Advanced Rudiments. Condensed Review for Examination & Common Errors

Transcription

1 Advanced Rudiments Condensed Review for Examination & Common Errors QUESTION 1 - TRIADS (10 marks total) This question can be asked in one of two ways. a) You may be asked to analyze the triad - naming the root, type, and position. b) You may be asked to draw the triads, from any key. You may be asked to do this with, or without a key signature. Be careful when drawing triads, that you draw them in the correct inversion. No partial marks are given if you draw in the incorrect inversion. You have lots of scrap paper, use it to be accurate with your work. Remember to raise the Leading Note (the 7th degree) in all minor keys. You will need to do this in minor triads on the Mediant, Dominant and Leading Notes. Major Keys Minor Keys Major Triads I, IV, V V, VI Minor Triads ii, iii, vi i, iv Diminished Triads vii ii, vii Augmented Triads none III OSMPA

2 QUESTION 2 - INTERVALS & INVERSIONS (10 marks total) When inverting intervals, remember that major intervals become minor & diminished intervals become augmented. As well simple intervals add up to 9. However, take caution when using this short cut! Double check that your inverted interval is in fact correct! No partial marks are given here, and without extra care you may end up with two wrong intervals =(! Remember when naming COMPOUND INTERVALS that this will be greater than an octave (greater than 8). To help you solve the compound interval, you may bring one of the notes down an octave. However be sure that you do not accidentally call the COMPOUND INTERVAL by its simplified version. It is still a compound interval. Sometimes you are asked to analyze intervals, that may or many not have a key signature. Just be aware that a key signature may be there, and to include this into your analysis! Careful also, that sometimes when you invert the intervals, you may need to invert into a different clef. For example, the original interval is in treble clef, and you need to invert into the alto clef. *A common error is also the aug 1 interval. Be sure that you remember you use a natural sign for the second note of an augmented interval. Review the aug 1 interval. OSMPA

3 QUESTION 3 - DOMINANT SEVENTH CHORDS (10 marks total) Similar to triads, dominant seventh chords will be asked in two ways. a) The first way you may be asked to draw the dominant seventh chord, in all the different inversions. b) Secondly you may be asked to analyze given dominant seventh chords. When dominant seventh chords are written with a key signature there is only one possible answer, either major or minor. The clue to the minor key is the raised seventh scale degree, which you will see in the chord. However, when you analyze dominant sevenths without a key signature (accidentals only) there are always two keys to which it belongs. Remember that the dominant seventh is built on the dominant note of scale. If the dominant is D, then the tonic is G and the two key names are G major and g minor. QUESTION 4 - SCALES (10 marks total) The most common error for scales, is actually not reading the question correctly in the first place. Read each question carefully! For example, a question may ask for a flat minor scale, and a student may write only a minor scale (forgetting about the flats!). There are absolutely no partial marks for scales, so ensure you read this correctly. As well, be sure you place the sharps and flats correctly on the staff. Know exactly where the sharps and flats are in the tenor and alto clefs. If these are placed incorrectly, your entire scale will be marked incorrect. Be accurate! OSMPA

4 QUESTION 5 - TRANSPOSITION (10 marks total) Transposition can be in major or minor keys, and you may be asked to transpose up or transpose down. *Remember if the original key is major, it can only be transposed to another major key! If the original key is minor, you can only transpose to another minor key. You may be asked to transpose a MAJOR KEY up a minor second, but remember the key you transpose to must be MAJOR. Other Important Details: Be sure to check your stem direction on all notes. If you need more than one line to write your answer, for example you need two lines of music, be sure to write the clef and key signature AGAIN at the beginning of the second line. (The time signature, remember, is only stated ONCE at the beginning of your music). Careful about your placement of dots beside the notes. Notes written in spaces will have dots beside them, notes written on the lines will have dots in the space above the note. Slurs and ties should be written at the note head (not the stems)! OSMPA

5 QUESTION 6 - OPEN SCORE (10 marks total) Most marks lost in this question, are small minor details that start to add up in the end. It is so important that you pay very close attention to detail in this question. Bring a ruler, and be very neat. The following are key points to remember: I. A brace/bracket must be placed at the beginning of the score II. Each voice must have its own fermata III. Stem direction must be correct IV. Short barlines are used in modern vocal score to leave room for the addition of text. V. Alignment of the parts is crucial - use a ruler! All points above are important, but most important is that your beats line up between the parts! Think of it like a choir, if the beats were all over the place, it would be an absolute disaster! QUESTION 7 - CADENCES (10 marks total) It is crucial to remember in cadences, that you must raise the leading note in minor keys (on the dominant chord.) When writing cadences, keep the common note between the cadences the same and move the smallest distances possible with the remainder notes. Avoid parallel fifths and octaves, as well as overlapping between chords and voices. If you are writing a cadence at the end of the line, you may need to add additional rests, to complete the measure. A common error is writing cadences, is writing chord notes ABOVE the given melody instead of BELOW as requested. Be sure to name your cadence in full. For example, when you label a cadence V-I you must also write perfect. OSMPA

6 QUESTION 8 - MUSICAL TERMS (10 marks total) This question will have one of two formats. 1) You will need to explain the musical terms and signs in English, definition based. 2) A matching question between the terms and various musical terms in French, German etc. Be able to look at your list of terms and write a definition in English. Re-write, rewrite, re-write these terms until you can do this with no errors. QUESTION 9 - RESTS (10 marks total) Not only do rests have to add up mathematically in a bar, you must take into account the different groupings and rules of time signatures. Review all your notes on the emphasis and rules for Strong - Weak and Medium beats, be sure you fully understand these concepts. You cannot memorize this type of question, a strong understanding is absolutely crucial, as each question is different. OSMPA

7 QUESTION 10 - ANALYSIS (10 marks total) The whole idea behind this question is make theory relevant to your actual music that you study. These questions are fun, and you are almost a detective in answering the questions. In this question you may have to add things to the music or analyze what is already there. - If you are asked to draw the time signature into the piece of music, remember that the time signature must be drawn in BOTH the treble and bass clef. A common error is students only add it into the treble clef only. - As well, when asked to identify an interval in the middle of the piece, make sure you consider the KEY SIGNATURE - You may be asked How many measures are in this piece? Careful that you do not count an upbeat at the beginning of the piece, as a measure. As well, if there is a repeat a more precise answer would be, for example: 8 bars (16 with repeat) OSMPA