I'm just preparing for my Grade 5 Theory and have never done a music theory exam before.

I am working through past papers and am finding that I need to sing the composition bit, and tap out the rhythm in order to work out what I am going to write. This bit is the hardest bit for me. I can't hear the music in my head and can only now sing it if I work out the sol-fa (Hurrah for Kodaly) first.

I guess singing out loud in the exam room is a "no-no". Or is there a sort of general low murmur and tapping going on as everyone works on it.

Also are all the grades sat at the same time, ie will there be people sitting other grades in the same room at the same time?

Jane

Yes, in the room all grades are mixed up.

I think you'd just have to try and sing inside your head, because when I ddi mine there were about 30 other people in the room.

If all else fails, when composing do scalic passages

Agree with Nicki - singing or humming might distract the person next to you.

Candidates seem allowed to take bottle drinks and sweets though I would open the sweets in my pocket!

Don't forget - two pencils and pens in case of breakage or running dry and an eraser so that you can work through in pencil then ink over when you're happy.

Bests,
PF

I took a small bottle of Lucozade into an exam with me once for extra energy, but when I opened it it sprayed all over the floor (luckily not on my paper) The invigilator had to go and get a mop and clear it up

Jane

Oh no!!
In exams (school) we're only allowed water, and sweets in rolls, e.g polos
I had an audition though and was eating chocolate and got chocolate stains all over me!

Janexxx you have my sympathy, as I have the same problem. I did my grade5 theory earlier this year, and had terrible trouble because I could compose fine if I could sing it, but found it really hard to "hold" and unheard phrase in my head while I composed the next bit.

In the end I did tap very quietly with my pencil, but kept silent otherwise. I lost a couple of marks in the composition, whereas the practise ones (done not-so-silently) had been pretty good. Pity we can't get a soundproofed cubicle each for the exams! I think you may just have to accept losing a few marks - or learn to do it "by the numbers" - something I didn't bother with, but now wish I had.

On the bright side, this is the only part of the exam where it will matter, and the rest can be pretty much learnt by rote - so If you know your stuff, you should still get a distinction!

Good luck!!

Jane,

Don't worry too much about the composition part of the grade 5 theory exam. When I did it, I composed an extremely simple piece of music in C major without any complexity at all and I still got 100% marks. I believe you are better off doing something simple and straightforward than go overboard and try to get better marks.

However, don't forget to add dynamics!

Shelton

Thanx for the vote of confidence. I'm sure I will be OK, this is the only bit that gives me any problems. Trouble is my compositions, although I think they are OK when I write it down, when I try and play it (which of course you can't do in the exam) it sounds like late Schoenberg .

Maybe I should do a John Cage and fill up 8 bars with rests and call it 0' 15"

Jane

To make it sound more coherent (without trying to hear it) try using the same rhythmic shape (and a similar melodic shape) for bars 5 and 6 as that given in bar 1 and 2 that will give the piece some form and thus make it sound less 'modern'. Listening to the rhythm in your head, even if you can't hear the melody, can help you to feel that the piece has a good sense of continuity (even if you tap it sliently on the desk). Also try to keep smooth scale-like pasages rather than introducing many jagged leaps to give a more coherent feel. I don't know if you already do these things of course, they're just some generic tips.


Hasn't someone been sued for breach of copyright for doing something similar (but not in a theory exam)?!

Jane, I suggest you base the composition around chords rather than scales. Use a simple chord progression (eg I-V-I or I-ii-V-I) under the bars, and pick the melody notes from the chords. You can use pasing notes to join two chord notes together. That way, you melody will sound thought-out and logical. If you get stuck remembering a suitable chord progression, then question 7 (cadential progression) can give you some ideas!

This is a useful general point: always look at the other exam questions on the paper if you get stuck (eg remembering where to put flats in key signatures etc.).It's surprising how helpful a looking at a different piece of music can be in giving you a few hints. You've usually got 2 or 3 longish extracts you can use as examples (transposition, rhythm and general questions).

Hey great idea, thanks. I'll give that a go and woth the scaley bits that others have mentioned and tapping my rhythm, maybe it will be more Mozart

Yes it was Mike Batt, he of Wombles fame. Apparently they settled out of court so we don't know if a further sue-ing of me would actually stick In any case I guess its plagiarism and the examiner would see right through my little wheeze

Jane