[FONT=Arial][SIZE=1][COLOR=purple]
Hey people
I was wondering if there was anyone out there who does grade 6+ theory who isnt a music teacher?
I really enjoy theory , but no one i know has done grade 6 or shown any actually interest in studing the theory of music.

ooooh you play the horn! how exciting! (i do too but i dont think anyone else on the forums does). I did my grade 8 theory on saturday, and I'm definitely not a music teacher (nor do I have ANY aspirations to be one) and I'm still at school, and, although I've probably failed the exam, I really love theory! ( i know that sounds rather sad, but I do!)

I might do theory after grade 5 but I am still working towards doing my grade 5 theory (I am doing it in the Autumn). I think it gives you a greater understanding to what you are playing, instead of just playing all the notes on the page without any expression.

Hi there! I have taken grades 6 & 7 in music theory, sitting grade 8 in the next exam session, I would definately advise and recommend doing the higher grades! In particluar if you wish to study music to A-Level or degree level, as the skills you learn are I'm sure invaluable! However, the gap between grade 5 and grade 6 is suprisingly large, but I'm sure you'd manage it fine.

By the way hgirl, I have seen from your other posts that you are sitting your DipABRSM in Horn soon. Approximately how long/how much study did you do to bridge the gap between grade 8 practical and the diploma? My teacher is keen for me to do the diploma but I don't know whether it is a good idea, despite the fact that I wish to study music at degree level (I'm in lower sixth at the moment). Any comments on the preparation/time spent practicing for your diploma would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance.

Jack

People do carry on to do grade six+ theory, although the only person I know who did failed (just to inspire you!). Although I personally find theory killingly dull, if you enjoy it (although heaven knows why) carry on. The only reason I would contemplate it personlly is because it earns you UCAS points, but otherwise it seems pointless. I did my grade five 6 years ago and haven't done any more since and I can't say I've missed it.

I say I have no desire to learn post grade 5 theory, but thats not strictly true, it's simply that my teacher doesn't teach it, and there is no point in me having lessons specially for theory when I'm never going to need it/. (having no musical ambition what so ever)

I think people would do it, if theory wasn't so boring to learn, it's really facinating in practise, but all those endless exercises, and intervals *shudder* I never did get them properly!

I did grades 6-8 because I wanted to, simple as that.
Hardest thing was finding a teacher.

At this level it is probably better to have sepoarate theory and practical lessons.
My theory lessons were generally an hour long.

QUOTE (JLambert @ Jun 15 2004, 10:08 PM)

By the way hgirl, I have seen from your other posts that you are sitting your DipABRSM in Horn soon. Approximately how long/how much study did you do to bridge the gap between grade 8 practical and the diploma? My teacher is keen for me to do the diploma but I don't know whether it is a good idea, despite the fact that I wish to study music at degree level (I'm in lower sixth at the moment). Any comments on the preparation/time spent practicing for your diploma would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance. Jack

Hi Jack!
glad to see someone else doing advanced theory! I'm in lower sixth too, and I did my Grade 8 horn in the spring term last year, so its taken me a year and a bit to get to what my teacher thinks is 'diploma standard'- whether I actually am diploma standard is a different matter! I have my exam in less than 2 weeks and I'm soooo worried about it! I think I'd like to study music at degree level too, I'm applying to some places for music and some for english, and I might audition for music college as well. I honestly don't know what to say about practice time coming up to the diploma- i didnt really do any practice until about february this year, and in the last month or so I've been panicking lots! Since I've been off on study leave (AS levels- yuck!) I've been trying to do about three hours a day, though the exam revision and theory worry has been a bit distracting!
well, good luck in your theory exam, and I definitely think you should do a diploma- it can't hurt after all!

Hi y'all,

I love doing theory and I am hoping to do GVI Nov.

Must admit though, the Fig bass, writing for 4 part voices is a bit heavy going. It seems never ending !

I mostly enjoy the questions on scores.

Fiona

i'm going to start grade 8 theroy this summer... i just want a qualification really...

ive just started music theory (at the sad age of 17)

and im planning to do theory till grade 8.
Although i know its only the beginning, i am excited for higher grade work

Everyone tends to say that they hate theory and it's just a pain to have to do before they can do any more exams. But, if you think about it, music would be pretty dull if there was no theory of it. For example, you wouldn't know all the expression words so like purple dolphin said, you wouldn't play with any expression.

So, my point being, (trust me to go off the point!), i'd like to carry theory through and see it to the end!! It could really help my playing. I'd recommend doing 6, 7 + 8!!

Daisy
xxx

Nooo... No more thoery for me.. too tiring n boring i rly hate it .. its gud that ur intersted in it.. its mean you guys are going to have a lot more knowlodge into thoery then i am..

hehe

sbhoa My thoery was a hour long too it was 7:30pm till 8:30pm .. man did i fall asleep.. (yup i did hehe)

I would definately carry on after grade 5 (which i am doing in the next sitting). Dong theory helps you to understand written music.

hey people
was a bit disconcerted by someone who only knew one person who did grade 6 theory and failed, apart from that the response has been great!

ive just recently this term taken grade 7 theory, and am working on grade 8 soon, once AS levels are out the way etc.

i think that theory really helps with As music, cos the other peeps in my classes are sooooooooo rubbish at basic things like chord analysis and suspensions,auxilary notes etc. One girl in my As class thinks that wherever a question asks "What is the musical device used in this passage?" as she has no clue about theory just says auxilary notes every time.

Has anyone else found that people in their class music lessons for AS, A2, GCSE just have no idea about the basics of written music?

QUOTE (hornplayer @ Jun 16 2004, 08:56 PM)

was a bit disconcerted by someone who only knew one person who did grade 6 theory and failed

Sorry to disconcert you but just my own personal experience and opinion!

Many apologies!

QUOTE (hornplayer @ Jun 16 2004, 08:56 PM)

One girl in my As class thinks that wherever a question asks "What is the musical device used in this passage?" as she has no clue about theory just says auxilary notes every time. Has anyone else found that people in their class music lessons for AS, A2, GCSE just have no idea about the basics of written music?

lol! my GCSE music teacher told our class that if we didnt know an answer int he exma we should just write down one of these three things: pizzicato, ostinato and cor anglais! Unfortunately he didnt tell us how to choose which one to write!
We all got A*s anyway (there were 14 of us) so it must have worked!
Which brings me onto the next point about people in music classes not being very music literate......i don't really know how, cos I don't go to a specialist music school or anything, but I've never had that trouble. All the people that were in my GCSE class were really good at music, and in my AS class (there's 10 this year) they're all good as well (well, same people minus 4 so its no wonder!). In fact, in 4th year my whole classs sat their grade 6 theory exam, just cos our teacher thought it would be fun for us to enter it!

i might not take the exams but im definitely going to work through the grade 6+ theory books.

hahaha...people do go on to higher grades in theory. Ack. I just want a qualification really. However, almost all that you touch on at highers will have got to do with harmony, so it's fairly complicated. The worst gap is between Grade 5 and Grade 6. *shudders* Only heaven knows how I managed that mammoth gap. I spent a year and a half on the Grade 6 stuff and managed to scrape a distinction. Wasn't too tough...the paper I mean. I was lucky. *smiles*

Now doing the Grade 8 stuff. It's sooooo difficult I feel like cursing every time I do the practice papers. *laugh* But I get used to it after a while.

Be prepared for the extra work though. It's very different from what you've been doing for the lower grades.

I managed to get a distinction in my grade 2 theory, and I've found that the jump from 2 to 4 was so much bigger than I expected it to be, but I'm enjoying it. I get to do the alto clef . I'm definatly going to do the higher grades as I really enjoy doing theory, and I've improved so much as a player since I started theory.

I am twelve years ol and took my level six 2 weeks ago
I took it before and got a merit, but i wanted a distinction.

We'll see if that distinction comes or not

I am studying Grade 8 Theory at the moment. I am also doing it because I find Music Theory very interesting and enjoyable. It helps (me) to understand the thinking of the piece the composer has written. Interestingly out of all the Grades, I found Grade 5 the hardest!

All the best,
Craig

well compared to most of u who hav posted replies here..im a failure....

i started doin the grade6 theory book and couldnt even get past the chords and cadences (first section of the book).

i guess dis is the reason why im having trouble with the chords&cadences part of the aural test for grade7 piano.....

No, I'm not taking Grade 6+ Music Theory. I have passed grade 5 Music Theory last year with distinction at 94%!

QUOTE

i started doin the grade6 theory book and couldnt even get past the chords and cadences (first section of the book).

I know some people have managed to work through this alone but I needed a teacher
There is a big difference from 5 to 6, I got 98 on my grade 5 and when I looked at grade 6 paper I didn't even understand thec questions

I'm currently doing my grade 6 theory.

cool cool, good luck with grade 6

hello everyone , me new here
i study theory at home because i really enjoy it, i can do a grade 2 with no big troubles, hey i only been doing it a few weeks, and today i baught a grade 8 just for fun

i was i bit overwhelmed, the easiest bits were where it was like 'put A over the part where a II7b chord is played in the left hand with an arpegiated form in the right, and a rising 6th is played on the horn above' or something similiar.
One question, II7b, that means flatted 7th rite, so if i was in C maj, the chord would be D minor 7, D F A C ? or would it be D F A Cb? becasue C is the natural 7th in natural minor, but in harmonic it would be C # ahh i confused and so then it would be D F A C???????
*cries* *but enjoys learning at the same time*

QUOTE

Has anyone else found that people in their class music lessons for AS, A2, GCSE just have no idea about the basics of written music?

Argh too right!!! There are 15 people in my GCSE music group and only 6 people can play instruments. Now I'm not knocking singers here (as I take vocal lessons too) but they really have absolutely no idea whatsoever about theory. So much so that it's slowing down everyone else. Saying that though, out of the 6 instrumentalists, only two of us display any knowledge of theory anyway. I just get really frustrated and I wonder why they're there if they didn't take anything in during their pre-GCSE music lessons. Everyone seems to be at about grade 1 or 2 and just display little or no desire to get on with it!

Argh!

Rant over.

QUOTE

One question, II7b, that means flatted 7th rite, so if i was in C maj, the chord would be D minor 7

NO if it is written exactly like that it would be a major chord. Uppers case numerals indicate major chords and lower case indicate minor.
the small letter b at the end tells you that you are looking for a first inversion chord (the F or F# in the bass in your eaxmple)

Hey!

I just did my grade 5 about two months ago... At first I found it was difficult and not at all fun, but as I got into it I found it really relaxing.
I found the actual passing the exam a great feeling of achievment.. Hopefully when I have finished my practical exams I will do more theory.

xxx

QUOTE

Everyone seems to be at about grade 1 or 2 and just display little or no desire to get on with it!

I understand sooooooo much how frustrated you are by your music class! my first music lesson at As level was " the first note of the scale is called the Tonic, the second is the Supertonic, the third is the Mediant etc"
I nearly cried. I just had to get on with the theory I was doing (grade 6 that term) while the other two people in my class got to grips with learing what an Interrupted cadence was (!)

I blame ABRSM exams partly, becuase from grade 6 trinity you have to identify all four of the candences, but with Abrsm you only have to know all four by grade 8. you have to know all the four candeces for theory grade 5.
where's the logic?