(Violinia @ Apr 9 2006, 01:57 PM) Sorry but I still think if we loathe aural tests, we probably need to work on your aural skills, because a lack of them will affect our playing in one way or another. Music is primarily aural, after all, and the word aural means merely 'listening'. While the aural tests aren't perfect, they're quite good for measuring aural skills. Why would anyone loathe them? Because you have to sing in front of the examiner? Why are we all so afraid of singing these days? I think Its just the singing part of the tests that I loathe, as I'm alright at the listening bits. I'm not terrible at singing in tune (I think... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif) )...I'm just not comfortable with doing it! On the contrary I dont mind singing in front of the examiner!! Chances are we'll never see them again!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) |
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| isabelsmells |
Apr 10 2006, 12:22 PM
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#15
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I prefer sight-reading, mainly because I enjoy the thrill. Aural... I liked up until I started grade 7 aural (I didn't do grade 6), but I know that if I work at my weaknesses, and I'm considering going in for a bit of Kodaly training once I'm all settled in Wales, and after all of it I might start to like it because all my problems will (hopefully) be sorted out with a bit of hard work.
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