Music in Secondary School

TeddyTedson

We never had a music class in our school but many people played instruments and some did it as an extra class outside of school.
What is it exactly. Is it difficult? Also if people are playing different instrument does the teacher have to be able to play them all too?
Is there a lot of theory? I'm guessing there has to be to justify it as a leaving cert subject. Otherwise lots of people who play guitar ect would be able to get an easy 100 points, right?
Can people who studied it give me an idea music as a subject?

strobe

TeddyTedson wrote: »

We never had a music class in our school but many people played instruments and some did it as an extra class outside of school.
What is it exactly. Is it difficult? Also if people are playing different instrument does the teacher have to be able to play them all too?
Is there a lot of theory? I'm guessing there has to be to justify it as a leaving cert subject. Otherwise lots of people who play guitar ect would be able to get an easy 100 points, right?
Can people who studied it give me an idea music as a subject?

It's mainly theory. It's about as difficult/easy as learning a foreign language fluently.....actually a better analogy is a science subject in terms of difficulty. I found chemistry to be about the same as music in terms of the amount you have to learn and the difficulty in grasping it. No, the teacher doesn't have to be able to play all the instruments. The practical portion of the exam (playing your instrument) counts for (I think) 25% of your total marks. The rest is written theory stuff.

Here are a couple of basic beginners music theory lessons, to give you an idea of the sort of stuff.
http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/lessons/for_beginners/modes_harmonization_and_basic_modal_theory.html

http://www.theorylessons.com/modes002keycon.php

Aoifey!

There's a hell of a lot a theory!

Rabies

Moved

TeddyTedson

strobe wrote: »

It's mainly theory. It's about as difficult/easy as learning a foreign language fluently.....actually a better analogy is a science subject in terms of difficulty. I found chemistry to be about the same as music in terms of the amount you have to learn and the difficulty in grasping it. No, the teacher doesn't have to be able to play all the instruments. The practical portion of the exam (playing your instrument) counts for (I think) 25% of your total marks. The rest is written theory stuff.

Thanks, so it's not easy then. Do you bring you instrument in to the class some days during the week or do you just do it on your own at home?
How good would a guitarists for example need to be to get full marks on the practical?

strobe

TeddyTedson wrote: »

Thanks, so it's not easy then. Do you bring you instrument in to the class some days during the week or do you just do it on your own at home?
How good would a guitarists for example need to be to get full marks on the practical?

It's not easy, but it's not hard either. Like any subject it depends on how much interest you have in it. If you are interested you won't find it difficult because you will enjoy it.

I'm not sure about how they grade the practical. Three people in my class got A1's in honours music. One played the trumpet and played pretty easy beginners songs but must have played them flawlessly. So if you play guitar you don't have to be Joe Satriani to get good marks or anything. You just have to be competent. I think a lot of it depends on who the grader is for the practical.

Whether you bring your instrument or not will depend on your teacher. But most of the work in regards to your instrument you are expected to do at home as it isn't really something a teacher could realistically teach completely in class, considering they might have 25 students, all playing different things, and only three hours a week to give to them. For example my music teacher was an incredible pianist and so was able to give a huge amount of help to the pianists in the class but couldn't play the drums worth a fukk so the drummers basically had to do all their practical work themselves.

TeddyTedson

strobe wrote: »

It's not easy, but it's not hard either. Like any subject it depends on how much interest you have in it. If you are interested you won't find it difficult because you will enjoy it.

I'm not sure about how they grade the practical. Three people in my class got A1's in honours music. One played the trumpet and played pretty easy beginners songs but must have played them flawlessly. So if you play guitar you don't have to be Joe Satriani to get good marks or anything. You just have to be competent. I think a lot of it depends on who the grader is for the practical.

Whether you bring your instrument or not will depend on your teacher. But most of the work in regards to your instrument you are expected to do at home as it isn't really something a teacher could realistically teach completely in class, considering they might have 25 students, all playing different things, and only three hours a week to give to them. For example my music teacher was an incredible pianist and so was able to give a huge amount of help to the pianists in the class but couldn't play the drums worth a fukk so the drummers basically had to do all their practical work themselves.

Thanks again.
I'd have loved to have studied this when I was in school. Do you have to sing. I remember doing the piano grades you have to sing a few octaves.
How does someone become a teacher of music? Would they of have to studied music in college I wonder.

bradlente

Interested in this meself,I was in a school not unlike Tedson's.

http://www.musictheory.net/

I've been flicking through this a little but I might start taking some notes and memorising stuff off it,It looks a half decent site.

TeddyTedson

bradlente wrote: »

Interested in this meself,I was in a school not unlike Tedson's.

http://www.musictheory.net/

I've been flicking through this a little but I might start taking some notes and memorising stuff off it,It looks a half decent site.

I'm interested in studying it. But the only jobs I can imagine getting from it would be in schools.
People would probably tell me I'd be wasting my time doing an "artsy" course and everything, but I'd love it:o

strobe

TeddyTedson wrote: »

Thanks again.
I'd have loved to have studied this when I was in school. Do you have to sing. I remember doing the piano grades you have to sing a few octaves.
How does someone become a teacher of music? Would they of have to studied music in college I wonder.

You only have to sing if you choose to, if that is (one of) your instrument(s) for the practical. Not sure how you become a music teacher.....I think you have to train as one and get a degree in teaching the same as if you wanted to be an Irish teacher or a geography teacher.

There is nothing stopping you from learning it now if you want to man. All the stuff is there on the net, just google 'music theory lessons' or something similar. Or even find out what the current leaving cert music text book is and pick up a copy or something like the highly recommended 'Edly's Music Theory for Practical People' http://www.edly.com/mtfpp.html and just learn it yourself.

TeddyTedson

strobe wrote: »

You only have to sing if you choose to, if that is (one of) your instrument(s) for the practical. Not sure how you become a music teacher.....I think you have to train as one and get a degree in teaching the same as if you wanted to be an Irish teacher or a geography teacher.

There is nothing stopping you from learning it now if you want to man. All the stuff is there on the net, just google 'music theory lessons' or something similar. Or even find out what the current leaving cert music text book is and pick up a copy or something like 'Edly's Music Theory for Practical People' http://www.edly.com/mtfpp.html and just learn it yourself.

Thanks. I think I will:):D

strobe

TeddyTedson wrote: »

Thanks. I think I will:):D

Coolio... Check out the Playing, Techniques and Theory section of boards as well if you have any questions about stuff, need any help with certain parts. Helpful people over there.

JajaD

People who have done piano theory will piss through it like i did cos if your up to grade 3 or 4 on piano thats the same level as leaving cert. You study how to read music, and the theory of music and you study 2 classical pieces of music in depth. If you are good at music its generally easy. If you play an instrument you did need to be good at it to get a good grade cos pretty much everyone plays something that does music so if you want an A you need to be really accomplished. Its really fun. I wish i done a music degree to teach it. One of my only regrets in life

Skyb

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I did the Leaving Cert in 2009 and I've always thought music was an incredibly easy subject compared to others. An earlier poster likened it to Chemistry but I'd have to really disagree. And this is coming from someone doing science in college now. Nearly everyone in my music class got a B1 or higher. The majority, including myself, got an A2, and around three people got A1's out of a class of around 25. Nobody failed. A lot of the people in my class sang for their practical. I played drums, think it was where I got a big chunk of my marks, and I had only done grade 1. I had an amazing teacher, but the course is totally doable, particularly if you already play something or even have a strong interest in music.

Gotta say though, the question on Irish music where you have to have learned off information about Irish music history annoyed me. The work it requires wasn't worth the points you get for it and I really don't see the point of needing to know the information.