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493 Pupil Book ABRSM Grades 6 To 8
493 Pupil Book ABRSM Grades 6 To 8
493 Pupil Book ABRSM Grades 6 To 8
Merit
(15 17)
- Good responses
- Minor errors or hesitation
Pass
(12 14)
Below Pass
(9 11)
(6 8)
(0)
- No work offered
Purchase ABRSM specimen aural books with CD backing tracks and test
yourself regularly.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Involve your other music teachers in the process. If you play piano as well
as an orchestral instrument, your piano teacher will be happy to help you
with aural as long as you tell them. Some school music departments will
run extra aural if you ask.
7.
Every time you get a new piece try singing it first and then see how close
you got.
8.
Aural will always be easier if you dont just leave it to a couple of weeks
before the exam. Practise it as part of your regular routine.
To sing or play from memory the upper part of a two part melody played
twice by the examiner. The key chord and starting note will first be
sounded and named, and the pulse indicated by a two bar count in. A
second attempt will be allowed if necessary.
2.
3.
4.
Perfect Cadence (V I)
Imperfect Cadence (x V)
Structure
To clap the rhythm of a short extract played twice by the examiner from
the piece youve just heard and to state whether it is in 2, 3 or 4 time. It is
important to try and decide how many beats there are in a bar when you
are hearing the whole piece played through for the first time as when they
play the extract youll be too busy trying to remember it to clap it back.
The examiner will not remind you to listen out for the number of beats in a
bar, thats up to you!
To sing or play from memory the lower part of a two part melody played
twice by the examiner. The key chord and starting note will first be
sounded and named, and the pulse indicated by a two bar count in. A
second attempt will be allowed if necessary.
2.
To sing the upper part of a two-part phrase from score, with the lower part
played by the examiner. First the examiner will play and name the key
chord and the starting note and then give the pulse. A brief period of
preparation will then follow during which the candidate may sing out loud.
The examiner will play the key chord and starting note again and then
count in two bars. If necessary, the examiner will allow a second attempt.
Candidates may choose to sing the test from the treble or bass clef.
3.
Interrupted (V vi)
4.
4b
To clap the rhythm of a short extract played twice by the examiner from
the piece youve just heard and to state whether it is in 2, 3, 4 or 6/8 time.
It is important to try and decide how many beats there are in a bar when
you are hearing the whole piece played through for the first time as when
they play the extract youll be too busy trying to remember it to clap it
back. The examiner will not remind you to listen out for the number of
beats in a bar, thats up to you!
Starting in a
MINOR
KEY
(grade 8
only)
SUBDOMINANT
if you have
managed to sing
the bass note all
the way through it
will fit in this
chord.
Still MAJOR
Feels like your
adding flats,
pulling down
SUBDOMINANT
if you have
managed to sing
the bass note all
the way through it
will fit in this
chord.
Still MINOR
Feels like your
adding flats,
pulling down
DOMINANT
if you have managed
to sing the bass note all
the way through it will
NOT fit in this chord.
Still MAJOR
Feels like your adding
sharps, pulling up
RELATIVE
MINOR
if you have
managed to sing the
bass note all the way
through it will fit in
this chord.
Sounds MINOR
DOMINANT
if you have managed
to sing the bass note all
the way through it will
NOT fit in this chord.
Could be minor or
major depending on
whether the leading not
has been sharpened.
Feels like your adding
sharps, pulling up
RELATIVE
MAJOR
if you have
managed to sing the
bass note all the way
through it will fit in
this chord.
Sounds MAJOR
a) To sing or play from memory the lowest part of a three part melody
played twice by the examiner. The key chord and starting note will first
be sounded and named, and the pulse indicated by a two bar count in.
A second attempt will be allowed if necessary.
b) To identify the cadence at the end of a continuing phrase as perfect,
imperfect, interrupted or plagal. The phrase will be in a major or
minor key and will be played twice by the examiner.
c) To identify the three chords (including their positions) forming the
above cadential progression. The chords forming the cadence will be
limited to the tonic (root position, first or second inversions),
supertonic (root position or first inversion), subdominant (root
position), dominant (root position, first or second inversions),
dominant seventh (root position) or submediant (root position). Before
the first playing the examiner will play the chord. (See sheet on chord
progressions.)
2.
To sing the lower part of a two-part phrase from score, with the upper part
played by the examiner. First the examiner will play and name the key
chord and the starting note and then give the pulse. A brief period of
preparation will then follow during which the candidate may sing out loud.
The examiner will play the key chord and starting note again and then
count in two bars. If necessary, the examiner will allow a second attempt.
Candidates may choose to sing the test from the treble or bass clef.
3.
4.
Dynamics
Articulation
Tonality
Rhythm
Style
Dance
Texture
Singing
The best way to learn intervals is to keep singing them. There are lots of
helpful websites. Try www.musicalintervalstutor.info as a starter. Here are
some helpful hints:
Minor 2nd White Christmas, Ode to Joy, Jaws, Fur Elise (top to bottom)
Major 2nd Happy Birthday, Frere Jacques, Rudolph the Red Nosed
Reindeer
rd
Minor 3
Greensleeves, New World Symphony
rd
Major 3
O When the Saints, While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks,
Pop Goes the Weasel, Once in Royal Davids City, Morning
Has Broken
th
Perfect 4 Auld Lang Syne, If Youre Happy and You Know it, Away in
a Manger
th
Perfect 5 Twinkle Twinkle, Star Wars main theme
Minor 6th Let My People Go, Love Story (high to low), The
Entertainer (3rd -4th notes)
Major 6th My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean, It Came Upon a Midnight
Clear
th
Minor 7
Somewhere (Westside Story), Star Trek (original theme)
th
Major 7
Bali Hai (South Pacific), Somewhere Over the Rainbow
(notes 2 and 3)
Octave
Somewhere Over the Rainbow
1. Baroque music:
1600 - 1750
- Written by people such as Bach and Handel, Purcell,
Vivaldi
-
2. Classical music
1750 - 1820
-
Tonality
Tempo
Texture
thick or thin
homophonic melody, usually in the upper part, with chords
or broken chords in the lower part.
contrapuntal two melodic lines, one in each hand of equal
importance.
Polyphonic similar to contrapuntal in that music
simultaneously combines several different lines
Rhythm
Tempo
rallentando
accelerando
a tempo
Dynamics
piano
forte
mezzo piano
mezzo forte
pianissimo
fortissimo
soft/quiet
loud
moderately quiet
moderately loud
very quiet
very loud
Gradation of tone
crescendo
diminuendo
Articulation
staccato
legato
tenuto
sforzando
Character
mesto
scherzando
maestoso
misterioso
tranquillo
energico
lento
Andante
Allegro
Allegretto
Cantabile
sad
playful
majestically
mysteriously
tranquil, calm
energetic
slowly
walking pace
lively
quick, but not as quick as Allegro
in a singing style
SCALES
CAN
NEARLY
CANT
Practise all
articulations set
for your
instrument