Spring /Summer 25 - Music thread

I'd love some advice similarly, I have a DD9 who is preparing for SFMT3 and Gr1 piano and whilst she never stops singing, piano practice is pulling teeth and she just loses her sh!t when I try to help her (even when she's expressly asked for my help) 😬

I've also got DS14 sitting gr5 piano and gr5 trombone next month and he's so laid back about it he's horizontal. Suspect two passes/low merits incoming but he could do so much better if he actually practiced regularly...

@QueenMabby my DS is preparing for his grade 5 SFMT as well. He was supposed to do grade 3 last year but his teacher messed up booking it so he's doing grade 3 next month and planning to take grade 5 in the winter. He found the selection for grade 5 a bit uninspiring too so he's ended up choosing two from Moana. One is originally sung by Moana and one by Maui so I think it will work okay. He's also doing They Can't Take That Away From Me but it isn't a song he's hugely familiar with. He still has to choose an unaccompanied song but he might choose one from one of the performances he's done recently.

@StuntNun glad it worked - there is a lot in there!

@QueenMabby I wouldn't say there is a fixed length of time to get to Grade 8 as it depends on the child and the instrument and even the instrument for the child, if that makes sense. DD did Grade 8 singing after two terms but needed three for Grade 8 piano (though she now isn't that bothered about taking the exam) when moving up from Grades 7 and 6 respectively; it will have taken her three years to go from zero to starting Grade 8 on clarinet, while cello has been a very predictable grade per year, so tricky 😂At least you have the bonus of preparing for Grade 8 aural at the same time!

Welcome! It can take a lifetime to master being musical I think! I'm happy myself if I get a majority of the notes out! Have a look at the criteria for the exams, there's a lot of marks to be gained by being accurate and following dynamics etc. Obviously the aim is to develop musicality but that often comes gradually. Maybe get her to think what the piece is about. One of our piano teachers used to act things out etc to get them to think. Also listening to other performances, especially live. Good luck, exams are stressful for everyone concerned!

Hello everyone
I have a DD who is doing Gr 3 Piano and Gr 3 Trumpet exams in March (great planning....)

She's a very reluctant practiser, but musically fairly natural and rhythmically great.

I would like to help to increase her 'musicality' as sometimes she's a bit ploddy rather than light and artful iykwim - explaining that to a 10yo is difficult and she is also stubborn and doesn't like doing as she's told (totally my jam) so I can't pester her too much about it.
Any tips on getting younguns to 'get' musical performance rather than just whacking out the notes?

I have never seen this type of thread on here before, I expect you'll all be very useful as I'm tearing my hair out when she's older...
Thanks in advance.

At least if you are prepping for two grade 8s, the aural will be the same! I don't think there's any usual length of time. Middle one had been dipping into lots of potential grade 8 pieces for a few years alongside loads of other repertoire probably above and below so was definitely well above standard when the exam came round. Youngest can technically play a few grade 8 pieces but will probably wait until it's not feeling like a stretch. Sorry that's not helpful! Depends if grade 7 was comfortable or a stretch and how much they've developed in between. Some people literally just do 3 grade 7 pieces then launch right into next exam pieces.

DD's doing that for one of her g5 pieces. She can't get to the very low note at the end so they've changed it and she's singing one a bit higher. She's struggling with the g5 songs though. Loads she loves in list B but lists A and C seem a bit sparse of the better known songs.

She's now officially starting her g8 prep for piano and cello. All three pieces chosen for piano. List B piece for cello is nearly there and a Vivaldi book is arriving tomorrow for her list A piece. Decision still to be made on list C.

For those who have DCs who have already done g8 - how long does it usually take?

That's a good selection of songs from the SFMT3 book!

Yes Million Dreams goes very low, it's ok to change an odd note I find.

Gosh MuseScore was a bit of a steep learning curve, especially where there were multiple parts on one staff! But I managed to get the score typed in and then it transposed the whole thing for me. Thanks again for the recommendation @yodaforpresident

Thank you @yodaforpresident

Try musescore @StuntNun

Does anyone know of any software for transposing piano music? My DS can't quite reach the low notes on one of his grade 3 Singing For Musical Theatre pieces so I need to get it transposed. I could do it by hand but I'm guessing there's some kind of software where I could scan or type it in and then it would transpose it for me.

@BartokRules he's doing Oh What a Beautiful Morning, A Million Dreams, and Revolting Children for his accompanied songs and Good Morning for his unaccompanied song. It's A Million Dreams where the range is just beyond him. He's 12 and his voice is just starting to break so he'll probably be singing in a different register for his next exam!

@Yingbread depending on what type of music he wants to play, you could get another mouthpiece for a different style. I have a Jody Jazz Classic for my tenor with a removable metal baffle which gives a lot of flexibility.

Hi all. I mostly lurk as my kid is not really a kid anymore 😆

Yes, we wondered about swapping in a mouthpiece as we've done th at before.

@PhotoDad My DD has also looked at the choral singing at Oxbridge but is also considering the US, so further research required for us!

We have Grade 7s in clarinet and LAMDA acting this term which is keeping DD busy, along with the usual concerts and platforms - she is a boarder but I am there almost every week to see a performance which is lovely! Singing is moving along and building repertoire for her diploma and another Grade 7, in cello, next term.

@Yingbread what does your DS already play? I'd aim for an intermediate level Yamaha such as the one suggested upthread then ask to try two or three in the same price range for comparison. That was my plan but then ended up with a Buffet 400 after falling in love. In my experience it can be worth getting a decent mouthpiece upgrade, and perhaps ligature too rather than using the standard ones that come with the instrument. But that might be something to consider in the future as his playing develops. I'm a huge fan of the Rovner ligatures for saxophone and clarinet because they perform more like the oldstyle string ligature than a metal ligature.

Thanks, yes that's the model we are renting from the council at the moment. Haven't had anything to compare it with yet, of course.

@Yingbread the Yamaha Yas-280 is regarded as a good quality horn for the money. My DS plays it as a second woodwind instrument and is preparing for his grade 8 on it.

@PhotoDad - fingers crossed for the choral application. I may be picking your brains in a year or so! Dd definitely interested in applying to Cambridge and continuing her choral singing.

Congratulations @StuntNun, @QueenMabby and @herbaceous for excellent results!

And thank you for the new thread!

I love this thread, seeing all the helpful and supportive advice for such talented DC! DS (Year 13, keyboard and guitar) is continuing to perform at every possible opportunity at school. I teach there, and we run regular informal lunchtime concerts/gigs, so I often turn a corner and happen across him playing something (often accompanying his friends, or in an ad-hoc band).

His plan is still to complete both Grade 8s this year. Music isn't his only "thing" but he'd like that sense of completion. Separately, he's also applied for a Choral Scholarship to go along with his academic offer to Cambridge; the form contained an option to tick for "gap year" students so he didn't need advice in the end. He'll need to record an audition piece, and the Director of Music at the cathedral where he's been the most reliable male singer for the past 7 years is writing a reference. Fingers crossed for him!

No, but we have a specialist shop nearby.

@Yingbread are you anywhere near London? There is an amazing shop called Sax London near the Southbank, where you can try all kinds of saxophones