Although I have an OU diploma in music, I recently decided to re-hone some of the skills I had learnt and since seem to have forgotten. Could someone tell me, please, when you are selecting chords to harmonise a melody, is it sufficient in exam terms just to choose chords that will work well, or is one expected to harmonise it in the style the composer might have chosen?

Edit: If the latter, how much reading outside the G6 syllabus is required?

as far as I remember the regulations for grade 6 don't require knowing about any 'flashy' chords. Neapolitan sixths don't come in until grade 7 and other sixths until grade 8. I can't imagine you'd be heavily penalised for using a #ivd7 but it may be overkill... I don't remember the model answers for past exams having anything unexpected - just the standard chord progressions.

Just the chords (with relevant inversions).

Thanks - that's reassuring!

As subhoa said; I am merely adding some extra reassurance here.

I too am doing the OU diploma (A214) and have decided to do the grade 6 theory (next Saturday, eek! )

I have looked over model answers and sometimes mine are quite different. I guess the marker will have to see if i)the chords you have chosen are valid and ii)whether the chords make a nice progression.

I check mine by playing them back on the piano, and quite often I prefer my harmonisation to the rather stodgy ones in the model answers.

I think simpler is better for grade 6. Obviously look for typical imperfect cadence on the antecedent phrase, and Ic-V-I (or better iib-Ic-V-I) at the final cadence. I don't think they are looking for much musical subtlety! I guess you could test this theory out by using the primary triads to harmonise the whole thing? Personally I don't fancy stumping up another £40 to retake it if this experiment were to fail!

Now if I could just get a handle on Q3 melodic composition I would be a lot happier...

N

Thanks, Neil. That's helpful to know. My flute / theory teacher is really clued up on the actual theory, but less so on what is actually required for the exams, and I think sometimes goes into a little too much detail (ie the typical style of the actual composer) whereas I would be happy enough just to harmonise with chords that work! It's a while now (at least a decade!) since I did A214 / A314, and if you don't use it regularly, it does tend to rust.