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Original poster

Grade 5 theory

106 replies

Floottoot · 31/10/2018 10:19

Just thought I'd start a thread for all those taking grade 5 theory next week.
I've taught DS for it, as I've taken my own pupils through it previously, but it's been surprisingly hard work - maybe because we've tried to do a crash course (I usually spend a couple of terms of more when teaching pupils), or maybe just because teaching your own child is just harder!
He's capable of doing ok, but massively under-practised so I'm worried he'll make silly mistakes, and his actual note writing is scruffy. We haven't looked at terms, other than those he already knows, and certainly no German ones!

Anyone else looking forward to it being over???

OP posts:
ILovePandas · 02/11/2018 20:19

Yes trumpet will see you there! There are also some others from school. I’m not entirely sure where it is but hopefully the sat nav will find it.

DD did another paper last night and it went ok but like you all say it’s the silly mistakes that can swing it from a pass to a fail. For instance misreading the question, missing a signature, missing a sharp etc.
Any last minute tips?

Trumpetboysmum · 01/11/2018 06:59

Ilovepandas I’ll see you there !! I’m not sure how ds will do - he should pass but who knows - his piano teacher had words with him last night and went over a few things so maybe that stuck ?!? He doesn’t need to have it as he has grade 5 jazz but he does need to do it if he wants to continue with music seriously.

Original poster
Floottoot · 31/10/2018 22:10

Hi, ILovePandas.
I was hoping half term would allow for a bit of a blitz, but it's been the opposite - DS has been catching up with sleep and piano lessons in preparation for his exam towards the end of November ( as well as catching up with some serious PS4 playing...)
I left him to do some writing out, changing from accidentals to a key signature today, and was a bit 😵 to realise that he didn't think to include the key signature again when he went onto a new stave. 😫 It's just a lack of thought, which is SO frustrating!

Is there anything your DD finds particularly tricky? DS is a bit bit and miss with intervals, if he doesn't stick to the plan - he starts thinking in enharmonics and ends up with the wrong interval number.

OP posts:
ILovePandas · 31/10/2018 21:50

Hello floottoot and melting my DD is also doing grade 5 theory on Tuesday too. Prep was going well until half term and then we had a holiday so no practice for the last 10 days and her teacher is on hols till the day of the exam so she’s on her own (I’m no help at all).
Plan is to do another couple of practice papers between now and Tuesday but unfortunately this weekend she’s away with the Guides so no time for practice then either!
Not learnt all the terms either, she either knows them from playing or she doesn’t.

Original poster
Floottoot · 31/10/2018 13:24

Glad it's not just me, Melting!!
It shouldnt be as hard as it has been! Just to get DS to actually sit and do it for even half an hour is difficult - he finds copying out for things like transposition really tedious ( typical boy, doesn't like writing) and makes the most ridiculous errors, but shrugs them off. Who knows how awful his paper could be, unless he finds some intent between now and Tuesday??
The frustrating thing is that he KNOWS what he needs to do, and is pretty able to do it ..he just doesn't apply himself!

All we need is a pass!

OP posts:
MeltingWax · 31/10/2018 12:33

Me, me! I am looking forward to it being over!

DD is sitting next week. I also feel as though we've rushed it a bit and am wondering why as she won't be sitting a Grade 6 exam until at least this time next year.

She sat Grade 3 theory in the summer session. She should do ok for Grade 5 but she doesn't always read the question properly - ascending instead of descending, with our without key signatures are classic errors for her.

She also hasn't learned any terms and because of other commitments between now and next Tues will have no evenings free in which to sit and look through them properly.

I also have DS sitting Grade 4 theory the same evening (he did Grade 2 theory in the summer). He doesn't know any terms either.

Ho hum.