Hi there,

I'm an adult learner who started learning the flute just under 12 months ago. My tutor says I'm making good progress and asked if I'd like to take an exam. I thought "why not"? However, she tells me that it involves an aural section, whereby I'll have to sing, or hum, or similar and that's put me off.

I can't hold a tune and would feel really embarrassed. Has anyone else had the same feelings as me?

Hi It depends what grade you are taking. The lower grades 1 to 3 are not to bad. I felt the same way when I was told this, but with help from my tutor I got a distinction at grade 2 and a pass at grade 3 on the aural section.

When I was first told about the singing I was worried I don't even sing in the bath but with practise it did come. Its not that demanding really although I personally could not carry a tune in a bucket . my main concern was rembering what had been played so that I could sing it back.

Yes - most people.
Have you considered Trinity exams instead? - they don't ask you to do that.

I think you are allowed to whistle...Trinity might be a better bet...but you can learn to do it...

How would I find out about these Trinity exams?

Hi Sammix

I wouldn't worry about the singing part. It's only a small part of the exam. If you're worried about embarrassing yourself well you're hardly likely to meet the examiner ever again.

Alternatively, you could buy various aural books, cds, use Hofnotes to improve your aural. I think in the earlier grades, the aural section is do-able so don't give up hope yet.

Trinity exam info can be found here.

You'll find Trinity exams on the web, but lack of confidence in your singing voice shouldn't be a problem.

Remember it's a flute exam, not a singing exam, they are listening to pitch, not voice quality. It's only a small part of the aural exam, there are other sections where you have to clap in time to the music, identify a change in a short melody when it's played a second time, and comment on various features of a short piece such as dynamics and articulation. (These are for the lower grades)

I can't do links, but someone will probably post a link to the relevant part of the syllabus. In AB exams, pieces are marked out of 30 each, scales and sightreading are out of 21 each and aural is out of 18, so it's not the thing to worry about!

Let us know how you get on

Don't worry about the aural part, it is not a big deal. I am the same as you can't sing to save my life and quite embarrassed about it but the examiner doesn't care and to be honest, I think the aural part of my sax grade 5 exam yesterday was probably the best bit!
Practice with your teacher to get used to it, it won't take you long before you are much more comfortable with the little bit of signing you need to do.

It's the bit I dread about when/if I do a practical exam. As and when that happens, I intend to:
{a} use the AB's Aural Training in Practice book and CD (one set does G1-3, one for 4-5, one for 6-8)
{b} investigate Hofnote online aural practice website
{c} make sure I've had some 'real life' practice (with a teacher, or in the absence of one of those I'd hope to find an accompanist who would do a bit of aural practice as well!)

On the other hand, I also comfort myself with the fact that I can not possibly be the worst person the examiner has ever heard. And only the examiner is going to hear me. And I'm unlikely ever to see him/her again . And in the very unlikely event he/she examined me again in the future and I remembered that they were the same examiner - it's very unlikely they'd remember me!

Thanks ever so much for all of your helpful comments. Maybe I'll have another think about having a go, as some of you have said I'll probably never see the examiner again and I can whistle

All this fuss over possibly taking a grade 1 exam ... Heaven knows what I'll be like further down the road

Hi Sammix

I did Grade 1 flute last week (ABRSM) and had to do the singing back bit as part of the aural. Like you, when I was first told that I had to do it, I thought "no way", I will do some serious damage to the examiner's ear drums.

My teacher took me through the aural part of the exam and what helped is that she sang along to demonstrate what I had to do, then I did it. You do feel completely stupid at first and really embarassed but eventually it becomes less mortifying. For the exam, the examiner plays 3 very short pieces and then you just sing it back like an echo. If it helps, the Grade 1 exam only lasts 12 minutes, so the singing back bit is really short, probably a minute or so. It went by so quickly I was a bit stunned when they said the exam had ended - I had spent more time in the loo beforehand

Its a very short part of the exam, so please don't let it put you off. If you do lots of mock aurals and mock exams with your teacher beforehand, it's not that bad, so enjoy your flute and go for it

All the best.
Blackbird

Hi Sammix, really, don't worry. I just got my results in and for the aural section, I got 10/18 for getting absolutely nothing right. I managed to get a merit overall so there is hope if your aural is disastrous (which I'm sure it won't be).

The singing section for my exam (grade 7) was so utterly disastrous that the examiner, very wisely, didn't even ask me if I'd like another go (which I'm entitled to but I didn't ask for another try either because frankly, I didn't want to pierce the examiner's eardrums nor did I wish to humiliate myself again).

So really, don't be apprehensive about the aural section, 6/18 is the minimum that can be achieved so long as one attempts the questions. There's plenty of books and CDs out there to help you.

Good luck.

G

Congratulations on your merit gwu !

You could just not do that part of the aural test. The test is made up of several elements, so even if you just said you weren't doing that part, you'd still get marks for the other part. However, you would get some sort of mark just for opening your mouth and having a go! I have a friend who didn't do scales/technical in his piano exams, though he passed them all, some with merit (he's very good!).