It is possible to self-study for theory higher grade (grade 6 & above)? Will it impose any difficulty?

I am doing that at the moment...I am doing ok....but if I come across any thing I am not sure on I go and ask one of my lecturers or one of my mates.

Hiya
I personally think yes it would be possible to self study to a certain degree but what you will find with the Grades 6,7 amd 8 theory is that the workbooks do not prepare you for everything they can ask in the exam paper. There are a lot of books/ extra reading etc which you need to go away and find. These workbooks are more of a guideline for the questions themselves, but a lot of detail particularly found in questiosn 4 and 5 cant really be found in the workbooks. Luckily my teacher is brilliant and she put together a reading list for me to go away and look at along with listening samples for the periods of music section.

Before i actually began the workbook i made myself a small project type thing with all the infromation on the periods of music, i then went on to woprk through selected chapters of Harmony in Practice (Anna Butterworth) then i completed the ABC of harmony books (books A and and finally went on to work through the workbook itself. A fairly lengthy process but it needs to be at these higher grades presuming you want to acheive a good mark. And luckily the hard work paid off for me so im adopting the same sort of method now for the next grade.

If you would like any more recommendations on books/reading/listening then let me know and i can always email the sheets my teacher gave me.

Debs

u should b really great.much to say...very talented.im even having serious problems wif my grade 5 theory .......wif my teachers aside.

Your having problems with your Grade 5 theory?
Anything specific? Ill help if i can

I'm having a go at self-studying g5 theory. It seems ok but I need practice at writing those little tunes. I play each attempt and it's coming (but so is Christmas).

I have sample papers for g6 and it looks a world away from g5. Interesting in an obscure sort of way!


P

"Before i actually began the workbook i made myself a small project type thing with all the infromation on the periods of music, i then went on to woprk through selected chapters of Harmony in Practice (Anna Butterworth) then i completed the ABC of harmony books (books A and and finally went on to work through the workbook itself. A fairly lengthy process but it needs to be at these higher grades presuming you want to acheive a good mark. And luckily the hard work paid off for me so im adopting the same sort of method now for the next grade."


This sounds like a good idea.... I am self teaching for the grade 8 paper for November hopefully, I love the thrill of learning something new and I must admit my A level music has tied in nicely, to help with periods etc. I deinitely think that finding out about characteristics of differnt periods is a good starting point

joy

I don't mean to be rude, but, if you've already studied music at university for two years, shouldn't you already be far beyond grade 8 theory?

I have not done the theory modules.....there is such a wide range of modules that it is impossible to cover all of them.....I am concentrating on the performing modules...not the theory ones!

Just becuase you are at University does not always mean you have already completed all the theory grades. Most people in my class are in the process of completing them and will have finished by the same time the course has.

[quote=deborah_L_watson,Jul 12 2005, 11:01 AM]

If you would like any more recommendations on books/reading/listening then let me know and i can always email the sheets my teacher gave me.

Hi Deborah,

That will be great! Can u email me the list? Thanks for you help!

[quote=i like piano,Jul 12 2005, 12:56 PM]
u should b really great.much to say...very talented.im even having serious problems wif my grade 5 theory .......wif my teachers aside.

[/quote]

Hi,

Not really, but I make sure that I understand every single topic & ask a lot of questions. Not only that, I attempt past year papers. It really pays off, I scored distinction for my grade 5. Clarify every single doubt u have with your teacher.Or post your question here.

Good Luck!
Czaire

Thankyou very much deborah_L_watson.....needed some back up on that!!

Hi,
I'm an adult learner. I've done the studying for GR 5 theory ( which wasn't anything like as hard as I thought it would be) and feel I would be able to pass the exam comfortably. I'm just starting to look at the GR 6 theory requirements and have already purchased the question & answer books by Butterworth. Any other recommendations for further reading/listening etc would be gratefully received.
My music teacher is fantastic -very patient -and able & willing to help with all theory but I prefer not to have to make unneccessary use of her kindness-I'm sure to need her help regularly in the coming months! Everyone on this Forum is so willing to share their knowledge & experience.Thanks for any help you can give.

It would probably be best to have someone to help you but you could do it yourself

I think that is wqould be very difficult to be sure of self checking answers for the first 3 questions.

Hi Deborah

I've just started working through Harmony in Practice but am having trouble deciding how much of it to cover before going on to the grade 6 workbooks.

I'd be interested to hear of any titles you could recommend for the composers/periods sections of the exam.

Many thanks
Jen

I think so.. not as straight forward as the lower grade.

Hi Jen

I must say that I bought the Performer's Guide to the Romantic/Classical/Baroque period (3 seperate books) and I have found them useful for the higher grades in theory, and the music a level, as each book contains cd which gives examples from that period.

Joy

Hi Jen,

I have been doing grade 6 theory for a while (well actually I've specifically not been doing it for a good few months now but I'm intending to pick it up again shortly when things are less hectic!). I have the 'Harmony in Practise' book but have been using it more as a reference book rather than as a workbook, although I know a lot of people do use it as a workbook. I used the series of workbooks called the ABC of harmony and have done books A and B which seems about right to be starting the grade 6 workbook (and indeed Deborah has kindly given me advice on the right point at which to start the workbook): I think the two books cover slightly more than necessary, although not too much more, but it's good to be on the safe side!

I haven't really done much work on questions 4 & 5 but seem to be able to answer them fine in the past papers: it's good that quite a lot of it seems to be bookwork from grade 5 theory and the rest I seem to have picked up by listening to lots of music and taking an interest in it, which seems a very natural and enjoyable way to learn this sort of thing (helps with the aural tests too!) so I would recommend that. I would suggest for those questions also a couple of chapters of the AB guide to theory part 2 particularly the section about orchestras and instrument ranges would help too.

Deborah, i m struggling wif the key signatures, such as b flat for F major etc.and the relative minor keys.erm....and also the italian, french terms.i found some that r not even in the syllabus(in the trial exam paper)hmm...and also the melody composing part.also the terms associated wif (subdominat, super domiant?)not sure but it's just those things, i get fed up wif it.so many and so hard to memorize.for the key signature part, my frend told me to memorize using a sentence.hmm...i dunt really find it useful.but i'll try.,more advice needed, and sory for replying late, i have not been checking messages here for some days.

Thanks AP - yes, I'm beginning to think I'd be better off with the 'ABC' books - at the rate I'm working through 'Harmony in Practice', it'll be the end of 2006 before I'm ready to take the exam!!!

I think I will invest in a book or two on the different periods & some biographical stuff on composers (I need to broaden my knowledge, definitely), but I've been listening to those CDs which come with Gramophone magazine which have a selection of music, to see whether I can recognise the period and/or composer.

On the whole I think grade 6 will be achievable without too much teacher input, apart from perhaps checking the harmony questions.....we'll see...

Thanks Joy - I'll have a look at those books, too.

Me too also bought the three books. Although slightly expensive but worth to invest especially if u really to learn more from each period.

Czaire

Quote: I_like_piano: ..."and so hard to memorize.for the key signature part, my frend told me to memorize using a sentence.hmm...i dunt really find it useful"

Rather than memorising a sentence (if you forget it, you're im trouble in the exam), try a mathematical way:

Start at the key of C (no sharps or flats). The key with one sharp is 5 notes up starting from the C, and so on. I'll show you:
C No sharps
(C D E F G) G=1 sharp
(G A B C D) D=2 sharps
(D E F G A) A=3 sharps
(A B C D E) E=4 sharps
(E F G A B ) B=5 sharps
etc...

To get keys with flats start from C in the same way but go DOWN 5:
C No flats
(C B A G F) F=1 flat [All keys from here down are flattened]
(F E D C B ) B(flat)=1 flat
(B A G F E) E(flat)=2 flats
(E D C B A) A(flat)=3 flats
etc...

It may be a bit long winded but it will always get you there in the end and the ONLY thing you have to remember is up 5 for sharps, down 5 for flats.

Hope this helps!

If you're struggling with key signatures (identification of):

for sharps, find the last sharp then go up one semitone, which will give you the major key. e.g. with 5 sharps, the last sharp is Asharp - go up one semitone, and you reach B, so the major key with 5 sharps is B major.

For flats (all excepting F major) look at the penultimate flat. This gives you the name of the major key. So a key signature of 5 flats - the next to last flat is Db so the major key is Db major. (WARNING! Always work from the last flat backwards, so in Bb major which only has 2 flats, the penultimate flat is Bb if you work backwards, even though it may also be the first flat!

I find the order of sharps in a key signature easy if you remember

Father Christmas Gave Dad An Empty Box.

And for flats, either use the above and work backwards or

Big Elephants Always Drive Green Coloured Ferraris.

one that works both ways for the order of sharps & flats...

father charles goes down and ends battle

battle ends and down goes charles' father

it's helpful in that it makes sense (ish) both ways round!

I taught myself theory grades 1-4 (because it was summer and I was overseas so I brought my theory books with me!) and sh told m that she needed to help me with grade 5 because it was not that easy.

After I completed my grade 5, I decided to take up grade 6 theory and I thought it was similar to grade 5 but it wasn't and it kinda needs more of yourself sitting down, and really concentrating but yes, I think you can teach yourself.

I just go through whatever I don't understand all over and over again @_@

I like this one

Father Christmas gave Dad an electric blanket
Blanket explodes and Dad gets cold feet

Yes - like that one too. I made up the elephant one as I didn't like the Battle Ends one - it seems very old-fashioned, and I already knew the Father Christmas one. But I like the electric blanket idea as it ties the 2 together.

I agree Father Charles is old-fashioned, but I do find it helpful that it's reversible! Rather than two entirely separate sentences (though of course when you know them already, the one you know is usually the easiest!) - but I DO like that one, jane!

Well in reality up to 4 flats I remember it spells BEAD, over 4 flats and I try and remember which ones AREN'T flattened. I always find 4 is the hardest in both flats and sharps for this reason, its always that D that catches you out!

In our quartet we have collective noun for more than four flats...and thats a BLOCH of flats

*nods* the D sharp and D flat is always a piggy, I agree! Now that i know my scales better I am better at remembering them though.