I just don't understand it anymore

Started looking at grade 6 after a very long break from theory - 10 years or so and I just don't understand it anymore. How do I start again? Go from the beginning?

Not necessarily from the very beginning But if you own something like the AB pink book, have a browse through it. Yes, you'll feel silly reading about 'a semibreve equals two minims' but that should help your confidence. Once you've got to the end and you are happily re-acquainted with intervals, chords, etc, G6 may just seem a bit less daunting.

OTOH, I think everybody finds G6 a completely foreign language, so take heart that you are not alone there!

Disclaimer: bought all the G6 goodies after taking G5, opened the cover and ran away and hid. Have re-opened and re-run away every six months or so since

I know the feeling At least ten years away from it for me too, and I found the Grade 6 book in a pile of music, had a look and promptly ran away

I'd second Maizie's advice about having a quick read through the AB guides - I've started to do that and have found I remember most things (and there's a fair bit of "oh yeah I'd forgotten that.." )

I've also found it really helpful to explain fairly basic theory to other people (OH plays guitar, doesn't read music but wants to, so I've been helping him out with a few bits) - explaining it, or looking things up when he's asked something and I can't remember, is helping me to remember and reinforce things in my own head.

Good luck!

It's intervals / chords / cadences etc. that I'm really struggling with.

I've got the pink and blue book, will read through them

Try the music workbooks rather than the music in practice ones. They seem much more user friendly also the Trinity books seem less intimidating too- same stuff just in a different way>
Hope this helps.

Have you got the Anna Butterworth book - Harmony in Practice? That's the best readable text book I've come across so far. Certainly got me through grades 6 and 7 (together with the graded workbooks) and I've now entered for grade 8.

Also - don't be afraid to post basic questions on here!

Or send me a PM if there's anything specific you "don't get" and see if I can help you get it!

i re started by using the theory in practice books and there are also good easy to learn books out there as well-its a question of finding them.
i failed the last exam by 10 points but that was cos i was ill and im usless at it myself


I thought that about with cadences myself but even im getting 10 out of 10 for all of them now
i am struggling with intervals as you cant tell the differences between augmented and minor etc

I second Stetenorve...Harmony in Practice is brilliant and takes you through it all.

And like wise feel free to ask on here or PM me if you are stuck. Can't guarantee to know the answer, but I'll try.

Thank you all

I have AB guide pink and blue books, Music Theory in Practise Grade 6, Theory workbook Grade 6. I don't have the Harmony in Practise book so will get this.

Always start calculating intervals by number. That way the differences are more obvious.

Start from the assumption that the lower note is the tonic of a major scale. This gives you the starting point of intervals being major or perfect. Then adjust a semitone at a time. Andante-in-c told me her tip which is to have your hands one above the other and move the top and bottom hand up or down a semitone so that you can see if the interval becomes bigger or smaller.
A semitone smaller than major is minor.
A semitone smaller than minor or perfect is diminished.
A semitone bigger than major or perfect is augmented.
A semitone bigger than minor (if you need it) is major.

Do you have a web site? If so, then please will you make this a page of it and post its URL here.* I would suggest only one elaboration, to the first sentence, so as to make it clear that the number of the interval is determined from the letter names of the notes.

* If not, please may I do this.

I've put it here as I don't (yet) have a teaching web site.
Will add the Adult Learners site to my profile.
Thank for the idea. It had never occurred to me.

Had a breakthrough with the chords and cadences that I was struggling with. Using my music theory. Still need to get the Harmony in Practise book.

I'm sharing your troubles and to help matters have just entered myself for the exam in November!

One book which I personally think is one of the best is the big green 6 workbook by ABRSM. It works through every question.

Upon buying this book I suddenly felt capable!

With Chords,

Chord I IV and V are your Primary triads - your work horse chords in most situations. Take care to avoid consecutive 5ths and Octaves particularly between chords IV -V if necessary put one of those chords in 1st inversion.

Chords II and VI are your secondary triads. Chord II in particular works well in 1st inversion.

Cadences V-I Perfect
IV-I Plagal
I-V inperfect
V -VI Interrupted (actually if the cadence ends on VI it is interupted.

You can leave the 5th out of a major or minor Chord.
Do not double the 3rd in a major chord when writing 4 part harmony
doubling the 3rd in a minor chord is strong writing.
You can add a 7th to any of these chords, but the 7th should fall in that part.

In a major key: I IV and V are all Major, II and VI are minor
In a minor key I II and IV are all minor, V and VI are both Major, and you need to mark the accidental on the leading note.

I is root position Ib Ist invertion, Ic 2nd inversion.

2nd inversion chords are inherently unstable. Most common place to find them is as a cadence preparation Chord eg Ic-V7 -I

I could go on and explain this in terms of figured basses too and add the more exotic chords, but I think that is enough for now.

Most usual imperfect cadences are: I-V, II-V, IV-V. VI-V also used.

Hi, Ive had a couple of adult students recently in the same position and my advice was to buy a bunch of past papers ranging from Grade 1 - Grade 5 and work through one or two of each, this way areas you are weak on will soon become visable and therefore you will know what you need to work on.

Hope this helps!

Thank you all for the advice I've pretty much covered all stuff from Grades 1-5 in the past few days! Really moving on now and enjoying it lots, once I got by the eh?? bit with chords

Thinking of hopefully taking the exam in March.

Thanks for adding those jm-hamilton.

I trust you agreed with the general tenet of the rest?

For interval I would recommend Ted Kirk - search for it online the Grade 4 workbook really explains it well. They were one thing (amongst many!) that I never understood but his explanation really helped me and I use it with all my pupils now.