how long do u think it should take to work through grades one to five theory back to back?
I did my grade 5 singing exam at the end of last year and now my teacher has told me i have to do the theory but my voice is losing it's conditioning fast!! I'm 13 and my voice has just gone up to mezzo soprano and is soundin more operatic by the day have any of you had experiance with a voice growing too big too soon?? i've only been learning for 2 yrs HELP!!

I did mine in three months, but then I had some experience, and I'm a lot older than you!

If you need to do it in a hurry, the AB books are good, but the best thing I found was to do lots of past papers. I did a one lot Grade 4, and every Grade 5 paper I could get my hands on. The most useful book was one called 'Take Five' - and it claims to help you pass first time. It did - I got distinction! Like you I did it to take my Grade 6 singing.

Good luck, and if you need any help, just shout! There seems to be a lot of people around keen on theory....

Working through grades 1-5 theory will take as a minimum 15 months, as you can only do one exam at a time, and one exam every 3 months or so.

But I don't know of many who take all the exams! My teacher only puts in candidates for Grade 5, using past papers as 'mocks' for the other grades...

Hi

I learnt grade 5 theory quite quickly(about 3/4 months) and im taking the exam in June, but i do like theory and find it easy!!I used the Music theory in Practice books and looked through some past papers!

Good luck!

Nat

In the school of music I go to we're forced to do all the theory grade from 1-5, and if we don't get the Grade 5 theory exam done within a certain time of doing the Grade 5 practical, we get thrown out! It took me three years to get the first five grades done, but I was quite young (10-13) so if you're older and more motivated it'll definitely take a lot less time than that.

getting thrown out for not doing a theory exam in a certain time seems a bit extreme but there we go!!! What school of music do you go to?

Nat

I taught a very motivated 14 year old who couldn't really read the bass or treble clef well in just over a year from grade 1 to grade 5. I entered her for grade 2 and grade 5 but she sat a mock grade 4 exam in my house under exam conditions. Personally I would say save the money and only enter one or two exams for experience and to check your nerves and sense of timing. The gap between grade 3 and 4 I would say was the biggest. Although there is new material at grade 5 it is relatively easy and no new scales and only a few irregular time signatures eg 7/8 5/4. As others have said I use lots and lots of papers plus the Associated Board books which are very dry but have a lot of sample questions. Good luck Margaret

Thanks you guys

I am going to save money and just do grade 5 i think and i'm quite a good student plus i'm another one of those people who are enjoying theory!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm hoping it won't take too long to work through the books i've already done the first one and i really want too sing more than what i have been doing this year

thanks char

Hi Char,

I suggest you have a look at Theory Time ! by David Turnbull.
He does GI - GV and they are excellent.
Very straight forward with short exercises at the end of each section and the answers to check them.

I used all 5 books for my exams sitting 2 per year and got distinctions (GVI to follow)

Good luck !

Fiona