Hi does anyone know exactly how the second part of grade 8 (ABRSM) aural test A is played by the examiner? After naming the cadence, does the examiner play the four (or so) chords twice, first without pauses and then with a pause after each chord for the pupil to name them? I would really appreciate a clarification

Yes - that's what I understand.

You get the key chord (again) first.
Then the four chords,

then the 4 chords again with a pause between each.

Maggie

after youve named the cadence do they tell you the correct cadence(if it was wrong) before they paly the chords. becuase surely if you get the cadence wrong then you ahve no hopw with the chords

QUOTE (clarinetlover @ Apr 30 2005, 08:16 AM)

after youve named the cadence do they tell you the correct cadence(if it was wrong) before they paly the chords. becuase surely if you get the cadence wrong then you ahve no hopw with the chords

CL

No, they don't tell you. Half the answer is there if you get the cadence right.

Might be useful to learn some Stock Progressions and play them....eg IIb Ic V7 I,for example.

yeah so basically if i get the cadence wrong im screwed

Absolutely not. You could get the cadence wrong but the tonic chord is played before the cadence chords are played before you identify them so you could get some marks for a partially correct answer. Get hold of a hymn book in school and work out cadences with the chords that are required for grade 8 ( I can't remember them off the top of my head) and then play them over and over until you are very familiar with the sound of the progressions - then you will probably get both parts right.

QUOTE

Get hold of a hymn book in school

I bet that is a rare commodity these days.

May I ask an additional question to Test A1 regarding singing the lowest part of a phrase? I have great difficulty in doing that.

My problem is, I am not able to distinguish the lowest part because it is in such harmony with the other parts. In other words, I am not able to skim the other parts off a phrase. As a result, I fail to hear the part --> fail to memorise --> fail to sing back --> total failure.

My teacher has helped me by playing the lowest part deliberately louder, but obviously it is not an effective way of training in the long run. If my teacher doesn't play louder, my head will be in the clouds. I am very frustrated.

Can someone help me please?

QUOTE (noodle @ May 1 2005, 12:04 AM)

Absolutely not. You could get the cadence wrong but the tonic chord is played before the cadence chords are played before you identify them so you could get some marks for a partially correct answer.

getting played the tonic chord will make no difference to me. the way on earth ill have half a chance of getting the chords right, is by hopefully getting the cadence right and memorising the most common chord progressions for the cadences. the when the chords are played, just randomly guess...and keep my fingers crossed

can anyone please type the chords and cadences? my teacher never told me that specific cadences had chords to them... that would make it almost 50% of getting the answer! no fair! please please please.... my exam is really soon and I absolutely suck at aural.. if I can somehow improve at least one test, it could make a big difference.

Perfect - V-I
Imperfect - I-V, IV-V and I think there's one other which can go to V
Plagal - IV-I (watch for the A-men sound)
Interrupted - V-VI

imperfect is I-V, IV-V, and ii-V

generally, perfect sounds more finished, while imperfect sounds like the middle of a piece. or as cellocase said, plagal has that "amen" sound. finally, interrupted is easy since it's the only one that ends in a different key (as in major becomes minor or vice versa)

sorry if you already had your exam, but good luck!