Grade 3
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Musical Knowledge
These questions test the candidate’s understanding of their chosen pieces, the context of their performance and their knowledge of their instrument and its technical demands, including best practice for rehearsal and performance. Five questions, each worth 2 marks, will normally be asked. Questions will include discussions on most of the areas mentioned below, but not all parameters will be relevant to all disciplines and pieces, and examiners will select questions as appropriate. Grade 3 As for previous grades, and additionally:
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Grade 3 (2020-23) pieces ~ tutor performances
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Marshmallow Cocoa - Fogel (SLOW)
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Marshmallow Cocoa - Fogel (FAST)
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Grade 3 technical work
Previous Grade 3 pieces (2016-19) tutor performances
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Station to Station - Lee Sollory (group B, slow)
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Station to Station - Lee Sollory (group B)
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Station to Station (audio)
Station to Station - interesting information
Key: A major (relative minor - F# minor) A major has 3 sharps - F#, C# and G# in the key signature and the piece is composed with notes of the A major scale. It also has some added ‘blue’ notes - G natural and C natural.
Time Signature: 4/4 time. (4 crotchet beats per bar)
Style: Blues piece. Form: 12 Bar Blues (2 choruses)
Features: 1) Swing quaver rhythm 2) Chord riff 3) Half barré chords 4) Harmonics 5) rolled chords (also called arpeggiated chords)
6) medium tempo 7) poco rit.- slow down a little
Key: A major (relative minor - F# minor) A major has 3 sharps - F#, C# and G# in the key signature and the piece is composed with notes of the A major scale. It also has some added ‘blue’ notes - G natural and C natural.
Time Signature: 4/4 time. (4 crotchet beats per bar)
Style: Blues piece. Form: 12 Bar Blues (2 choruses)
Features: 1) Swing quaver rhythm 2) Chord riff 3) Half barré chords 4) Harmonics 5) rolled chords (also called arpeggiated chords)
6) medium tempo 7) poco rit.- slow down a little
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Surf Rider - Gary Ryan (group B, slow)
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Surf Rider - Gary Ryan (group B)
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Surf Rider - interesting information
Key: B minor (relative major - D major) B minor has 2 sharps F# and C#and the piece is composed with notes from the B minor scale. It also has some chromatic passing notes.
Time Signature: 4/4 time. (4 crotchet beats per bar)
Style: Modern funky piece. Form: 32 Bars. 4 sections
Features: 1) Syncopated rhythms 2) single line and 2 part sections 3) ascending slurs 4) chords
5) rolled chords (also called arpeggiated chords) 6) fast, driving rhythm
Key: B minor (relative major - D major) B minor has 2 sharps F# and C#and the piece is composed with notes from the B minor scale. It also has some chromatic passing notes.
Time Signature: 4/4 time. (4 crotchet beats per bar)
Style: Modern funky piece. Form: 32 Bars. 4 sections
Features: 1) Syncopated rhythms 2) single line and 2 part sections 3) ascending slurs 4) chords
5) rolled chords (also called arpeggiated chords) 6) fast, driving rhythm
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Allegretto - Matteo Carcassi (group A, slow)
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Allegretto - Matteo Carcassi (group A)
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Allegretto - interesting information
Key: C major (relative minor - A minor) There is no key signature in C major and the piece is composed with notes from the C major scale.
Time Signature: 2/4 time. (2 crotchet beats per bar)
Style: Late Classical/early Romantic Form: Ternary form (ABA) 24 Bars. 3 sections where A and C sections are the same. B section is a contrasting section.
Features: 1) arpeggiated chords and scales 2) 2 parts - bass and treble (thumb ad fingers) 3) poco rit.- slow down a little
4) ‘Allegretto’ - moderately quick tempo
Key: C major (relative minor - A minor) There is no key signature in C major and the piece is composed with notes from the C major scale.
Time Signature: 2/4 time. (2 crotchet beats per bar)
Style: Late Classical/early Romantic Form: Ternary form (ABA) 24 Bars. 3 sections where A and C sections are the same. B section is a contrasting section.
Features: 1) arpeggiated chords and scales 2) 2 parts - bass and treble (thumb ad fingers) 3) poco rit.- slow down a little
4) ‘Allegretto’ - moderately quick tempo
Grade 3 musical knowledge continued . . .
INTERVALS
minor 2nd - one semitone ie. B to C, E to F, C to C sharp etc
major 2nd - two semitones ie. B to C#, E to F#, C to D etc
minor 3rd - three semitones ie. B to D, E to G, C to D# etc
major 3rd - four semitones ie. B to D#, E to G#, C to E etc
perfect 4th - five semitones ie. B to E, E to A, C to F etc
augmented 4th (or diminished 5th) - six semitones B to F, E to A#, C to F#
perfect 5th - seven semitones ie. B to F#, E to B, C to G etc
minor 6th - eight semitones ie. B to G, E to C, C to G# etc
major 6th - nine semitones ie. B to G#, E to C#, C to A etc
minor 7th - ten semitones ie. B to A, E to D, C to A# etc
major 7th - eleven semitones ie. B to Asharp, E to D#, C to B etc
Identify scale and arpeggio patterns in the pieces.
Question: “What pattern of notes do you see here?”
Answer: ‘scale’ or ‘arpeggio’ depending on which it is.
Reasons and method for the instrumental warm up:
Question: How do you warm up for a piece like this?
Answer: By playing a selection of scales and arpeggios in related keys
Sounding pitch of guitar
The guitar is a transposing instrument which sounds an octave lower than written. (Often, in guitar music, the treble clef has a small “8” attached to the lower loop to show this).
minor 2nd - one semitone ie. B to C, E to F, C to C sharp etc
major 2nd - two semitones ie. B to C#, E to F#, C to D etc
minor 3rd - three semitones ie. B to D, E to G, C to D# etc
major 3rd - four semitones ie. B to D#, E to G#, C to E etc
perfect 4th - five semitones ie. B to E, E to A, C to F etc
augmented 4th (or diminished 5th) - six semitones B to F, E to A#, C to F#
perfect 5th - seven semitones ie. B to F#, E to B, C to G etc
minor 6th - eight semitones ie. B to G, E to C, C to G# etc
major 6th - nine semitones ie. B to G#, E to C#, C to A etc
minor 7th - ten semitones ie. B to A, E to D, C to A# etc
major 7th - eleven semitones ie. B to Asharp, E to D#, C to B etc
Identify scale and arpeggio patterns in the pieces.
Question: “What pattern of notes do you see here?”
Answer: ‘scale’ or ‘arpeggio’ depending on which it is.
Reasons and method for the instrumental warm up:
- To establish good coordination between the left and right hands, i.e. the synchronisation of the pressing of the string and the plucking of the note.
- To warm up muscles and loosen up fingers.
- To focus on relaxation of whole body and establish good playing posture
- To focus on the techniques used in the pieces one is working on…i.e. arpeggios or scales or chords or slurs
Question: How do you warm up for a piece like this?
Answer: By playing a selection of scales and arpeggios in related keys
Sounding pitch of guitar
The guitar is a transposing instrument which sounds an octave lower than written. (Often, in guitar music, the treble clef has a small “8” attached to the lower loop to show this).