Hey everyone,
I'm giving ATCL exam in Solo Piano this November. Well, my teacher doesn't give me too much of ear test practise, but he did give me a practise last time. Well, i am very confused with the identification of chord. I just didn't understand how to do that. I mean, my teacher was like "sing the notes back and then identify the chord" but the thing is, if i'm not familiar with the chord, how will i sing it back??!!
Can anyone please tell me what sorta questions are there for ATCL Aural tests? I mean, i'm okay with cadence, modulation and answering questions from a piece, but am just not getting the chord identification.
Can anyone tell me what sorta questions are generally asked?
Please help!!!! SOS! i'll be in a soup if i don't understand it!!!
Thanks a tonne,
Tanmoy.

From the syllabus do you know what types of chords are asked: major, minor, diminished, augmented, dom 7th and their inversions etc? When you find out what might be asked of you, play one type of chord a day a lot of times so that you get it's distinctive sound into your mind. Do one chord a day for as long as it takes. You could also record them over a period of time so that you can listen to their sound away from the piano too.

By the way, if you're paying some person to teach you, tell the person what you want to be taught! Demand that you spend more time on chord identification in the lesson and how to do it - not just the test, as that might only make you frustrated!

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

John

Hey John,
Thanks for you reply. No i don't know what sorta chords are asked. But i think they are major and relative minor chords with root position, 1st and 2nd inversion.
I am actually a student form Calcutta, West Bengal, India. I will tell my teacher about more practise in this part of the aural test as i really require it. But he's a senior man (62 yrs) and he's an FTCL himself. I don't tell him anything actually, he plans his lessons. But i think i need to speak up in this case otherwise i'll be the one who'll be losing out.
Thanks a tonne for your help,
i'll try doing that from today.
Tanmoy.

I did ATCL and there were no aural tests at all. I am confused.. is this the difference between ATCL Performance and Recital?

One of them

I think you have a shorter repertoire session and then do some technical exercises too.

Cheers

Katyjay (whose ATCL is of the recital variety)

Hmmm.. given the choice why would ANYONE do a diploma exam with technical exercises and aural -- if you can take an alternative just with pieces??

Mebbe it's just me!

Hello everyone,
I'm doing ATCL performance exam. I'm 16 yrs old. So, my teacher said, that i'm too young for ATCL recital. He said that the minimum age for ATCL recital is 18 yrs. In ATCL performance, as you all must be already knowing, 60% marks on pieces, 10% marks on Technical work, 10% on Ear test, 10% on Sight Reading and 10% on Presentation skills.
I'm really confused now. They say Ear test or Aural awareness and extemporization. What's the difference?! i've never even heard of this before. I just came to know after consulting the Diploma syllabus. gosh! what am i gonna do?? I'll tell me teacher about it, but i dunno how far things will work out. Are there any recorded cassettes/ CDs for all this? I'm willing to buy and practise.
Just as a random question, i would like to know, what the general marking standard is.
for my repertoire i have:
1> Mozart Sonata K309
2> CHopin-Polonaise in C# minor
3> Benjamin Britten - 2 pieces from Sonatina Romantica
I'm sure some of you'll have played this before. I'd like to know what sort of comments they generally give and how much (marks wise) they may give.
Thanks a tonne,
Tanmoy.

Tanmoy_22

Have a look at the Trinity website. They do actually have a section in the Music Diplomas bit on what the ear tests or aural awareness and extemporisation are about. I think it's in the Diploma Support Downloads area.

Here's the section

I don't recall there being an age limit on the recital diplomas. Have a check, and if you prefer to do recital, push back on your teacher. OK so he's 62, but that doesn't automatically make him right.

Good luck with it, whatever you do.

Cheers

Katyjay

Just looking at the Trinity 2005 syllabus (page 5, to be exact) :

There's no age limit for ATCL recital OR performance (or indeed for LTCL, FTCL).. Age limits only apply for the Teaching/Education diplomas..

If you manage to convince your teacher of this and go for the Recital diploma instead, you just need to bump your programme up to 30 - 35 mins (instead of 23 - 27 mins) and then you can avoid all that technical/aural nastiness!!

Thanks a tonne for your advice. But now the thing is, the fees for the ATCL Performance has already been paid, and SUPPOSEDLY in India, it can't be refunded.
So I have to go on to give my ATCL Performance. Well, yea, my teacher's good and all, but umm...i don't tell him much...he was really discouraging before my Grade 8, and is being a bit phony these days. But anyway, that's beside the point.
Can you tell me, where i can get some practise? Because, it's impossible to change something which he has decided upon. And he just doesn't give me enough Ear Test practise. I'm not very good in the Chord Identification part, and in some other parts, and i know that i need more practise! much more!
Thanks Katyjay for the link.
Tanmoy.

Tanmoy, the way I practise chord identification is like this.

-I choose a hymn from an old hymn-book, or a Bach Chorale or a piece of music like that that has a harmony that moves in chords.
-I play each chord in turn (this takes ages because I'm only a beginner pianist).
-While I'm holding the chord down, I listen to, and then sing, every note in it from the bottom upwards (transposing up so that it's in my vocal range when necessary)
-I then try to identify which chord it is relative to the key of the music.
-Once I've done all that I move on to the next chord.

I'd suggest try this. Hope it helps.

Cheers

Katyjay

(ps - subsequent edit - when you get to the end of a line in the hymn/chorale, and have sung the last two chords, name the cadence too!)

Thanks Katyjay for your advice. I don't have too many Bach chorales, but i might be having some old hymn-book. If i don't, i'll buy some and start practising. Thanks a lot. And yea, singing is a very good way of doing it. I've heard my teacher say, sing the notes backwards, but for Pluto's sake, i can't even identify the chord, how will i sing it backwards??!!! lol.
anyway, thanks for your advice.
I'd love to listen to comments or any such marking schemes, if anyone would like to share.
Thanks a tonne,
Tanmoy

Dear everyone,
any suggestions? I'd be glad if anyone discusses the system of marking and other similiar comments for ATCL
Thanks.
Tanmoy