I'm taking my grade 5 theory exam in june and I've learnt how to do everything except composition. My teacher says it's not really something you can teach as it's really up to you what you do but I was wondering if anyone had any tips to help me as I find it really hard to know what to write. The only thing I've been told about it is to look at what's already been written and try to do something similar to that but I don't know if that's right as you may get marked down for copying even if you're only using it as a guide. Also I wanted to know which option everyone thinks is easiest - the bit where you're just writing music or where you have to write music to words?

Thanks, Lisa xxx

What they are looking for is that you have an idea of the structure of a tune. So if the rhythm (for example) is dotted crotchets through the first bar, you might expect a similar rhythm later, even if the tune is different. (I think that's probably what your teacher meant by doing "something similar" to the first bar).

As to whether to use the music or the verse - that's a matter of individual taste. If you are a singer it may be best to go for the verse. On the the other hand, if you know/play the instrument they suggest for the instrumental alternative, go for that one.

General hints:
(for the instrumental version)
Keep the style in keeping with the beginning they supply (ie if it's lots of fast notes, don't finish with semi-breves)
Keep the key consistent
Think of the instrument they suggest (make sure you don't write a note outside its range. If you aren't sure of the range, go for the song option)

(for the song)
Appropriate key (sad words=probably minor key)
Appropriate speed (sad=slower, happy=faster)
Put important words on important notes - don't bury them on a tiny note on an off-beat. eg. If the words are "The sun was shining in the sky" the main emphasis would probably fall on sun, shine and sky. Also, you wouldn't want your longest, highest note to be on the words "the" or "in".

(for both)
Make sure it has a shape: give it a beginning and an end. (ie not sound like the fragment of something longer).
While you are not supposed to put harmony into this, think of the work you have done for this grade on cadences to imagine your final notes.

You can practice by looking at short pieces of text and just singing them with whatever tune comes into your head. Anything will do - even magazine articles. If you play an instrument, "doodle" on it by playing whatever comes into your head. The more you can "hear" tunes in your head, the easier it will be. Think about why some of your made up tunes sound better than others.

Remember you are not expected to do anything fantastically original - no chance in 4 bars or whatever it is they give you. But what they expect is that it sounds like a piece of music, not random notes.

Finally, don't just memorise a couple of useful sounding tunes in the hope that you will be able to use them. The examiners will spot a tune that's been forced in and mark you down.

Hope this is useful - Good luck!

This is a rough draft of the way I would teach someone to approach it.

First i would sketch out the rhythm and make sure that works ok.
Next is to know where the cadence points are..... end on the dominant at the half way point and the tonic at the very end. Leading note to tonic is a strong ending for your last 2 notes. You can reuse bars 1 and 2 at 5 and 6 if you want to.
You can juggle the notes around to fit the small gaps then. Keep it within a fairly narrow pitch range.. in 8 bars you have no time to be jumping around a lot it just makes it disjointed.

If you're setting words to music then you only need to practise working in two keys: one major and one minor. I suggest G major with a range of D-D (below bottom line to 4th line) and A minor (E-E - one note higher than G major range). That will keep the melody within a reasonable compass and allow you to begin with a dominant-tonic if appropriate.

If you have a simple chord progression in mind you can use notes from that and add passing notes as appropriate.

Just wanted to say thank you for your replies, got lots to work on now. I'm a new member and it's really helped to be able to get advice and tips from other musicians as I don't know a lot of people who are. Anyway if anyone else has got anything more to add to this topic then I would be very grateful as I need all the help I can get on this particular part of the theory exam. I'm fine with everything else so I suppose it wouldn't be too bad if i totally messed the composition part up (assuming that I did well on the other subjects and didn't let my nerves get the better of me on the day) but I want to try my hardest and aim to get the best mark I can for it.

Thanks again, Lisa xx

I forgot to say this in my earlier post, but another thing you should consider is dynamic markings. Give it a speed at the beginning (either a suggested metronome mark or an instruction - eg "adagio", "allegretto"). Do you imagine it starting loud or quiet? Add crescendo/diminuendo if appropriate. Maybe there's even a pause on an important word/note.

Don't overdo it of course; make sure any dynamics are appropriate to the piece and would make it sound more interesting if followed. However, good dynamics will pick you up a few extra points in the exam.

Hi Lisa - I'm practising for this too at the moment. I've been keeping the compositions simple and following the advice given above etc, but what I find really useful is tapping my attempts into Notepad to see how they sound on the various instruments.

You can download a free copy here: Notepad

i took my gr 5 theroy just after x-mas, my teacher told me to always do the composition!!

She told me to first work out the general chord pattern for the peice, then try and keep to the notes in the chord adding a few passing notes in, then try and re arrange the sample bit u get at the start.