Perfect intervals can only be with fourths and fifths!
It's a little more difficult to explain the other three - so I can give famous examples of intervals used!

Augmented (most likely to be augmented fourth) - 'Maria' from West Side Story - "Ma-ri-a, I've just met a girl called Maria"
OR 'Simpson's Theme Tune' - "The Simpsons"

Diminished and augmented chords are difficult as they can often be the same thing; an augmented fourth is also a diminished fifths e.g C to F#)

Minor - typically sound 'sad', although can be a little difficult to tell with intervals:
Minor third - 'Greensleeves' (trad)
Minor sixth - 'The Entertainer' - Scott Joplin (after the introduction)
Minor seventh (also augmented sixth) - 'Somewhere' from West Side Story (again!) - "There's a place for us..."

Hope this helps, and good luck for the exam!! :smile:

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 6

RazzzBerries

Chat Forum Helper

21

I usually compare to a normal interval. Say we take C-G, which is a normal fifth. That's 7 semitones (without the C itself). Augmented will be anything above 7, and diminished intervals are anything under.

Drawing out a rough sketch of the keys on the little scrap paper they give helps. The counting may take a little time, but it'll be worth it.

If all fails, you have the rest of the paper which should be fine. I'd say spend the most time ones that carry the more marks and are more difficult (for me, it's the 'compose 8 bars' one :/ ).

You'll be absolutely fine, I believe in youuuu! Good luck! :hugs:

Reply 7

not_thriving

OP

11

thank you so much this is really appreciated! Thankfully from 2017 on the music theory papers don't contain composition, but I am pretty good on transition and cadences :smile:

Original post by RazzzBerries

I usually compare to a normal interval. Say we take C-G, which is a normal fifth. That's 7 semitones (without the C itself). Augmented will be anything above 7, and diminished intervals are anything under.

Drawing out a rough sketch of the keys on the little scrap paper they give helps. The counting may take a little time, but it'll be worth it.

If all fails, you have the rest of the paper which should be fine. I'd say spend the most time ones that carry the more marks and are more difficult (for me, it's the 'compose 8 bars' one :/ ).

You'll be absolutely fine, I believe in youuuu! Good luck! :hugs:

Reply 8

not_thriving

OP

11

Thats a really good way to look at it thank you so much!!

Original post by carol.leader

Perfect intervals can only be with fourths and fifths!
It's a little more difficult to explain the other three - so I can give famous examples of intervals used!

Augmented (most likely to be augmented fourth) - 'Maria' from West Side Story - "Ma-ri-a, I've just met a girl called Maria"
OR 'Simpson's Theme Tune' - "The Simpsons"

Diminished and augmented chords are difficult as they can often be the same thing; an augmented fourth is also a diminished fifths e.g C to F#)

Minor - typically sound 'sad', although can be a little difficult to tell with intervals:
Minor third - 'Greensleeves' (trad)
Minor sixth - 'The Entertainer' - Scott Joplin (after the introduction)
Minor seventh (also augmented sixth) - 'Somewhere' from West Side Story (again!) - "There's a place for us..."

Hope this helps, and good luck for the exam!! :smile:

Original post by not_thriving

thank you so much this is really appreciated! Thankfully from 2017 on the music theory papers don't contain composition, but I am pretty good on transition and cadences :smile:

No problem! :h:

Really?! I did the Grade 5 paper before the change so I don't know how it works, but I've heard rumours that there's more multiple choice haha.
I've been stuck on Grade 5 for ages, got my practical on Thursday. Can't wait to get rid of this grade.

Reply 10

not_thriving

OP

11

OMG good luck! what do you play?

Original post by RazzzBerries

No problem! :h:

Really?! I did the Grade 5 paper before the change so I don't know how it works, but I've heard rumours that there's more multiple choice haha.
I've been stuck on Grade 5 for ages, got my practical on Thursday. Can't wait to get rid of this grade.

Original post by not_thriving

OMG good luck! what do you play?

Piano. I didn't have a teacher for a year so I've been stuck on Grade 5 for two years. I'm doing it on the old syllabus though, so :tongue:

.
Thank you!

Reply 12

ThunderBeard

18

Original post by RazzzBerries

Piano. I didn't have a teacher for a year so I've been stuck on Grade 5 for two years. I'm doing it on the old syllabus though, so :tongue:

.
Thank you!

Pieces? FYI it’s the french one

Reply 13

not_thriving

OP

11

ahhh I play piano too and I'm going to start grade 6 soon. dw you will pass I screwed up my scales awfully so bad trust me, but my pieces were decent so it was fine

Original post by RazzzBerries

Piano. I didn't have a teacher for a year so I've been stuck on Grade 5 for two years. I'm doing it on the old syllabus though, so :tongue:

.
Thank you!

Original post by not_thriving

ahhh I play piano too and I'm going to start grade 6 soon. dw you will pass I screwed up my scales awfully so bad trust me, but my pieces were decent so it was fine

Cool! We'll struggle together haha!
I'm pretty sure I'll do the same. My sight reading and chromatic scales are disgusting but I'm just praying I'll get easy ones. At this point, I just want a bloomin pass. :lol: