Aural Tests Book 2 (Grades 6-8)

Synopsis

Aural Book 2: Specimen Aural Tests for Trinity College London exams from 2017 contains all the requirements for Grades 6-8.

Includes: information about the test pieces, what the examiner will do, what each question is for, what candidates will be asked to do, hints for candidates, Information for teachers, wide range of sample tests, Answer booklet with 'check yourself' sample answers, and 2 CDs of practice examples.

Summary

Chapter 1: Pitch Perception

* Focuses on recognizing and differentiating between different pitches.
* Students are given examples of rising and falling melodies and asked to identify the direction of movement.
* Real example: Identifying whether a series of notes played on a keyboard is ascending or descending.

Chapter 2: Interval Recognition

* Introduces intervals (e.g., major, minor, perfect) and develops skills in identifying them.
* Students listen to pairs of notes and determine the interval between them.
* Real example: Recognizing a major 3rd interval played between two notes on a piano.

Chapter 3: Chord Recognition

* Explores basic chords (e.g., major, minor, augmented) and teaches students to identify them.
* Students listen to chords played on a piano and name the type of chord.
* Real example: Identifying a C major chord played on a guitar.

Chapter 4: Rhythm Perception

* Develops the ability to recognize and reproduce different rhythmic patterns.
* Students clap or tap out rhythms played by the teacher or recorded on a CD.
* Real example: Recreating a simple drum pattern with varying time signatures.

Chapter 5: Melodic Dictation

* Introduces melodic dictation, where students write down melodies they hear.
* Students are played a melody and then asked to write it on a staff.
* Real example: Dictating a simple folk song melody hummed by the teacher.

Chapter 6: Interval Dictation

* Expands on interval recognition by having students write down the intervals they hear.
* Students are played intervals and then asked to identify and notate them.
* Real example: Notating a descending minor 6th interval played on two strings of a violin.

Chapter 7: Chord Dictation

* Develops chord recognition skills by having students write down the chords they hear.
* Students are played chords and then asked to identify and notate them.
* Real example: Dictating a IV-I-V-I chord progression in the key of C major.

Chapter 8: Rhythm Dictation

* Extends rhythmic dictation by having students write down more complex rhythmic patterns.
* Students are played rhythms and then asked to notate them.
* Real example: Dictating a syncopated rhythm with irregular accents.

Chapter 9: Melodic Analysis

* Teaches students to analyze melodies by identifying their form, structure, and tonal center.
* Students are given melodies to analyze and discuss their characteristics.
* Real example: Analyzing a folk song melody for its phrase structure, cadence, and melodic contour.

Chapter 10: Harmonic Analysis

* Introduces basic harmonic concepts and teaches students to analyze chords in a sequence.
* Students are given chord progressions to analyze and identify their function and relationships.
* Real example: Analyzing a II-V-I chord progression in the key of G major.