Harmony in Music - Calling all Leaving certs

ChemHickey

Hi guys,

I've my grade 8 theory exam tomorrow and I'm screwed! :L

I know some chord progressions but, if anyone has any others they'd like to share I'd be grateful!! :L

Questions on the paper include writing a bass line indicating all chords to a melody
writing a descant indicating all chords to a melody
writing for an SATB choir indicating all chords to a melody

Also, there's the regular melody (I'll be grnd for that! :L )

^^ all that is worth 60% so it's important enough! :L

PictureFrame

ChemHickey wrote: »

Hi guys,

I've my grade 8 theory exam tomorrow and I'm screwed! :L

I know some chord progressions but, if anyone has any others they'd like to share I'd be grateful!! :L

Questions on the paper include writing a bass line indicating all chords to a melody
writing a descant indicating all chords to a melody
writing for an SATB choir indicating all chords to a melody

Also, there's the regular melody (I'll be grnd for that! :L )

^^ all that is worth 60% so it's important enough! :L

What are you talking about? :P

ChemHickey

things like
IV - ii -V - V7 -I etc...

Any particularly handy ones?

JonnyMcNamee

Here's some good, strong Major progressions my Music teacher gave me!

• I - vi - IV - ii - (V)
• I - IV: ii - V: (iii - vi)
• (I - iii - IV - V)
• Step progressions: (I - ii - iii - IV - V)
• Falling bass: I - Vb - vi (or IVb) - Ic - IV - Ib - ii - (V)

But just remember that ii can never go to I and V or V7 can never go to ii!
Hope this helps, they're are brilliant for me when I'm doing composition questions anyway!
Don't forget to look for places to insert cadence points, but don't force them!

ChemHickey

JonnyMcNamee wrote: »

Here's some good, strong Major progressions my Music teacher gave me!

• I - vi - IV - ii - (V)
• I - IV: ii - V: (iii - vi)
• (I - iii - IV - V)
• Step progressions: (I - ii - iii - IV - V)
• Falling bass: I - Vb - vi (or IVb) - Ic - IV - Ib - ii - (V)

But just remember that ii can never go to I and V or V7 can never go to ii!
Hope this helps, they're are brilliant for me when I'm doing composition questions anyway!
Don't forget to look for places to insert points, but don't force them!

Cool, that's great thanks! I'll definetly try and get them in somewhere! :L There are just soo many inversions!! :L I love IVb - V though! :L I think its because it has a cool name :L Phrygian i thinkk ...:L

Have you sat the paper? Any tips? :L

JonnyMcNamee

ChemHickey wrote: »

Cool, that's great thanks! I'll definetly try and get them in somewhere! :L There are just soo many inversions!! :L I love IVb - V though! :L I think its because it has a cool name :L Phrygian i thinkk ...:L

Have you sat the paper? Any tips? :L

Yeah but they're pretty handy to get you out of sticky situations like consecutive chords and stuff Is the Phrygian not a mode? Maybe you're right, I'm fairly iffy when it comes to the theory
Nope, have never sat a music theory exam in my life.. LC will be the first time :pac: Most of the stuff I know is self taught!

plumpote

ChemHickey,

I can't imagine that you, of all people, are screwed.

Just do whatever sounds right (in your head, that is!). And take your time-you'll have plenty of it. Do what you've been taught and you'll be fine.

Good luck!

PictureFrame

Guys, with regards the Music (Composing) paper, how hard is it to get a high A2/A1? I literally have not been able to grasp Composing over the last 2 years, but lately i've just had an epiphany or something and got the following grades in Q.1's and Q.5's:

Q.1

• 2011- B1
• 2010- A1
• 2009- B2
• 2008- A1

Q.5

• 2011- A1
• 2010- A1
• 2008- B1
• 2004- A1

I've a couple of more years to do for each question, but do you think if I did all the Q.1's/Q.5's over the last 8 years I think there is in the papers, I could get a good A grade in the Composing Paper?

JonnyMcNamee

PictureFrame wrote: »

Guys, with regards the Music (Composing) paper, how hard is it to get a high A2/A1? I literally have not been able to grasp Composing over the last 2 years, but lately i've just had an epiphany or something and got the following grades in Q.1's and Q.5's:

Q.1

• 2011- B1
• 2010- A1
• 2009- B2
• 2008- A1

Q.5

• 2011- A1
• 2010- A1
• 2008- B1
• 2004- A1

I've a couple of more years to do for each question, but do you think if I did all the Q.1's/Q.5's over the last 8 years I think there is in the papers, I could get a good A grade in the Composing Paper?

I reckon it's very achievable.. well I hope it is because I've been doing the exact same thing as you and I'm hoping for the same grade! :pac:

ChemHickey

plumpote wrote: »

ChemHickey,

I can't imagine that you, of all people, are screwed.

Just do whatever sounds right (in your head, that is!). And take your time-you'll have plenty of it. Do what you've been taught and you'll be fine.

Good luck!

Thanks for the support. There's just way too much harmony!

ChemHickey

JonnyMcNamee wrote: »

PictureFrame wrote: »

Guys, with regards the Music (Composing) paper, how hard is it to get a high A2/A1? I literally have not been able to grasp Composing over the last 2 years, but lately i've just had an epiphany or something and got the following grades in Q.1's and Q.5's:

Q.1

• 2011- B1
• 2010- A1
• 2009- B2
• 2008- A1

Q.5

• 2011- A1
• 2010- A1
• 2008- B1
• 2004- A1

I've a couple of more years to do for each question, but do you think if I did all the Q.1's/Q.5's over the last 8 years I think there is in the papers, I could get a good A grade in the Composing Paper?

I reckon it's very achievable.. well I hope it is because I've been doing the exact same thing as you and I'm hoping for the same grade! :pac:

You'll be well able to achieve it! I'm just hoping we get a minor melody this year!

ahh my teacher refused to teach me question 5! I'm raging! apparently its the best answered question out of the whole paper every year! stuck with q 4!

and I think it is a phygrian cadence. ivb - V it's only in minor keys though i think! and i think you're right that it's a mode as well...

PictureFrame

ChemHickey wrote: »

You'll be well able to achieve it! I'm just hoping we get a minor melody this year!

ahh my teacher refused to teach me question 5! I'm raging! apparently its the best answered question out of the whole paper every year! stuck with q 4!

and I think it is a phygrian cadence. ivb - V it's only in minor keys though i think! and i think you're right that it's a mode as well...

I agree, a Minor melody would be feckin' AMAZING! They had a 6/8 anacrusis last year, so they might throw on the other 'hard' type of melody (basically one that's not a 4/4 major or whatever) so this year could be the year of the Minor! One melody i'm nearly positive i'd get an A1 in!

ChemHickey

Hey guys, just to update you, it went quite well! I was delighted with the score analysis and history section but one part of the melody writing was annoying! it was hard to try and hear the first bars in my head (it was in 3/4 with anacrusis) and for the SATB writing... lets just say i think i used some strange chords... iii+c (an augmented 3rd in second inversion =S )