Hi All,

I have just been looking up in requirements for the Alto Saxophone Grade 3 exam, as I am trying to build up the courage to go for it. I have a couple of questions if any one may be able to help:

1 - I do not actually know many of the pieces listed. I understand you can purchase one book that has all the pieces in and you then pick the three you are intending to play. Is this true?

2- On the required scales that I need to play. Four are listed as one octave only (fine), one is 2 octaves (no problem), but four are 'a twelfth'. What does this mean please.

Any help give is greatly appreciated.

Sarah.

hiya
i think u can get the book yes most music shops ave them
and the scale 12th just means to do an octave plus up 2 the 5th above that, eg D major up 2 the higher a

Hi Sarah
No question is stupid, so if you need to ask it ............. !

A twelfth is a range of 12 notes, so between one and two octaves as Steph described.

If you have a local music shop I'd go and have a look at the book.

Do go for it!

Maggie

The compilation books are only published for a few instruments, I'm afraid!
For saxophone, as for the other woodwind and brass, the pieces are taken from various books, so you have to buy them separately. This can make trying out the pieces rather an expensive business!
It's worth looking further on in the syllabus to see whether any of the books are used again at a higher grade - this sometimes happens with study books or different movements of a concerto etc - so that you can get more mileage out of the ones you choose!

Thanks Jo, I was hoping someone who teaches woodwind would clarify.

I hesitated to disagreewith the first poster about the collections as I wasn't sure (not being a woodwind teacher) but I had a feeling they were not published together like the piano books. I thought a local music shop might be able to advise!

Maggie

Thanks everyone for your responses. I had a feeling the pieces would be sold separately, just my penniless luck. However jo.clarinet’s idea of possible using books again at higher grades is a good one. I look at that.

Thanks Steph for the answer to my Twelfth question. Logical now I know the answer. Could someone please confirm to me how I write the corresponding arpeggio to the F major scale (twelfth)?

Many thanks as always

Sarah.

QUOTE (sskilton @ Sep 21 2004, 01:43 PM)

Thanks everyone for your responses.  I had a feeling the pieces would be sold separately, just my penniless luck.  However jo.clarinet’s idea of possible using books again at higher grades is a good one.  I look at that.

Your teacher should know the remaining contents of the books and be able to advise you whether they are good value. I hope you are going to prepare pieces for performance outside exams, for friends and family, for other musicians with similar interests, or for music festivals*. Some of the books will have pieces suitable for this, even if they are not used in exams.

* The only way to learn to overcome performance nerves (if you have them) is to do lots of it.

QUOTE (sskilton @ Sep 21 2004, 01:43 PM)

Could someone please confirm to me how I write the corresponding arpeggio to the F major scale (twelfth)?

If it's like the recorder ones over a 12th, you play - from the lowest available tonic - 1,3,5 then the 1,3,5 an 8ve higher, then (still high but going down!) 5,3,1, then 5,3,1 in the lower 8ve, and repeat the tonic to finish.

So it's 1351355315311. In F major: FACFACCAFCAFF

If you are doing them slurred you need to tongue the 2nd one of whatever the highest note is to begin the downward sequence, and you also tongue the extra tonic at the end.

I hope this makes sense - it's much easier to demonstrate than to describe!

Yes, the pieces for woodwind exams are taken from different books and you have to buy them separately - however you CAN buy books of scales (various editions) which show the scales by grade and how to play them slurred, tongued etc. These are essential to any wind player who is serious about their technique, never mind for exams!

Sometimes the List A and List B pieces can come from one book. Talk to your teacher and seek their advice as to what's best for now and longer term. Remember, as has been said elsewhere, you are buying music to play for more than just an exam. Sadly, all too often we can slip into a routine which assumes the only music around is exam music.

Good luck when you do take the examination!

Hi Guys and Gals,

Thanks for all the advice. I have taken the slightly easier option of buying 3 books that I can use for Grade’s 3, 4 & 5. I have also purchased the Scale book which is really well set out, with loads of detailed information.

I am planning to take grade 3 in March, grade 4 in November next year and 5 March 2006. That is of course if I pass first time on each of them.

Can I ask please if you know what the pass mark is and how you get pass, or distinction? Does that mean you can fluff a couple of times, but still perhaps pass? This is just for info. I will go all out to play perfectly, but am just interested in how it all works.

Cheers again everyone, for all your help.

Sarah.

Hi Sarah,
Just a double-check - we are talking Associated board exams here ??

the pass mark is 100, 120 for merit and 130 distinction. If you don't drop more than 20 marks overall you'll score distinction.

You can certainly make the odd fluff and still pass.

Do a search on "These music exams" and also hints for exam students - I think you can find both these on this AB website, and they may answer some of your questions.

Maggie

Hi Sarah,

Maggiemay double-checked whether you were asking about ABRSM exams. I'm wondering if you are working on your own rather than with a teacher?

I gather you have looked at the syllabus for the repertoire lists. You would probably also find it useful to look at the Regulations, which are published for each calendar year, and perhaps to get a complete copy of the woodwind and brass syllabus (both syllabuses and regulations can be obtained as free booklets from music shops).

For anybody's information here, who may be peeved that compilation Grade books aren't available for any instruments except violin and piano - it's because of copyright reasons. More people take violin and piano exams than any other instrument, which makes the copyright problems financially surmountable when publishing the compilation books.

It does tend to make it more expensive or non violinists and non pianists but as pointed out above, if you select carefully you can keep your costs down somewhat.

Violinia

QUOTE

it's because of copyright reasons. More people take violin and piano exams than any other instrument, which makes the copyright problems financially surmountable when publishing the compilation books.

thank you Violinia - that's interesting. I didn't realise until fairly recently from reading posts on these forums that most instruments don't have collections published. I certainly hadn't worked out the reason!

Maggie

QUOTE (Violinia @ Oct 23 2004, 01:32 AM)

For anybody's information here, who may be peeved that compilation Grade books aren't available for any instruments except violin and piano - it's because of copyright reasons.  More people take violin and piano exams than any other instrument, which makes the copyright problems financially surmountable when publishing the compilation books.

I wonder if that's true. I had always assumed that it was because there aren't enough people taking a given grade on anything except piano and violin to make the production of a compilation financially viable. Longer print runs have always been more economical than short ones because the setting up costs are spread over more copies. Mind you, looking at the age of most of the pieces in the violin and piano syllabuses there won't be much copyright-related cost there. Pretty well everything in them is either by long dead white guys, so already in the Public Domain i.e. anyone can reprint them freely or arrange them or do what they like with them, or ABRSM already holds the Copyright.

Hi everyone. Thanks so much for all your comments, all are very much appreciated.

To Maggiemay and Dacapo, I am taking about ABRSM exams and I do have lessons, but I do tend to get a bit excited and work on my own a lot between lessons, hence doing my own research.

Thanks for the tip on the regulations Dacapo; I will look in to that.

Keep the tips coming; I am more than happy to take any comments.

Sarah.