sorry to waste board space but i need a bit of help. i've been teaching my self grade 5 theory and i have pretty much got every topic nailed but i'm stuck on the last question when u have to suggest cadences for a small piece of music (the bit where u have to write I IV etc..) can anyone help me, and tell me an easy way of doing it please it would be much appreciated

This isn't wasting board space.

At Gr 5 there are four chords that could be used: I, II, IV and V. Work out what these chords are for the key that you are in, then see which chord fits the given melody note. Remember, the cadence will always end with I or V.

Possible options would be:

I -V
II - V
V - I
II - V - I
IV - I

This is just a brief idea. What do you find hard in particular?

like choosing which ones would be most suitable, like when u figure out the I II IV V chords for the key signature sometimes it doesnt work,...i think and i read that if u end it on V then it wouldn't sound like the piece is ending and its better to use V in the middle. i just wanted to know an easy way of doing it rather then me just guessing V at the middle and I at the end lol.

This question can be the most straightforward when you've had a bit of practice at it.

You are restricted to chords I, II, IV and V. For example, in G major these would be GBD, ACE, CEG and DF#A. So the first thing to do is write those chords out for the key the piece is in. Then look at the bars to be harmonised. Often you will find three notes in the bar that exactly match the three notes in one of your chords. You would therefore harmonise that bar with that chord. So if the notes in the bar are G, D and B, you would use chord I.

If there are only two notes in the bar to be harmonised, see which chord(s) fit them. So if you just had G and B, you would still harmonise with chord I. If you find they belong to both chords II and IV, eg if you had the notes C and E, you have to choose one of the two. Usually either would work.

If you have a pattern in the melody like G, A, B, then the A is a 'passing note'. It is used to make the melody flow smoothly in step, but is not meant to be harmonised. Treat the G and B as before, and harmonise with chord I. The same applies to patterns such as B, A, B and B, C, B. The middle note is an 'auxiliary note' (also called a 'neighbour note') and is not meant to be harmonised.

Finally, if faced with a bar containing a single note, look at its position in the melody. If the preceding bar can be harmonised with chord V, and the single note in the last bar belongs to the tonic (I) chord, then harmonise it with chord I. If the preceding bar is harmonised with I or IV, and the single note belongs to chord V, then harmonise it with V.

Hope this is understandable, and helpful.

Look at the melody notes and see which of the chords is the best fit for them.
Sometimes the melody will have ONLY notes from one of the chords and sometimes there will be some notes which don't fit (passing notes and auxilliary notes). It's a matter of seeing which is the best match for one of your available chords.
It could end on chord V as it is only an extract and not necxessarily the end of a piece.

yes it really was thanks a bundle


oh didnt think of that lol, thanks for all ur help