Well, i have done alot of grades and in each one i have done rubbish in the aural part. I even failed my grade 7 (twice) for not being able to sing notes in tune. Plus i have a limited knowledge of composers/periods of music as i have not done A level and at grade 7 you are expected to know all the A level stuff. In addition to this my teacher was a choir boy and never taught me how to sing for the exam.

QUOTE (Saxophonist @ Oct 21 2004, 02:53 AM)

I find aural tests sooooo easy. its the scales and sight reading i cant do!!!

Aural tests are easy ... UP TO Gr.5 (or gr.6) then it really makes me suffer! I got 16/18 for Grade 5 aural but only 12/18 for Grade 7!!

I think that it's true there is a big gap in difficulty between grade 6 and 7 aurals (I haven't done grades 6 and 7, I've just looked at and tried the aural tests). Up to grade 6 I find that it's quite easy to do the aural tests correct almost every time without even learning anything or practising them but the grade 7 ones seem to get harder. Specifically the naming of the chords question must surely need some learning by everyone (unless they have perfect pitch) but just recognising a cadence as imperfect or perfect at grade 6 is considerably easier.

I think that the hardest part of the earlier grade ones is the memory test singing back the phrase one; but it doesn't seem like something that should be hard so that makes it feel like it should be easier! I do think that there's a big gap though after grade 6.

QUOTE (tremolololo @ Nov 2 2004, 01:27 PM)

QUOTE (Saxophonist @ Oct 21 2004, 02:53 AM) I find aural tests sooooo easy. its the scales and sight reading i cant do!!! Aural tests are easy ... UP TO Gr.5 (or gr.6) then it really makes me suffer! I got 16/18 for Grade 5 aural but only 12/18 for Grade 7!!

I thought that was just me... actually, I was fine at Grade 7 aural until the exam when I was so nervous I went to pieces and got 14/18 after 17 or 18 for every exam before then. Oops.

Help! How do you turn pages when playing the pieces? I find it awkward and it interrupted my playing. Will I lose points in the examp???

Thanks.

i usually continue playing until you reach a rest in one hand, then turn the page. The few lines b4 tat juz have to be memorized. Or if it is only 3 pages long, juz memorise the last page. Fold the bottom right side of yr book so it is easier to turn. However i tink the examiners understand tis problem and probly wont penalise you for stopping to turn the page. BUt is will interupt yr flow though