hi,

is anyone doing the grade 4 music theory in practise book at the mo' cos i'm sooo confused with it all, especially the intervals. I was hoping to take my grade 5 theory at the end of the year but i think there is no way of it happening. Tell me what you think.

Purple dolphin

A big thing that will help with intervals is knowing scales really well.

Hi, I am studying for my grade 5 theory exam but I am struggling with it. Has anyone got any tips on how to make up melodies without using a piano to help because at the moment this is the only way I can do it? [COLOR=purple]

Hi purple dolphin

Ive just finished the grade 4 theory book and im moving on to grade 5 now which im going to do in the summer. I could never understand intervals until my great head of music taught me a system of how to do it. You should ask your teacher how they do it and see if you understand their method. But as sbhoa says you do really need to know your scales well.

Nat

There's a diagram I use for theory exams.

It's a circle of scales, such as in the AB guide to Music Theory, but it also shows all the relative minors, and just underneath is a sentance explaining how certain triads are made.

Damn useful!

Just count the lines and spaces its that simple really. Do you understand diatonic harmony? Can you tell the difference between a perfect 5th and a diminshed 5th or an augmented 5th. Everything else co-relates, if your not sure ask your teacher to explain, if you are still not sure ask your teacher to explain it another way, and if you are still not sure ask your teacher to explain it another way, still not sure? Hmmmm? Maybe you need a teacher who can tap into your learning domain/preference. Food for thought.

Grade 6 theory is HARD(according to my teacher's marking in my trial exam)
Grade 4 is more simple.
Intervals-
1.All chords start with major except 4th, 5th, 8ve.(eg..Major 2nd, Major 3rd.....Perfect 4th...)
2.Major 2nd-2 semitones, Major 3rd-4, Perfect 4th-5, Perfect 5th-7, Major 6th-9, Major 7th-11,Perfect 8ve-12
Just memerize 2,[4*,5*],7,9,11,[13*]
*=perfect intervals

Minor=down 1 semitone(flatten)
Augmented=up 1 semitone(sharpen)
Diminished=down 2 semitones(flatten)

Intervals must always be remembered.(draw a keyboard on the manuscript paper to count semitones)

I hope this helps.

First make sure that the rhythm works.
Then aim to finish on a long note on the dominant at the mid point.
You may be able to repeat the first 2 bars in bars 5 and 6.
Then finish on the tonic. A strong ending could be e.g. la te doh.
It's a bit like a jigsaw ...... once you know where you need to go to you can juggle the notes in between to fit.
I call it composing by numbers
And it works up to grade 8 too...... I only lost 2 marks on the composition question at grade 8 working this way (but with a few more complications added of course).
Hope this helps.

The advice above is good; essentially you don't need to worry too much about what the melody sounds like, you can compose the whole thing without knowing! They're looking mainly for the fact that you can obey basic rules of theory; they're not expecting a beautiful ear-catching melody in ten minutes! Make sure you follow the rules sbhoa suggested though (ending on the tonic inparticular).

Some other things that will help you squeeze those few final marks:

1) Don't forget to put a tempo marking at the beginning;

2) Phrasing will help to show the structure of your piece-even if you simply have four two-bar phrases mark them in;

3) Finally, they seem to like instrument specific markings so try to fit one in, it may squeeze you that extra mark; for example: if it's a stringed instrument put a down-bow on a strong beat, e.g. at the beginning of a phrase, (I can't get the symbol here but the best I can describe it is put |_| but upside down above the note, look it up in a book or ask your teacher...*) above the note in question); if it's a wind instrument put in a breathing mark (a small tick) in a place where it would be appropriate to stop for breath (e.g. between phrases).

*there's a picture here:

http://www.music.vt.edu/musicdictionary/te...d/Down-bow.html

The most important thing though is you don't need to worry too much;just obey the basic rules and you'll get most of the marks even if the melody doesn't sound that 'nice'.

Hope that helps.

I was just wondering, y ppl take theory past grade 5?? I Hated it, and did grade 5 bearing a very big grudge! lol

just wondered y, and what gives you the drive to keep on going?
Thanx

Some uni's want grd8 theory, and if you are thinking of a career in music it would come in very handy if u had grd8 theory. Also some people find theory easier than others, so it's not as much of a problem for them.

Hello,

I know what u mean. I just took the grade 8 theory paper on thursday, i dont know why. I suppose its because knowing a lot more about the music your playing helps you play it with more understanding or something like that, it also looks better i think.You also get ucas points to help get into universtity. Also another reason is that if you want to study music further, eg uni then you might need it. I'm kinda wishin that i did the grade 5 theory paper instead because i dont think i got 66, never mind.

Hope this answers your question!
Would be insterested to see what others think!

Fae

Sheilz

Some people take it because they want to further their studies in music and they need to have passed the higher theory grades. Others just love music and always want to improve their knowledge of the subject.

Why did you not like doing grade 5 theory? did you have to do it to progress on your instrument or was there another reason?!! Iam learning the grade 5 theory stuff at the moment and I don't find it too boring(apart from the intervals!!) but then again i love music and couldn't imagine my life without it so I love every part of it including theory!!!!!

Nat

I took grades 6 - 8 theory just because I wanted to.
That is all, and it was so hard to find a teacher for those levels.
BTW got distinction on all of them somehow....
Thanks Rebecca

For distinction at grade 6 and 7 I also had the pleasant surprise of some money from a fund for awards to people doing well in theory.
Didn't get it for grade 8... must have run out or something by 2002

wow thanx!
i can see where ur all coming from! but it still puzzles me! mebbe its just me, as i enjoy playing the instruments, and hav found theory useful ish hmm! i dunno I spose i just took it to progress onto the higher grades, and didn't think much of it!

Hi Purple dolphin,

I am just studying GVI at the moment. Hope to do it end of year.

I too were not that great with intervals but there is a series of books which I found brilliant.

They are' Theory Time !' by David Turnbull From GI - GV
These are brilliant step by step instructions on all the AB exams.

It took all the confusion away for me anyway!

There are exercises at the end of each section and answers to check how you did.
I got distinctions for my exams with the aid of these books.

It's just very unfortunate that he doesn't go past GV theory !

Hope this helps.


If anyone knows of any books that are along those lines, please let me know.

Fiona

When I did grade 5 theory it was because I thought, 'hey, I know that stuff'.
I found that by the time I was around that level in playing I had picked up most of the theory just naturally.
Trouble is my teacher thought... 'Hey, grade 5 theory, you can try for grade 6 Practical'
Kind of opposite to you happymusic