I've not been working towards an exam for a few months now! Very unlike me! I had this urge last night to do another exam possibly grade 7 clarinet. I'm mad aren't I ?! Help!!

Please Nat, don't put your friends through the stress of another exam just yet - I'm still recovering from June/July

Yeah me too! Lol! But we dont want any conplaints about how much you hate the clarinet if you do do it! Thee hee!

ROFL!

Any other thoughts?!

You freak! (Meant in the nicest possible way of course).

The night before every exam you tell me how awful you are feeling. Then you sit in terror around the time of the results. Before the exams you tell me how you are dreading aural.

You feel the urge to do more???

Ok, how about grade 8 flute?

Yes!! I seem to be addicted to them!!

No way grade 8 flute!!! Unless I get a new flute which is a no no

lol

Nat, u are nuts!!!!!! thats all i have to say on the matter!!! hehe!!!

Erm thanks for that

actually I'd agree!!!

3 words:

PLAY THE LYONS!!!!!

ur welcome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You agree with I'm nuts or doing grade 7 clarinet?!!!!

that u are completely nuts!!!!!! what drugs do u take???!!! i want some!!!!hehe!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hmph!!!

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You are now worse than me with use of exclamation marks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

im going to beat u then!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!right im bored now!!LOL I WIN!!!!!!!!

Hpmh!!


Now lets have some useful replies!

i post very useful replies!!!!!LOL

I don't like doing exams especially...but I'd quite like to do Grade 1 recorder!

Thing is I've thought about a recorder exam too!

I'd quite like to have recorder lessons!

I'm getting them!!

Hmmm I don't know

Why not grade 2 flute?!!

No flute for a good few years!

Honestly Nat, you're addicted to them! Perhaps see what your various lecturers at uni have to say on the matter...!

seriously though, do you want to put yourself through all the hassle, when you probably won't be getting lessons, risk dampening your confidence etc. Can you not do a performance assesment instead?

I'm too young

oh fair enough!

How old do you have to be?

I thought you had decided for definite you weren't doing more clarinet. To be honest, what is the point. You are doing sax at uni, and decided to keep piano.

elmo, for performance assessment you have to be 21 (god knows why though!)

EDIT to answer original question, undoubtedly.

Oh whatever. The point? Personal achievement perhaps? What is the point in you doing grade 8 sax and flute and piano at some stage- you've told me that before. What's the point, you've got your grade 8 distinction clarinet and working for Dip.

Hang on 2 ticks before it gets nasty

I can see what you're saying Neil, in a way. I can see "what's the point in putting yourself under more pressure of exams when you don't need to if you're no longer going to continue formally with clarinet" but I can't see a "what's the point in playing clarinet at all". I don't know whic you were intending, I took it to be the first one, but that's just the way I read it and thinking about it now, I can see how Nat would'v read it the other way.

I agree with Nat on the personal satisfaction thing. It's more proof of what you're capable of that you're after aren't you? Could you not talk to your lecturers when you get there and see what they say? They might have an informal way of assesing people who don't want to have formal teaching anymore, but still a gude line. I knwo they do hear at Hull.

I took it as just because I've said before that I wasn't sure I actually wanted to do clarinet anymore that I shouldn't because I'm doing sax and getting piano lessons.


The reason I'm not getting clarinet lessons is because I probably wouldn't be allowed as it would be too expensive.

I'm not totally stopping clarinet, I think I'd be more motivated to practice on the side though if I had something to work for. I did not say when I was going to take it, just that I was thinking of doing it.

1, fair enough

2, I won't be for some time (because indeed it's not so important for me), and when I don't have so many other things on my plate

3, diploma is higher than a distinction grade 8 and is a professional qualification compared to the grade exams.

All I said was that you've got g8 dist and working for dip, get off your high horse, I never mentioned which was better - ooh a professional qualification ...get you.



exactly- now tell me where did I mention when I was doing it? Hmm I didn't which means I could be taking it anytime..including in 5 years time. All I said was working towards it and aiming to take it sometime.

you don't need to do grade 8 sax,piano, flute but you'd like to do them. But hey what is the point you're already got your degree and working towards a "professional qualification" in clarinet so no point is there.

Oh unless it is for personal achievement of course...........oh no can't be - that's my silly reason

Yes I am, as do lots of people.



Doing what?



Well grade 8 piano might be helpful, (you've missed out theory ).

But the original question was should you do grade 7 clarinet, and all we are saying is if it would put you under too much pressure, don't do it.

Go for it saxlover!

You sound a lot like me. When I get into an exam, I think "what on earth am I doing here?! I want to go home!" but then when I get my certificate I'm just so happy that I want to start working for another one! Not that I do it constantly or anything - in fact am having a break right now because I'm 8 months pregnant. But I think I've done something like 26 exams so far - the majority post-university. Maybe I am addicted!

As for WHY (other than the great feeling of passing) - I just love playing, and learning new things. It's also a motivator which makes me practise more, and better. I also see it as continuing professional development, being marked and moderated, and I know that my students appreciate seeing me going through exams as well - it assures them that I know how they feel, and that I have to work hard too. There are a couple of instruments left that I'd like to get grade 8 on (including the sax - yes, I'm a clarinet and sax teacher, and am the right standard and everything, and a qualified teacher, just haven't got around to formally taking the exam yet!) And when you have a certificate, that's like having a new qualification isn't it?

Thank-you elliewelly!



Doing grade 7 clarinet-what else? Flying to the moon?



That was the question, and your answer was basically that I shouldn't continue with clarinet .



Yes but other people don't go on about how it is soooo much higher than grade 8 distinction and oooh I'mso great

1, I did not say you shoudln't continue clarinet. If you want to do it, do it, as elliewelly said.



I don't "go on about......" and will only do so when I am ready (at least after my Masters degree).

My final word on this topic.

Yes but then aren't we all? (we hang around on an exam board's forum, for Pete's sake!)

Why not get a few post grade 6 and leading on to grade 7 clarinet books and teach yourself some pieces, then when you're ready, get a few of the syllabus pieces for grade 7 and try them, and learn the scales and stuff, keeping it all in mind as a possibility for doing another exam, but don't (yet!) put the pressure on yourself by entering yet.

I think she's got most of the Grade 7 pieces already, haven't you, Nat?

You could do the Tartini 3rd and 4th mvt - great stuff! Do you like Hard Rock Blues from the James Rae book?

Yeah I got loads.

List A- Probably the Tartini

List B - I'm not sure about the Lyons so it might have to be Lutoslawskim, despite it being hard to fit with piano

List C- No idea, I don't really like any of them!

NOOOOOO! DO the Lyons!!! lol

Yes, I did the Lyons too - it's great!

I need to hear a proper recording then, because it's not sounding at all tuneful when I play it!

And lots of high notes!

I'll record it for you!! lol! That'll be tuneful.....!!!!

Yes please!!!!

Well what I've heard you play of it was good

I'll record it for you then, but it might not be too good cz I don't have a good mic, and i haven't played it in a while!

Yay!!