Hi there,

I'd like to know how other families have gone through learning the requirements for the aural part of exams. Especially if your child has lessons at school, so you never see the teacher.

I ask, as I just looked up the aural requirements for grade 7, and they look quite daunting (i.e. I barely understand the descriptions!). My daughter has a 30min lesson at school once a week, and there's really only time for pieces/scales. So I think I might need to get some other "help" material.

In the past, her aural tests were covered in the build-up to an exam, during the couple of visits to the accompaniest, who played a few of the aural tests on the piano. However, the Gr7 tests look like they will need more preparation.

So, could anyone recommend CDs or other material, that would cover the requirements? I know a practice sample book is published (if you can find a friendly pianist) but is there anything for the less-musical?!

Many thanks

I would recommend Hofnote. I think it was about £8 for grade 7 and it has lots of examples of all the tests for you to practice with as much as you want. Once you've paid, it lasts 3 months.

It means you don't need a friendly pianist to practice and it must have a lot more examples than a CD.

At my daughter's school, it is recognised that instrumental teachers do not have time to fit in much/any aural work at the higher grades, and so it is possible to arrange some extra sessions with another teacher specifically in preparation for the aural tests. Have you investigated if this is an option?

Otherwise, we like the CDs from Mews Music (which no one else here seems to have heard of!) as well as the Paul Harris, "Improve Your Aural" series.

Viohazard took his Grade 8 violin with tuition only on his pieces and about 2 sessions on scales. Aural was mostly a mystery - it takes more than having a good ear to develop the skills to answer the type of questions asked.

He then started taking solfege (pitch and interval recognition, sight-singing and singing back/dictation) and that has made a HUGE difference to his preparation for G. 8 guitar. If you can get lessons and your daughter is planning to go on and take G. 8 in future, do consider having lessons, even if fortnightly or weekly rather than monthly.

Hofnote was great for practice, though Aural Time with CD was probably better for somebody with little experience of what aural exams entail.

However, Question D (which I guess is basically musical history and analysis??) needs more - Aural Time doesn't explain what the terminology means, and Hofnote asks sample questions but there are no sample answers to give you an idea of what is expected.

If your daughter plans to go on with G. 8 etc., a book which introduces classical music and has a CD or at least a discography would be useful. However, it is only one question in the whole aural section. Viohazard used (but by no means mastered!!!) the ABRSM performer's guides for Classical, Romantic etc; a Japanese "introduction to classical" book, and another general book.

I you look up all those unfamiliar terms in Q. D in the ABRSM pink and blue theory books, on the net, at the library, you will get some idea of what they mean by questions like "describe the texture...".

Meanwhile, best of luck!

P.S. I'm sure it's not always the case, but the singing teacher who taught piano and solfege was much better at teaching it than the piano teacher who also taught solfege. If you have trouble finding a teacher, it seems that singing teachers do teach these skills.

We have used Hofnote for grade 5 and found it useful for that. It cost £6.90 for 4 months for grade 5 so minimal cost.

I asked for and paid for extra lessons for my daughter from her piano teacher on the run up to higher grade exams so that they could cover the aural thoroughly. Other than that she was never really taught any aural skills.

The Aural Time Pupil's Book for Grade 7 has a huge amount of detail on Question D. Rather more than is needed in my opinion, but it certainly covers the bases.

Fewof the Peri's in our area teach aural during the lesson time. The Music Service holds seperate Aural classes close to the exam time. Once a pupil is entered for the exam they get a letter detailing when they are and you call to register. There are only 4 but it is better than nothing. Maybe you Music Service does something similar and they might be happy to include your daughter but if it's anything like our situation think of it as extra practice.