Hi everyone,
I am new here but have been reading the forum for a few weeks now and I really like the great feeling amongst you all. I'm an adult learner, passed Gr 4 flute and haven't really got any plans for taking Gr 5 practical yet, but I got into the theory and am working my way through past papers and Dorothy Dingle's excellent book 'Pass Grade 5 Theory'. Then I decided to take the plunge and put myself in for the exam! There are a few weeks yet until November 2nd so I have time to brush up on melody writing and transposition (my two ropey parts). Then as long as I write out all my formulas (circle of fifths, intervals, keyboard etc),read things carefully, don't rush in or assume things, check and double check and pace myself, I might scrape through with a pass!
I don't have a teacher at the moment, but the books, past papers and mymusictheory on youtube are all easy to use and understand.
Is anyone else doing Grade 5 theory in November too?

Hi flautando and to the Forums.

Sounds like you have your approach to Grade 5 Theory really well organised. Best of luck (I took mine in 1994 without a teacher, so I can sympathise with your challenge).

denmark

I am doing my Grade 5 Theory in November in Glasgow

I wonder where it will be in Glasgow?Any one know ?

Ill be taking Grade 5 theory in November to, but right now im only studying grade 4.. so I have a lot of work to do .. and a lot of discipline!

I'm taking grade 5 in November too. Working my way through past papers and Lina Ng's Theory of Music Made Easy - Grade 5. It wasn't expensive and I would recommend getting it.

I seem to recall that the thing I didn't like in this book was that the opening bar(s) for the composition question contained several examples of the openings of well known tunes which makes it tricky to be creative.

I had a bit of a chuckle to myself when I read your post about well known tunes - I have great difficulty hearing what is written so I probably wouldn't work out what the tunes are anyway lol!

Hi and thanks for the welcome
I agree, I can't hear what the written notes sound like either and the melody writing is what I'm really struggling on at the moment.
Anyone got any tips on how to 'hear' what is written? All suggestions gratefully received

This is as much about understanding the underlying harmony as it is about melody.
If you are continuing the given start first mark out your 8 bars. That way you don't accidentally make it 7 (too short) or 9 (unbalanced and you need to be clever to make it work).
Next sketch in the rhythm. If the rhythm works it will help the whole thing to hang together.
Make the end of the 4th bar imply an imperfect cadence. That means finish that bar on the dominant. You may want to have the sharpened subdominant as a leading note at this point.
Make the end of bar 8 imply a perfect cadence. End it on the tonic maybe preceded by the leading note which is a good solid finish.
Not much left to fill in now. Use arpeggio and scale patterns (you can add passing/auxilliary notes if you know how and there is room). Don't stray too far from the notes in the opening. In 8 bars too much jumping around can be disjointed.
Be aware of the note range of the instrument though accidentally going a tone over in this area is not going to cost heavily in marks.
Don't try to put in instrument specific marks unless you play that instrument and know how to use them.
Put in some dynamics but don't overdo it. Following the rise and fall of the melody is a good plan.

It may not sound like the best music ever written but it will work and show that you understand how to construct a couple of phrases of music.

Hearing accurately may be desirable but is not essential. My theory teacher at the later grades went as far as to say that hearing accurately could even be restrictive in this case.

Thank you so much! I have followed your instructions and managed to complete two melodies from the 2010 past papers, then played them on the flute.... and they worked. I'm really grateful sbhoa

Really sound advice from Sbhoa - thank you.