Would you say it's possible for me to teach myself grade 6 theory, or do i need a teacher?

Well, I did it, so it can be done.

That's encouraging

How long did it take you?

Serious revision and working through papers took me about two months.

But I'm me, I study in my own way. You will do things differently because you're not me....

Ok, thanks

So why do you want to teach yourself Grade 6 theory? You already have Grade 5, why do more?

What an utterly bizarre question . Higher grade theory is both interesting and useful; theory isn't just something one does to satisfy the prerequisite of needing grade 5 theory for grades 6-8 practical.

AP and I self-taught ourselves grade 6 theory in a couple of months. Past papers, the ABC in Harmony, and the 'big 6 book' were very useful .

Absolutely

I taught myself grades 6-8 theory in a year, taking the exams in the three consecutive terms. I just used the AB books. And I passsed them all, G6-7 with 80+.

I had studied some harmony before however which made it much easier.

Because I like it and want to do the higher grades!

Thanks everyone ... I'm going to start working through the ABRSM workbook when all of my exams have finished this Summer

YAY!! That is excellent stuff!

ALWAYS AIM HIGHER!!!!

I passed my GRADE 6 in April, and now I am teaching myself to get up to Grade 8 standard by November-time which is when the exam is


Go for it!!

Go for it!
I'm still stuck at Grade 4. I enjoy it but honestly, the teacher who does lessons of it at school is quite frighteningly boring!

Certainly not a bizarre question. I asked it because I was interested in the answer. Nice of the original poster to supply one. Why should you tell me what theory is or isn't? it's certainly not interesting or useful to everyone - people are all different you see.

It was a slightly bizarre question: surely it's pretty obvious that for some people there's more to theory than "You already have Grade 5, why do more"...

And YAP's "it's interesting and useful" comment IS an answer - it may not be an answer that you agree with, nonetheless for many higher-grade theory students, it's a perfectly valid answer.

If there were no point in theory beyond getting grade 5 in order to do the higher practical grades or getting grade 6 in order to take a teaching diploma, then the AB wouldn't need to bother with grades 7 and 8 theory at all. And yet people are asking why the AB don't offer a theory diploma... manifestly, "You already have Grade 5, why do more?" is a question that could as well be answered "Why not do more?"

"Why are you doing grade 6 theory?" is one thing. The assumption behind "why do more because you already have all you need for taking higher grades?" is that no one could possibly like theory for its own sake. And yes, considering how many people enquire about the higher grades of theory (not to mention AMusTCL), and clearly are doing it/like doing it, it is a rather strange question.

Rubbish.

As I said, I was interested in why she wanted to do more. most people don't. Yes, there are a few people who enjoy theory, and take exams to prove it, but MOST people don't want to go further than Grade 5. It's always interesting to find out why someone wants to take it further, and for me this wtemmed from the fact that the original poster had not done any higher practical grades.

You are not justified in pontificating on why people choose to do theory, or to pass judgement on the value of my question, which was addressed at somebody else anyway.

Well we'll have to agree to disagree I guess. "Why are you doing higher grades in theory" seems a perfectly valid question, I'd have to agree with YAP that "You already have Grade 5, why do more?" is a rather bizarre one.

Sorry, Sarah-Flute, you have misunderstood me. I was not disagreeing with doing higher theory grades, far from it. I'm working for Grade 7 theory myself, because as a teacher of piano, keyboard and theory I want to be completely on top of what I do, and also I find the whole thing fun. i'm studying with a colleague of mine, who is a high school science teacher, but has done grade 8 piano (former student of mine), and we have a lot of fun together working out the answers to questions and playing each other's attempts at composition. So you see, I am not in the least anti-higher-grade-theory!

My original "bizarre" question was merely out of interest. Most people I teach, and colleagues of mine teach, are anxious to get their pass at Grade 5 and then leave theory behind them. A few, though, take it further, either because they enjoy it, or because they are studying music to A-level and beyond, and the more advanced theory will help them in this. I wondered why Piano-Secrets was so interested in taking theory into levels of harmony, composition, knowledge of score-reading and so on, when she hasn't got to that stage in her practical work yet.

Her answer, that she's interested in it, made a lot of sense. But there really wasn't any need for you or YAP to jump down my throat. I know full-well what theory has to offer, and I admire and respect students who decide to study it.

So, we do not have to agree to disagree at all - I think we are of like mind, but you and YAP, pouncing as you did on my question to PS, just didn't see what I was getting at at all. I hope this has cleared things up, and would appreciate a response.

Ahh. I think your question was a little badly phrased then - "Why do more because you have what you need?" seems rather to devalue theory study. My apologies for misunderstanding though I hope you can see why it happened it was not my intent to willfully misunderstand! (And I don't think I, or YAP, intended to "pounce" on your question - like I say, "Why do you want to study higher grades theory" seems to me a perfectly valid question, and one which may well have an interesting answer - the second part of your question was what I personally had a problem with and I suspect YAP (as someone who has studied higher grade theory) was struck the same way )

I am planning to start my theory Grade 6 study this weekend. I have two books: ABRSM Theory Workbook (big six), and new Practice in Music Theory Grade 6 by Josephine Koh.

Has anyone used these two books? Do you recommend one over the other?

I like big 6, but you have just reminded me that I also have Jo Koh. When is your theory exam, Judith.

I haven't even begun to think about when I'll take the exam. I probably won't bother with the exams for grades 6 and 7. It is the study that I enjoy rather than the exams. I'll do the exam whenever I'm ready, I imagine that it will be over a year.