Hi there,

I'm a bit confused. The exam info seems to say you can't help a pupil (you're accompanying) with tuning their instrument in their exam. Have I got that right? It seems like a big ask, especially for young pupils/those who can't hear specifics of tuning so easily (quite a few of mine can hear when they're not in tune, but don't know whether they're flat or sharp). I always try to make sure my pupils can tune themselves (flute) but sometimes on the day with nerves etc it's not so easy.

So today I had an 11 year old doing grade 1 flute. I had two pupils in before her so didn't get to see her until minutes before the exam, so didn't get a chance to tune her flute with the digital pianos they provide in the waiting room. So we went in the exam, she, very confidently, asked me to play an A, which I did, she was VERY flat. She knew something was wrong, so pulled out a bit, then played it again, pushed in a bit, tried to get it right but was still really quite flat. I was sitting there like a lemon wanting to help but thinking I couldn't. Is that right? Or could I have given her some suggestions? In the end the examiner asked her if she could make the sound a bit higher. And after her first piece the examiner asked her to tune again. arghhhh. It was a frustrating situation where I just didn't have a clue what I could or couldn't say or do. I've had this with accompanying another teacher's 'cello pupils who seemed not to know how to tune very well.

Advice to clear up this matter would be greatly appreciated!! Thank you!!

LearnerDriver

I've just had a quick look but can't find the information about this. My recollection after years of accompanying exams is that help with tuning is allowed up to grade 5, and a teacher or other person can be in the exam room to help with it. I'm sure the examiner wouldn't have minded your asking "Is it all right for me to help with tuning?" I'm sure the info must still be somewhere in the Regs. Anyone?My children played violin and cello, and I play violin and viola myself (though not nearly as well as they played their instruments!). I've also run a children's orchestra, so I'm reasonably competent at tuning stringed instruments. I still don't enjoy having to do it in front of an examiner though! Tuning stringed instruments accurately is difficult and if you are faced with a seriously out of tune string, perhaps because the instrument has had a knock or the string is very new, it's all too easy to break the string. I wouldn't expect any string teacher to assume without checking that an accompanist will be not only capable of doing a good job tuning their pupils' instruments but willing to put themselves in that position.

From pages 28-29 of These Music Exams:

For other instrumentalists

Teachers may assist candidates with their tuning at Grades 1–5. If not attending the exam, teachers should ensure that the accompanist is able to help with tuning if necessary. However, the following provisos are in place:

* Bowed string candidates may have help in physically tuning their instruments up to and including Grade 5, as may percussion candidates in tuning timpani up to and including Grade 2, after which they should be able to do this for themselves. Guitarists must tune their instrument themselves at all grades, as must wind players, with advice from the teacher or accompanist if needed at Grades 1–5. Harpists should ensure that their instrument is carefully tuned before they enter the exam room, and, by the higher grades, be prepared to make adjustments between pieces if necessary.
* The examiner will not help to tune but, in an emergency, may suggest that the candidate returns at a later time when help has been sought.

I sometimes accompany grade exams and always help with tuning at the start of the exam - I've never accompanied higher than grade 5. This is the part of accompanying that worries me the most as I always worry that I will instruct them incorrectly - although it's never been commented on.

I remember when I was in school doing my clarinet exams I would play the tuning note along with the piano, smile and nod at the accompanist and then get ready to start playing the piece. I had never been told what tuning up was! Fortunately I did eventually learn.

Lucid

Surely if she was flat she should have been pushing in, not pulling out? (shorter = higher)

I think the point was that the student didn't know which way to adjust to make it right.

I accompanied a pupil for the very first time last week (grade 1 Flute). I used hand signals for pulling in or pulling out which worked very well but before we went in I made sure that her headjoint was pulled out more than it normally is. She is very good at regognising that she is flat and knows then there is only one way to go!