Theory G5 Options

[Adult pianist]

Hi guyz

M having problem here on G5 Theory.
I just cant seemed to understand cadences. Anyone can help?
:(

[Trinity]

that's a very broad question.

can you say what part you do not understand about it, the chord progressions? how to identify them? etc

[Adult pianist]

Hi,
cant seemed to know the topics like chords and cadences? is there any book that I could read up on Grade 5 theory? :(

[DavidMusic]

Yes

The Associated Board Theory Books are rather useful.

[Fiona]

Hi Adult Pianist,

Take a look at the 'Theroy Time!' by David Turnbull.
These are brilliant :rolleyes:

They go from GI thru GV. I couldn't have done without them.

Fiona

[tannie]

What books do you have at hand?

Try the exercise book from grade I to V, published by ABRSM. They not only have exercise in it, they actuall explain with some simple examples that will surely help your understanding.

Hope that helps... ;)

Cheers,
Tannie

[Adult pianist]

Hi,
I actually bought "AB Guide" to read up and "Theory of Music made easy" to start off, but i just cant seemed to understand Intervals and Cadences.

Are there other books that I can read up to understand? :(

[andante_in_c]

You could try 'Take Five - and pass first time' by (somebody) Dunn. It's the one I get my theory students to use. Much more friendly than the AB books, and covers everything except composition. I don't use the same method that he does for intervals though - if you search back through the various forums you'll find other methods of working out intervals.

As for cadences - you need to look at the notes in the melody part for each chord, and work out the triad they belong to. So if you've got G,B and D in the melody, and the piece is in G major, you use chord I. If the piece was in D major it would be chord IV. The only situations where this doesn't work if if you have passing or auxiliary notes in the melody which need to be discounted, or if the melody is a single note, when you might have to choose between two possible chords.

This is a very brief explanation - if you would like more help just ask.

[tannie]

QUOTE (Adult pianist @ Mar 20 2004, 03:32 AM)

Are there other books that I can read up to understand?

I found "Music Theory in Practice" by Peter Aston & Julian Webb, ABRSM Publishing quite adaquate. :)

If you can understand p.49 of AB Guide to Music Theory, what you need is really do some exercise. Reading can give you the basics/fundamentals, to really understand it, you need to do some exercise.

Before going into cadence, you will need to have a good understanding of Keys, and be sure to find the Tonic. You will need to work out the Chords as well - to recognise them no matter they are in root position or inversions. Only after that you can begin with cadence.

(I think "passing or auxiliary notes" are in grade 6 ~ 8. If you don't come across them, don't worry about it. If you worry about it and want to know more, you could reach Chapter 15 Non-harmony notes, in Book II of the AB Guide.)

Cheers,
Tannie

[andante_in_c]

Tannie - if you look at Music theory in Practice Grade 5 p. 49 you will find that you do need to understand passing and auxiliary notes for Grade 5 theory. There is usually at least one chord in the exam questions that harmonises a passage containing either passing or auxiliary notes.

[tannie]

Ooops... Thanks for your clarification, Andante!! :)

In fact, I just noticed that I've lost my Music theory in Pratice books for Grade 1~5 and all past papers I had, possibly in the last time I moved my home. Maybe, they are still packed in the sealed boxes that I could be bothered to check them one-by-one.

It was so tempting to buy a new set of them, and your reminder just gave me another good reason! :P


Thx & rgds,
Tanni

[Adult pianist]

Hi,

Thanks so much for all your help. Have not learnt auxillary notes yet. I am trying to understand G5 Theory first so that i can do my G7 theory next year.

Actually i have already pass my G5 and G6 theory 15 years ago, but just cant seemed to remember any of them, hence seek help here. :o

Was doing intervals yesterday,....can anyone tell me how to find C# - E# and why? :(
Tks!

[tannie]

Hi,

The "official" way of doing this, is to calculate it from a scale start from the lower note; i.e. let's see a (major) scale begins from C#. That will be C# -> D# -> E#. Therefore it is a Major 3rd.

The easier way is to "change" the question from "C# - E#" to "C - E". :) But be sure that you do NOT change the name of the note! i.e. do not think E# = F. Because C# -> E# is a Major 3rd; but C# -> F will be a diministed 4th.

Cheers,
Tannie

[Adult pianist]

Hi Andante,
Thanks for the explaination of the cadences, but sorry, i dont really catch it. Could u give me a few examples to illustrate?

Tks!


For the rest of people here, anyone can recommend me any books to improve my aural and sight reading? Will be doing G7 this year. :rolleyes:

[AnotherPianist]

I think that the easiest way to do this question if you're struggling is the following:

Work out what key the piece is in.

Write down the chords I, IV and V (I can't remember if these are the only ones allowed in grade 5 you might have to put in II also, I don't have the books here so I can't tell you but the basic principle is the same).

Let's imagine the piece we've been given is in G Major so...

I is G B D
IV is C E G
V is D F# A

Now look at all of the notes being played at the time you're asked what the chord is; write them down if you like. Now, if all of them are in one of the chords you have written down then that is the chord; this is the case most of the time. If, in the instance of a passing note, the melody note isn't in the same chord as the other notes present in your list of chords just pick the chord that all the other notes are in.

So if at the point you're asked the notes are GDG look at your list: they're in I so the answer is I no other chord on your list contains both of these notes. All that this question is really is a spot the difference!