I am having problems despite having had it explained twice how to write figured bass. I can't remember how to work out what chords to write. It seemed so clear in my lesson yesterday! If the bass note is F and 5 is written underneath what are the other notes above it?

Basically you count up a fith from the bass note. Others are sometimes assumed, noteably a third.

The figures are intervals above the bass note.
So a 5/3 (mostly not figured) would be the bass note plus the 3rd and 5th above (a root position chord).
6/4 is the bass plus the 4th and 6th above.

Hope that helps a bit.

Yes thank you both for that. I will try and get on with it now. For some reason I am finding this really complicated

It is complicated - you'll get used to it!

It's really useful to copy the bass line and the figures onto some manuscript paper (which you will be given in the exam) then just count the numbers up from the bass and write it on the stave. That way you can ensure that you have all the notes you need when you write your realisation. But don't forget the abbreviations sometimes used.

Sorry to bump this thread.

i've just started looking at the grade 6 theory book and i just don't get it. I've read what it says in the workbook and what it says in the AB guide and it's just not making any sense. Can someone explain it to me in english please

The figures are intervals from the bass note which you translate into chords.

So if you have 5/3 under a C the other notes in the chord will be E (3 above) and G (5 above).
If you have 6/4 under the C the other notes will be F and A.
Start by pencilling in these notes so you know what chords to use.
They don't have to be in that order in the finished working... you have to learn how to jiggle the parts around so as not to break any of the rules for that sort of harmony.

The thing to stress is that only three figures are needed to be known for grade 6. It's a big subject
and it's best to focus on what's needed rather than be swamped with information.

Here's I diagram I devised for teaching

It shows three inversions of the same chord on the top line. The next line shows how they would be
fully labled in figured bass and the bottom line the shortened figured bass notation.




(sorry - I don't know how to make the page smaller)

Can someone tell me, why, if you have a teacher, you are asking questions relating to these exams....Any teacher who has completed G8, theory, + a diploma, and degree, should give you the answers, if you cannot get them from your teacher, maybe you should look elswhere. Sorry to be so blunt, but I studied music for over 30 yrs, have a MU, and 2 diplomas, plus 4 grade 6's in alternative instruments, so if you teach, you must have at least one of the above, and be able to help your students...If you can't, then why do you persist in taking money from people who are taking in from lies..!!!!!!!....
I get so upset when people that have passed G5, think they can teach, it leads to sub standard students coming through the ranks, hence........Someone comment......

Steady on Richard - breathe...

I think you'll find quite a lot of the people on these threads are just working through it themselves for fun, or with an aim to put themselves through the exam.

Did I miss something? Is Carl's teacher unqualified? Or did Carl simply understand what he was shown in his lesson then have a sleep & now needs a friendly voice on here to go over it again rather then wait till his next lesson?

I am only surprised that in a situation like this, the teacher didn't make the pupil work one or three examples before signing off the lesson. Adult students seem more demanding - spending their own money they won't let go the lesson until confident they have learned.

In Carl's position, best may be to learn what the figure combinations mean, and useful progressions like at Grade 6, a 6/4 is likely to be followed by a 5/3 on the same bass. The dominant 7ths are not too hard to learn if someone writes the inversions out in score with the figures. A 7 alone or 7/5/3 means root position. 6/5 is first inversion and 4/3 second inversion (or 6/4/3). If secondary sevenths are taught for grade 6 (I can't remember) they are the same.
An hour with pencil paper and a few triads will sort everything out. Also good to analyse a piece like an easy hymn into figured bass.

Kai

Oops have I opened a whole new can of worms by bumping this thread.

I don't have a teacher for theory (well not one that is accessible during the summer months) and as I was working through grade 6 at the moment I thought it would be better to ask.

In reply to teachers not knowing more than grade 5 theory, to be honest this is why I'm trying to work through the theory to the highest level I can. I want to teach when I finish uni and feel that I should know as much about the subject as I possibly can.

As for Carl's query, I have found with our tutors at uni that each one explains things differently (take modes for example, every tutor this year has explained it completely differently to the other) so it may be that he just didn't get it from his teacher whereas someone explaining it on here it might sink in a bit better.

I am sorry if I came over all lah de dah..... I am so keen for people to learn and study music, sometimes it takes over the mind, so sorry to all if I offended in any way, but I will stand by what I said,..... If someone wants to teach a subject, they must be fully conversant in that subject, it is only the student that suffers if they are not.......Any how, there are so many books on this subject, teachers refer to them all the time, but if anybody really is interested in taking grade 6-8 theory, I will gladly help as much as I can.........Cheers peeps.....

Back to the theory....


I passed my Grade 6 in April, so I hope to help you out here It isn't too bad at all.


These are the TOP 3 Figured bass chords in Grade 6 theory:

*5/3 chord

*6/3 (6) chord = 1st inversion

*6/4 chord = 2nd inversion

1)The number below the given note on the stave, is asking you to effectively to COUNT UP from the given note.
2)You always start from the bottom number: eg 6/3... (usually written as 6). So, you would count 3 NOTES ABOVE the given note on the stave, to give you the second note in the chord.
3)Then you count 6 up, from the GIVEN NOTE which is on the stave.

........ and there shall be your chord..........


On the other topic, I would like to make a point in saying, that all because a particular person has degree/diploma/grades underneath their belt, that alone does not make that somebody a good teacher. It shows that the person has knowledge and an understanding of the subject, but if the teaching standards are poor, then the degrees are worthless in themselves. Plus, all because someone hasn't got the highest qualification going, it therefore does not mean that someone is not knowledgeable either. I'm pretty sure we can all learn from each other here. Even the most well educated ones amoung us, would more than likely agree with me when I say that you never stop learning in music. Listening to others and therefore learning from others, is music in my eyes.

My teacher is highly qualified. Sometimes you come away and just need to go over it again or like Alicia says you wake up a day or 2 later and its gone and you just need to be told again before the next lesson. I thought the point of the forums was to be able to draw on other peoples experiences

I think I've finally got it.

Let me check I've got this right.

If you had a c in the bass with 5/3 the notes would be C/E/G (basic primary triad)

If you had a c in the bass with 6/3 the notes would be C/E/A (which is A minor 1st inversion)

If you had a c in the bass with 6/4 the notes would be C/F/A

Is that right?

I would like to teach which is why I'm trying to work through my theory grades and get my pratical grade 8 so that when I finish my degree I feel more equipped to teach music (rather than just having a music degree which I think for the next two years we don't do a lot of theory anyway and we haven't done that much this year).

yes, you appear to have got it.

I'm afraid this isn't true (assuming it's AB theory). I have a pupil for Grade 6 theory right now and she has to know the three you gave (for the basic triad chord) and also the figurings for the seventh chords too, which are (in full):

7 6 6 6
5 5 4 4
3 3 3 2

These are, respectively, the root, 1st inv, 2nd inv and 3rd inv of the seventh chord.

The abbreviations, which also have to be known, are;

7 6 4 4
.. 5 3 2

I was going on what it says in the ABRSM publication "Theory Workbook 6" (known as Big 6), page 24 paragraph 2 "The bass figures will be limited to 5/5, 6/3, and 6/4, and if in a minor key, the question may include accidentals and altered chords," Also, I haven't come across any figured bass sevenths at all in past papers.

Hmm - well it was in the ABRSM Grade 6 workbook which my pupil brought that said they have to know the figuring for the sevenths too. Maybe we have different versions. Unfortunately I can't quote you page and paragraph as my pupil has the book. However I will find out on Monday.

The online syllabus says: The harmonic vocabulary will include: the use of 5/3, 6/3 and 6/4 chords on any degree of the major or minor scale; the recognition of the dominant seventh chord in root position, first, second and third inversions, and the supertonic seventh chord in root position and first inversion in any major or minor key; and the figuring for all these chords.

http://www.abrsm.org/resources/theory06Gr6.pdf