Just wondered if anyone has any tips for transposition or score reading of four staves?

Alex

Practice, practice, practice. If its for a RCO diploma, practice, practice, practice!! I have perfect pitch, so I find the transposition quite hard (eyes see D, ears hear a D, but I can tell no one has any sympathyy for those with PP), but the four stave stuff, there's quite a bit available from the RCO to practice. AGain, if its for the RCO, there is always a trap (ie parts that overlap) somewhere near the end of a line/start of next line.

Best of luck!

Transposition. 2 tips and a bit of waffle.

If you are using the pedals and need to work at transposition at the organ then do not take any other music with you when you go to church to practise. That way you will not be tempted to give up and just play a loud or fast piece for fun; it is a discipline which needs to be mastered.
The other tip, for exams, is to work out the last chord of the each line and the 1st chord of the following line; jumping lines is where mistakes can occur.
When I transpose I *think* I see the music as more of a 'tablature'; certain chords suggest certain fingerings and shapes. Also I used to keep talking to myself ("down a tone, one flat" if going from G to F major). My teacher used to keep saying "don't play what you see" i.e. if you play what is on the page it is, by definition going to be incorrect.

I have Perfect Pitch and transposition does not affect me.


For score-reading I had 2 books of examples (I can't think who they are by now - they are in the loft); just slog away at it!!! I have no tips!

Score reading books (I think there are two volumes) by CS Lang are very useful. The RCO have a link to a site that transcribed all the 371 Bach chorales in open C clefs.

As for transposition, the RCO's past papers (which go back a long way) have plenty of examples. I also found it useful to look at the AB grade 3/4/5 lists for the organ and use those as transposition practice.

Hope this is useful.

Thanks I'll try them out! Its for ARCO which I hope to do in the next year!
Alex

Good luck Alex, it's a bugg3r!!

The last time I was in an examination "transpose" situation I was awarded a very good mark

The comments were - "although not entirely (he can say that again)accurate, you resorted to some very intelligent, musically acceptable and quick-thinking alternatives"



That was Grade 8 (second time round at the age of 47!!) and in the interim, having had years of playing and transposing popular music on the spur of the moment at the theatre and electronic organ.

Why did ABRSM drop the optional improvisation tests - completing a melody at sight, harmonizing at sight - it is as easy as falling off a log to me..........and please, I'm really am not showing off here. I REALLY did (and still do) find it easy-peasy