Hi

In the grade 6 aural part of the practical exam, when you are asked to play back the meoldy from the piece, do you have to play it at concert pitch or at the written pitch? So, basically, what I want to know is that if you play, say the clarinet, do you have to play it back so that it sounds at concert pitch, or do you play the note that the other part played (say they play a Bb, do you play a Bb even though it will sound an Ab)?

I asked my teacher the other day and she didn't know as she usually works with another board.

Any ideas?

If you choose to play it back instead of singing: they will lie when they tell you what the tonic is, so that it's the right note for you to play that will sound at the same pitch they played the test. For example if they're playing in Bb and you're playing a Bb clarinet they'll tell you that the tonic is C. So you should play it back at the pitch they played it to you.

Thanks. i didn't know that was how they did it. What happens if you've got perfect pitch and know that it isn't a C. Wouldn't that confuse you?

QUOTE (purple dolphin @ May 12 2005, 05:42 PM)

Thanks. i didn't know that was how they did it. What happens if you've got perfect pitch and know that it isn't a C. Wouldn't that confuse you?

Indeed but then so would playing a clarinet in Bb with the music not written at concert pitch . Apparently some people who play the clarinet have perfect pitch in Bb anyway! (i.e. they'll always tell you that a Bb is a C.)

QUOTE (AnotherPianist @ May 12 2005, 06:19 PM)

some people who play the clarinet have perfect pitch in Bb

... which causes no end of problems when switching to clarinet in A

eeek! That would be awkward.

(Royal Apostropher? I like it )

QUOTE (AnotherPianist @ May 12 2005, 06:19 PM)

QUOTE (purple dolphin @ May 12 2005, 05:42 PM) Thanks. i didn't know that was how they did it. What happens if you've got perfect pitch and know that it isn't a C. Wouldn't that confuse you? Indeed but then so would playing a clarinet in Bb with the music not written at concert pitch . Apparently some people who play the clarinet have perfect pitch in Bb anyway! (i.e. they'll always tell you that a Bb is a C.)

That's one of the reasons why the sight-singing part of the aural tests is so grossly unfair. That same clarinettist with perfect pitch in B flat will just have put down a B flat instrument and will have to sight-sing in C. The female tuba player will have to sight-sing in treble clef, etc. etc. And the singing candidates? They just do exactly the same aural tests, no piano sight-reading or anything to even the balance.

I could rant for England on this subject (some people probably think I already do/have). And yes, I have made these points to the ABRSM at intervals ever since they introduced sight-singing for everyone in ?1993. I assume I wasn't alone, as that part of the test was at least modified a bit in 1995.

Did they introduce it later for the higher grades? Because I don't remember sight-reading for any of my violin grades, and I did 6 in '95 or '96 I think...