Music Question Thread

[jamonwindeyer]

Hi, I have my Viva in my trials on tuesday and was wondering if someone would quickly look at my summary sheet and let me know anything you think or anything to be careful of? Which questions first pop into mind so that I know what they may ask?
Ive been marked on it twice before with my school teacher but Now I will obviously have a different marker so I was wondering what a different perspective would think?

Thank you!!

Hey! I've had a look, a few comments:

First, I'd ditch the conclusion at the end. Remember this sheet is to guide your markers, not as a way for you to remember parts of your Viva. They'll know to ask you to conclude or to lead you to finish things up, you don't need to indicate that to them or to tell them your conclusion in the summary.

I'd give a little less detail on the concepts within the sheet. Again, this is to guide your markers, you aren't giving them absolutely everything on the sheet! Your sheet sort of says exactly what you would say to the marker. Instead, give less detail! Instead of listing everything you want to discuss about unity, just write unity. This will guide your markers to ask, "Well how would you say a sense of unity is achieved in this piece then?" Or similar, and they then actually listen to your answer rather than reading it on the sheet

When will you be playing excerpts? At the start of each concept? Just at the beginning? If it is more than just at the beginning perhaps indicate that more clearly, so they know to be ready for that.

I'd make the layout a tad more simple, less colour, things written a little more simply just down in a single column - Make it easy on them to reference down to!! Less detail might achieve this on its own

---

In terms of questions they could ask, be ready for anything. They might ask you to define the terms you've used, give other examples, perhaps even analyse the piece in terms of other concepts you haven't covered. Know your piece really well so you can answer any question they throw at you

[georgiia]

Hey! I've had a look, a few comments:

First, I'd ditch the conclusion at the end. Remember this sheet is to guide your markers, not as a way for you to remember parts of your Viva. They'll know to ask you to conclude or to lead you to finish things up, you don't need to indicate that to them or to tell them your conclusion in the summary.

I'd give a little less detail on the concepts within the sheet. Again, this is to guide your markers, you aren't giving them absolutely everything on the sheet! Your sheet sort of says exactly what you would say to the marker. Instead, give less detail! Instead of listing everything you want to discuss about unity, just write unity. This will guide your markers to ask, "Well how would you say a sense of unity is achieved in this piece then?" Or similar, and they then actually listen to your answer rather than reading it on the sheet

When will you be playing excerpts? At the start of each concept? Just at the beginning? If it is more than just at the beginning perhaps indicate that more clearly, so they know to be ready for that.

I'd make the layout a tad more simple, less colour, things written a little more simply just down in a single column - Make it easy on them to reference down to!! Less detail might achieve this on its own

---

In terms of questions they could ask, be ready for anything. They might ask you to define the terms you've used, give other examples, perhaps even analyse the piece in terms of other concepts you haven't covered. Know your piece really well so you can answer any question they throw at you

Thank you!!

Ill apply your comments. I thought I was giving less detail because in comparison to how it was for internals I really was ahahah. Ive attached my old summary sheet where I had indicated the times and bars of my examples so can you please let me know if that sort of thing is what I need to do? Im not sure what you mean about letting them know about my excerpts on the sheet. Thank You!

[jamonwindeyer]

Thank you!!

Ill apply your comments. I thought I was giving less detail because in comparison to how it was for internals I really was ahahah. Ive attached my old summary sheet where I had indicated the times and bars of my examples so can you please let me know if that sort of thing is what I need to do? Im not sure what you mean about letting them know about my excerpts on the sheet. Thank You!

The one I looked at above is definitely a move in the right direction from this - I wouldn't need to ask you questions if I was your marker! I read the sheet and have the whole Viva presented in front of me - It takes all the work away from you as a student, which restricts how much you are able to convince the marker that you can respond to questions and lead them through things yourself. Does that make sense?

When I say specify excerpts, I mean to specify when/if you need to play a recording of your chosen song. In my Viva, I had three excerpts from three different songs. I made it very clear what I wanted to talk about for each excerpt, so when it was done, my markers knew to say, "Okay, anything else before we move on to the next excerpt?", or failing that, won't be surprised when you ask to move on yourself (it is your discussion after all)

[georgiia]

The one I looked at above is definitely a move in the right direction from this - I wouldn't need to ask you questions if I was your marker! I read the sheet and have the whole Viva presented in front of me - It takes all the work away from you as a student, which restricts how much you are able to convince the marker that you can respond to questions and lead them through things yourself. Does that make sense?

When I say specify excerpts, I mean to specify when/if you need to play a recording of your chosen song. In my Viva, I had three excerpts from three different songs. I made it very clear what I wanted to talk about for each excerpt, so when it was done, my markers knew to say, "Okay, anything else before we move on to the next excerpt?", or failing that, won't be surprised when you ask to move on yourself (it is your discussion after all)

Thank you, yes that makes a lot of sense. Basically for every point I make I am aiming to either play them the excerpt show them on the score or perform it. I just dint know how to indicate that on the sheet because as you saw in the older document I have a tonne of examples.

Thanks!!

[jamonwindeyer]

Thank you, yes that makes a lot of sense. Basically for every point I make I am aiming to either play them the excerpt show them on the score or perform it. I just dint know how to indicate that on the sheet because as you saw in the older document I have a tonne of examples.

Thanks!!

Ahhh I am with you!! Okay cool - Perhaps even just indicate in brackets when the excerpts will be used (excerpt)? Using the score is quick, a performed example is quick - An excerpt can take a bit to prime. Indicating that to them can be helpful. This said, I'm going off my experience, if what I'm saying sounds incompatible with your Viva, no stress - DO what seems right to you

[waterdancer]

Hello,
Just a quick question about my Core Performance. I'm doing a piano solo adaptation of Pirates of the Caribbean. There is just one section of my piece that I'm having a lot of trouble with, and was wondering if anyone had any advice on how to approach it. I've attached the score, the section is from bars 521-527, in particular bars 523 and 525 are killing me with the changes between septuplets and pentuplets and aaargh!
I don't have a formal piano teacher, the rest of the piece has been fine teaching myself, but I just can never get this timing right. Any suggestions?

[fantasticbeasts3]

Hello,
Just a quick question about my Core Performance. I'm doing a piano solo adaptation of Pirates of the Caribbean. There is just one section of my piece that I'm having a lot of trouble with, and was wondering if anyone had any advice on how to approach it. I've attached the score, the section is from bars 521-527, in particular bars 523 and 525 are killing me with the changes between septuplets and pentuplets and aaargh!
I don't have a formal piano teacher, the rest of the piece has been fine teaching myself, but I just can never get this timing right. Any suggestions?

hi! i don't do music, but i do play the piano. as for timing issues, i usually get out a metronome and play it against that, or if there's a formal recording of the piece listen to it as much as possible until you get it. you can try to count aloud while you're playing as well. also, don't try and force yourself to get it right - it will happen in due time. give it a break, do other stuff (such as pieces you're not playing for the hsc) then come back to it.

hope this helps

[waterdancer]

hi! i don't do music, but i do play the piano. as for timing issues, i usually get out a metronome and play it against that, or if there's a formal recording of the piece listen to it as much as possible until you get it. you can try to count aloud while you're playing as well. also, don't try and force yourself to get it right - it will happen in due time. give it a break, do other stuff (such as pieces you're not playing for the hsc) then come back to it.

hope this helps

Thank you for that. Don't have a proper metronome at home unfortunately but I'll look for some online ones to use maybe. The only recording I have of the piece is insanely fast, and his fingers are just a blur on the screen making it impossible to distinguish between the start of each tuplet, but I'll keep listening 
I know it's still a while until performing it for HSC, but my music teacher wants to hear the entire performance in 2 weeks, a little stressed I won't get it in time, but what can you do haha

[RuiAce]

Hello,
Just a quick question about my Core Performance. I'm doing a piano solo adaptation of Pirates of the Caribbean. There is just one section of my piece that I'm having a lot of trouble with, and was wondering if anyone had any advice on how to approach it. I've attached the score, the section is from bars 521-527, in particular bars 523 and 525 are killing me with the changes between septuplets and pentuplets and aaargh!
I don't have a formal piano teacher, the rest of the piece has been fine teaching myself, but I just can never get this timing right. Any suggestions?

So the pattern involves triples and 5,7-tuples. And the bass line involves crotchets or quavers.

Here's the thing. That should be played as precisely as possible, but that should not be stressed - when you have over 5 in a beat you're allowed to be ever so slightly off with it; what matters the most in piano performance in a situation like this is getting the notes correct.

Being able to play it accurately is the best course of action. To do this, as suggested you will need a metronome. You should certainly engage in slow practice if you want to perfect it - that simply cannot be done fast. I personally hate slow practice, but believe me when I say it works miracles.

That being said, do consider it's worth. This skill does take time to master. Consider ever so subtly fudging your way out of it if it becomes too much of a hassle. When I say fudge, what I mean is try to keep 7 in a beat, but really just put a bit of emphasis on the main beat(s) and relax it a bit with the rest.

[waterdancer]

So the pattern involves triples and 5,7-tuples. And the bass line involves crotchets or quavers.

Here's the thing. That should be played as precisely as possible, but that should not be stressed - when you have over 5 in a beat you're allowed to be ever so slightly off with it; what matters the most in piano performance in a situation like this is getting the notes correct.

Being able to play it accurately is the best course of action. To do this, as suggested you will need a metronome. You should certainly engage in slow practice if you want to perfect it - that simply cannot be done fast. I personally hate slow practice, but believe me when I say it works miracles.

That being said, do consider it's worth. This skill does take time to master. Consider ever so subtly fudging your way out of it if it becomes too much of a hassle. When I say fudge, what I mean is try to keep 7 in a beat, but really just put a bit of emphasis on the main beat(s) and relax it a bit with the rest.

Alright, thanks Rui. Never been too keen on fudging it, but will probably have to end up resorting to that. Would you suggest really focussing on just learning the note patterns of the right hand and working on getting that timing as good as I can make it, and then adding in the left hand later, or would it be beneficial to have the left there from the beginning as a way to really make sure I'm in time?

[RuiAce]

Alright, thanks Rui. Never been too keen on fudging it, but will probably have to end up resorting to that. Would you suggest really focussing on just learning the note patterns of the right hand and working on getting that timing as good as I can make it, and then adding in the left hand later, or would it be beneficial to have the left there from the beginning as a way to really make sure I'm in time?

Separate hand practice before hands together is always good. Add the left hand later preferably.

I also hate fudging. Do consider the value of it carefully.

[georgiia]

!!!!!!!SUPER URGENT!!!!!!!

I can't find a blank electronic viva summary sheet???

[jamonwindeyer]

!!!!!!!SUPER URGENT!!!!!!!

I can't find a blank electronic viva summary sheet???

Your teacher should be able to supply? I printed mine at home (just the stuff itself) and cut/pasted my printed sheet onto the blank one given to me by the teacher, so no stress!

[georgiia]

Your teacher should be able to supply? I printed mine at home (just the stuff itself) and cut/pasted my printed sheet onto the blank one given to me by the teacher, so no stress!

She's given me a hardcopy and I was wondering if there was an electronic so that I could c&p my summary onto that but it's all g, I got hold of one

[Charles G]

Hey guys, how much analysis is need to be able to access the top marks for Music 1 Aural. Also what are some common things to look for that get you easy marks.
Thanks.