Music .

Areq

I have never done this subject in school , im just curious .. would it be possible to do music in one year and get A1 or B1 ? is it really hard?
I have some basics on guitar .. no theory at all .. :P:pac:

Cormac2791

Areq wrote: »

I have never done this subject in school , im just curious .. would it be possible to do music in one year and get A1 or B1 ? is it really hard?
I have some basics on guitar .. no theory at all .. :P:pac:

tbh, if you're going into 6th year and plan to do music with only a basic guitar ability, I'd say no. It's worth 50% after all, unless you feel you can improve over the summer!

eg, I wouldn't think a 3 chord song would impress the examiner whereas something like stairway to heaven, maybe a classical piece, trad piece etc would!!

just my opinions though!!

DGRulz

cormacharraghy wrote: »

tbh, if you're going into 6th year and plan to do music with only a basic guitar ability, I'd say no. It's worth 50% after all, unless you feel you can improve over the summer!

eg, I wouldn't think a 3 chord song would impress the examiner whereas something like stairway to heaven, maybe a classical piece, trad piece etc would!!

just my opinions though!!

You'd honestly be surprised. It's look of the draw w/ the examiner. My teachers had students over the years going in a and strumming chords and getting 40% of the total

Cormac2791

DGRulz wrote: »

You'd honestly be surprised. It's look of the draw w/ the examiner. My teachers had students over the years going in a and strumming chords and getting 40% of the total

you sure thats not just strumming instead of the sightreading or clapping?

fauxshow

People have an impression of music being a ''doss'' subject... you're talking about getting an A1? I'm a grade 8 pianist with twelve years of practical and theory training, and I don't think I'm going to get an A1. Every subject for the Leaving Cert is hard if you want to do well! I do know you're supposed to be around a Grade 5ish level for your music practical and you have to prepare 6 pieces or 4 with music technology or 4 each on two instruments and be able to perform them well.

As for the other 50%, 25% is for a listening paper that you have to study four set works for... one of my Mozart scores is about a half hour long! If you'd never done it before you'd definitely struggle to read a score, but I know somebody who started like you and with extra help from her teacher has managed to catch up, she did have 5th and 6th year though. The final 25%: You have to write a melody in a certain format and modulate to a different key alongside some other tasks, and write a harmony and backing chords to a given melody using specific chords etc. It's quite technical, almost like maths and if you've never done theory before, it'd be doable with lots of practise but very hard.

The most important question is, can you read and write music, or have you just learnt guitar with tabs? If you can read and write music you could manage it, it is a very interesting subject if you like music... but do your research! Listen to the set works for the 2011 syllabus, do your research on the course, talk to some music teachers and see if you can take it up in school or enroll in a class (I do it in a music college outside or school... if you live in Dublin DIT and RIAM do one-year courses) or see if you can get a one-on-one tutor or something (you won't be able to teach yourself) and definitely get yourself a guitar teacher ASAP to start preparing for the practical! It is doable, but don't think it'll be a walk in the park to a B1 or an A1. Good luck!

DGRulz

cormacharraghy wrote: »

you sure thats not just strumming instead of the sightreading or clapping?

Im definate because she said 4 songs

fauxshow wrote: »

People have an impression of music being a ''doss'' subject... you're talking about getting an A1? I'm a grade 8 pianist with twelve years of practical and theory training, and I don't think I'm going to get an A1. Every subject for the Leaving Cert is hard if you want to do well! I do know you're supposed to be around a Grade 5ish level for your music practical and you have to prepare 6 pieces or 4 with music technology or 4 each on two instruments and be able to perform them well.

As for the other 50%, 25% is for a listening paper that you have to study four set works for... one of my Mozart scores is about a half hour long! If you'd never done it before you'd definitely struggle to read a score, but I know somebody who started like you and with extra help from her teacher has managed to catch up, she did have 5th and 6th year though. The final 25%: You have to write a melody in a certain format and modulate to a different key alongside some other tasks, and write a harmony and backing chords to a given melody using specific chords etc. It's quite technical, almost like maths and if you've never done theory before, it'd be doable with lots of practise but very hard.

The most important question is, can you read and write music, or have you just learnt guitar with tabs? If you can read and write music you could manage it, it is a very interesting subject if you like music... but do your research! Listen to the set works for the 2011 syllabus, do your research on the course, talk to some music teachers and see if you can take it up in school or enroll in a class (I do it in a music college outside or school... if you live in Dublin DIT and RIAM do one-year courses) or see if you can get a one-on-one tutor or something (you won't be able to teach yourself) and definitely get yourself a guitar teacher ASAP to start preparing for the practical! It is doable, but don't think it'll be a walk in the park to a B1 or an A1. Good luck!

You make the subject sound impossibly hard. Fact of the matter is, it comes down to how good your teahcer, your passion for the subject and your natural ability for it. My entire class barr 2-3 took it up in 5th and are going to get at least Cs. I took it up just before christmas of 5th year and I'm in the top two of the class. Sure it not a walk in the park, but if you really want it and have the ability it can be a jog :P

ldxo15wus6fpgm

I've only been doing theory since this september, sitting the exam on wednesday. Have 3 and a bit years of guitar under my belt (absolutely no theory), practical went fine but I don't know how my marks will turn out because I played mainly metal and was pretty nervous (shaky hands).
I'm not exactly set for the theory but I'll defo pass it. I hope. :pac: