I've just found out i've got about 8 weeks until my exam, and I wondered how other people would organise their preparation time. I feel I need LOADS of work on my scales, some practice on aurals and sight-reading, and obviously I need to keep on top of my pieces.

So..............if you had 8 weeks to go.............what would you do?

well me personally, i would panic!!

maybe with your scales split them up so you focus on a certian few each day

QUOTE (clarinetlover @ Feb 18 2005, 10:23 PM)

well me personally, i would panic!!

Thanks, clarinetlover! Not quite the sort of advice I was hoping for....as the panic hasn't set in just yet (but it will soon!)

dont worry, thankfully you are not me so i expect you will be perfectly fine and pass with flying colours! good luck!

Good Luck..

I would just play it everywhere or just sing like on the bus or whatever quietly to yourself and get out some books and sight read. ( obvously piano book)

Thanks BB - Yes! I've got the ABRSM aural cds on in my car (20 min journey to and from work 4 days a week....but not sure what it does for my driving!).

Anyone got any tips on sight-reading? Generally I'm OK on sight-reading, but I'm struggling to find suitable material to practise on.............as the music I have at home tends to be well-known/melodic/tuneful etc. unlike the ABRSM sight-reading excerpts!

get some manuscript paper, randomly spill ink in dots on the page, add stems and a time/key signature... that should about do it...

do you have the specimin sight-reading book? is there an appropriate "improve your sightreading" book? sorry I can't be more help

any chance of getting hold of some of the current liste C pieces for say grades 4-6 to have a bash at?

QUOTE

do you have the specimin sight-reading book? is there an appropriate "improve your sightreading" book? sorry I can't be more help

This bookmay help with your sightreading.

Hello Petite Joueuse
Good luck with the exam.......
bfn Mike

I think there are various sight-reading books out there. Have a look on www.musicroom.com. Alternatively turn your existing music upside down, and play that. (Yes, I am serious!)

When you practice your scales, how about you start with a different one each time, rather than doing them in the same order. That way you will be fresh, or alternatively more warmed up, with different ones.

Schedule practice times into your diary. Maybe get up fifteen minutes earlier, and fit in a quick practice before work. It all helps. Eight weeks is lots of time, and it's great you're thinking about it now. Sounds like you will be well prepared and do fine on the day.



Amber
x

scales-wise... can you sort out some sort of random system? dice maybe, or put all your scales on paper/card and pick them out of a hat?

and very good suggestion about turning music upside down!

QUOTE (clarinetlover @ Feb 19 2005, 06:23 AM)

maybe with your scales split them up so you focus on a certian few each day

Good idea.............

Good luck, PJ.

What about your aurls? if you can't do that get the CD and just sing along to some of the note in the car you could always try that of get a member in your family ( or whatever ) and ask them to play anything they want so you could just sing along to.. may not be very handy but it still pratice.

Practice in moderation, don't overdo or underdo it.
Good Luck!

Play for lots of people as well - it will help on-the-day nerves if you've played the pieces under pressure before - and though it sounds silly, I did the same with my scales!

I would focus on a few things everyday eg. A list piece in one day, all major scales on one day. Good luck I hope you do well

QUOTE (Petite Joueuse @ Feb 18 2005, 10:03 PM)

So..............if you had 8 weeks to go.............what would you do?

In a word...... panic
and then run around in a circle in the living room with my arms up in the air going AAARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!

QUOTE (sarah-flute @ Feb 18 2005, 11:01 PM)

get some manuscript paper, randomly spill ink in dots on the page, add stems and a time/key signature... that should about do it... any chance of getting hold of some of the current liste C pieces for say grades 4-6 to have a bash at?

I LOVE these suggestions (particularly the first one!)

Amber - thanks for the idea about turning any music upside down - that's EXACTLY what a lot of the exam sight-reading sounds like!

By the way............does anyone know of any piece that sounds good upside down as well as the right way round?? Interesting thought!

One thats all on the same note?

That's an intriguing question... I'm going to have to go play a bunch of pieces upside down and see how they turn out...

Maybe we should try to compose one? Could make musical history! Just imagine...................

cry! lol!!!

QUOTE (nicki_flute @ Feb 19 2005, 08:58 AM)

QUOTE do you have the specimin sight-reading book? is there an appropriate "improve your sightreading" book? sorry I can't be more help This bookmay help with your sightreading.

I second the recommendation of Improve your sight reading - I found it heally helpful

Robert ( 4 weeks to grade 8....)

Hey,

I'm taking my grade 8 in 3 weeks and always struggle with scales + arpeggios, sight reading and aural tests, in fact the only way i get through is by playing my pieces really well!

In relation to what to do, I type up a printed sheet with all the scales/arpeggios listed with boxes nect to them then put a tick of I play it well and a cross if i dont so i can see which ones im struggling with and concentrate on them more (otherwise i forget!)

With sight reading I bought a help book for my grade 6 so had a read through that but now i just play lots of different pieces, look in old exam books and play the pieces you didnt before. yesterday in practice i played some bach inventions and then some queen. also try and play pieces with lots of black notes so you get used to it.

With regards to aurals, I cant really help you cos im so terrible. for the last test listen to lots of different genres of music so you can talk about them. look on gcse revision sites cos they can help too. for the singing just sing out so you seem confident and just let ur voice tune in with the piano (if possible!). with the cadences and chord progressions i cant help AT ALL cos i have no idea (my teachers face says it all when i say "imperfect" and its not at all).

Good luck tho, just make sure you have as few weak areas as possible and really go for it regarding the pieces.

Let us know how u get on.

Amy

QUOTE (Petite Joueuse @ Feb 20 2005, 08:30 PM)

Maybe we should try to compose one? Could make musical history! Just imagine...................

Great idea!

Sorry gang, Terry Riley's beaten us to it with In C. Not that I actually approve of minimalism <peers over top of glasses>.

Good luck, and my advice is "don't panic", no matter what Nat, Saxophonist and iluvpiano might suggest.

If you can manage Improve Your Sight Reading Book 8 you've got no worries at all. I used this series when working for grade 8 last year. It's an excellent series, but I couldn't manage the grade 8 or the grade 7 book and never got the grade 6 because I thought my local music shop had ordered it for me but found out too late that they hadn't. I could manage the grade 5 book, and still passed the sight reading (think I was lucky to get a slow piece, but I put lots of expression in and did a spot of unintentional improvisation). I took the exam at the house of a very experienced music teacher, who commented that the grade 8 sight reading was the only grade where what you were asked to play sounded like proper music!