Is anyone else taking their grade 5 theory this sitting? If so, Good luck!

I am! Good luck Subatomic_Star. I'm nervous because I had my last theory class before the exam this week.

Good luck everyone! I'm sure you'll all do really well!

ye good luck, you'll pass with flying colours!

HELPPPPPP

I am doing a grade 5 theory paper from 2000 paper A and I am so confused with the intervals and transpositions.

I really have not got a clue with the intervals whether its augmented or diminished or whatever. My teacher tries to explain it in terms of thinking of the scale and then seeing if it fits in or something, but i dont get it how ever she explains it!

The transposition bit has loads of sharps and flats but no key signature (what on earth is going on here??) and tells you to transpose it down a major 2nd, so would that be to B major (with 5 sharps??) or to Bb maor?

I am soooo confused, please help! two weeks until my exam!

Bb... B would be a minor 2nd. Major 2nd is 2 semitones.
Then move all the notes down one ... watch the accidentals!

Intervals.. first knowing your scales is a good move.
Treat the lower note as though it is the key note.
Count the interval number (remember to include first and last note in the counting so C - G is a fifth).
If the higher note is part of the major scale which begins on the lower one then it is major ...... except for 4th 5th and octave which are perfect.

If it is a semitone lower than major it is minor. A semitone lower than perfect is diminished and a semitone higher than major or perfect is augmented.
You can always raise or lower both notes using you rough paper if it makes it easier to see... so long as you do the same to both notes the interval will be the same.

Hope that helps.. it is easier to explain face to face because that way you can tell how much someone understands you.

I found doing intervals with a keyboard in front of me really helped me get the hang of (and it took me a very long time!! ) I could count the notes up the keyboard, and visually 'see' what it was! It also helped if I turned the keyboard on and listened to what was happening to the notes.

Of course, I didn't have my trusty 2 1/2 octave keyboard in the exam, but by then, I'd gotten the hang of it!

Good luck guys, I'm sur you'll fly through.

(Fraid I can't help with the transposition, I found intervals hard enough, and never got the hang of this at all, can't think how I only dropped two marks on it in the final exam! )

QUOTE (sbhoa @ Oct 15 2004, 08:17 PM)

If it is NOT  major or perfect(not in that major scale) a semitone lower is diminished and a semitone higher is augmented.

If it's a semitone lower than major it's minor not diminished. A semitone lower than perfect or minor is diminished; a semitone higher than major or perfect is augmented. I think (although I don't know where I got this from) that half of the marks for each interval question are for the number and half for the classification (major, perfect, diminished or augmented) so make sure that you get the number down in your answer even if you're not sure about the rest; then make your best guess at the other bit if you can't work it out.

Ok i think i get it now... but one is confusing me. What would Cb to Bb be?

Okay here's a little trick (ignore it if it confuses you...) I'm assuming that your knowledge of the Cb major scale is, as mine is, limited to sitting down and working it out...

If both of the notes are flat ignore both of the flats (the same if both are sharp ignore the sharps). Cb to Bb is the same interval as C to B it must be we moved each note up by the same amount (and didn't change the names).

So Cb to Bb = C to B is a major 7th as B is in C major.

So if you wanted F# to A# this is now simple it's the same as F to A which is a Major third (A is in F major).

You cannot however change the letter names of them as this changes the interval number as I'm sure you know (i.e. don't say that Cb is the same as B so it's B to Bb this would be wrong).

So here's your challenge now...

What's the interval between Fb and Db?

A major 5th!! Thanks.

Helen

QUOTE (Subatomic_Star @ Oct 16 2004, 04:20 PM)

A major 5th!! Thanks. Helen

Almost but you've miscounted: it's a major 6th not 5th (remember that 5ths are perfect not major!).

Oh right, thanks.

QUOTE

Almost but you've miscounted: it's a major 6th not 5th (remember that 5ths are perfect not major!).

Oh yeah... I really should remember important details like that

Good luck everyone! I'm taking my grade 5 in March.