8 replies to this topic

[willobie]

After many, many years I have been asked to prepare someone for Grade 6 theory.  She is planning to take Grade 5 next term but is looking ahead...  She is an adult but not terribly academic and hasn't got a strong musical background.

 

What materials could you recommend that would be 'user-friendly' and would break things down into bite-sized chunks...  To be honest, I'm amazed that she's even considering it but she has really enjoyed working for the Grade 5...

 

W

[Crock]

I taught myself largely using a combination of the Anna Butterworth Theory Workbook and MyMusicTheory.com, at least as the exam approached.

 

There is a large gap of course between Grades 5 and 6.  Decades ago I had done O-level music so for me the harmony was

revision, not coming to it new.  I did at the outset buy the Harmony in Practice Anna Butterworth book but did not use

it much.  I preferred some much shorter books by Roy Wilkinson - the ABC of Harmony - that were more digestible - bite sized chunks - and then moved onto the resources I mention above.

 

Perhaps some A-level Music book would help?

[Latin pianist]

Does she know that grade 6 theory is very different from grade 5?
I've had students want to do it but have given up because it is so different. I have no experience of Trinity or LCM grade 6 theory, so wonder if they are the same.

[Crock]

I also taught myself Trinity Grade 7 Theory so I know a bit about the Trinity Theory Syllabus. I personally found G7 Trinity easier than G6 ABRSM. 

 

G6 Trinity is more rudiments based (and has questions on form), with quite a lot less harmony than ABRSM, so might be a more attractive option for your student.  Also Trinity publish  an excellent self-contained Theory of Music Workbook for each grade.

[thara96]

What about www.mymusictheory.com? I found it very helpful.

[Dr. Rogers]

I recently did ABRSM Grade 6 theory.  Here are the resources I used:

 

Materials Used in Preparation for the Test:

• Harmony in Practice - I worked through most of this tome.  Probably best for use with a teacher.
• ABRSM's Theory Workbook, Grade 6 - excellent practice problems for all questions.  The score analysis questions in this book were more difficult than anything I encountered in the past papers or the exam itself.
• ABRSM's past papers.  I completely worked four years' worth of past papers: 2018, 2017, 2016, and 2015.  This was excellent practice for the exam.
• MyMusicTheory.com - Free online resource that I use for myself, and also with my students.

In addition to MyMusicTheory's free Grade 6 resources, I also purchased their Grade 7 composition course.  It was very, very helpful when it came to the G6 composition question.

 

I was able to do this studying on my own, but much of this was review for me.  My teacher knew I was doing it and was available to answer questions if need be, but I somehow managed without having to pester her.

[SingingPython]

My first thought in response to your "hasn't got a strong musical background" is about how to develop that in ways relevant to higher theory study.  I'd encourage her to start score-reading practice, perhaps with piano music first - listening to recordings while following along with the score.  Thinking about it, there are sing-along versions of choral music around on you-tube, that could be a good exercise regardless of whether she wants to try singing or just listen and follow.  If she can develop her ear for a range of music styles that will help her and give her a grounding that could take her beyond grade 6 if she finds she enjoys it.

 

Does she have sufficient keyboard skills to pick out harmonic progressions?  That would also be worth strengthening.

 

Then structured theory resources alongside as per others suggestions.  And warn her that it could plausibly be as long a journey from 5 to 6 as it was from 1 to 5.

[willobie]

She has no keyboard knowledge at all (I am not a piano teacher) but apparently plays clarinet to about Grade 6-ish and violin to around Grade 3...  I will look at the Trinity syllabus - it might suit her better...

 

W

[andante_in_c]

Just check that Trinity aren't still listing the treble recorder as a transposing instrument. The first set of books had this error, and, when I wrote a polite email to that effect, replied, 'but it's treble recorder in F'. They then told me that they had noticed that they had incorrectly (sic) put the descant recorder down as one of the instruments that were transposed at the octave, so they had removed it. 

 

I do hope that subsequent editions have changed. I confess that I never looked at Trinity theory again - I was so irritated with them.