Tutors for music test

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onzeplus
Posts: 30
Joined: Fri Oct 25, 2013 3:32 pm

Tutors for music test

Post by onzeplus »

We'll be applying for DD's entry in 2015 in one of the consortium schools.

I understand that there are various approaches for preparing for the verbal reasoning and maths tests but would also like to try the music test.

DD is learning the piano but I wondered if there were any tutors that provide specific tuition for the music test or whether there were any other preparation methods? I'm not very musical so don't think home tutoring would be a possibility.

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3b1g
Posts: 403
Joined: Sun Oct 14, 2012 3:11 pm

Re: Tutors for music test

Post by 3b1g »

There are four sections to the test: pitch, rhythm, melody and texture.
Pitch: this is testing whether your child can distinguish which is higher out of two tones. There are various online tests you can try out.
Melody: on hearing two short melodies, can your child tell which note has changed?
Rhythm: similar to the melody section but with rhythm.
Texture: on hearing a chord, can your child tell whether it contains 2, 3 or 4 notes?

I'm not sure to what extent these skills can be taught. It is possible to practise something a bit similar. There are free online tests for pitch difference, which go much closer in pitch than any tutor could with a piano (on which you can't play notes closer than a semitone apart) There are also some online tests which play you two different melodies / rhythms and you have to guess whether they are the same or different. For the texture section, a tutor could play chords and the child could practice guessing how many notes in each.

In DS2's year, the cut-off for being called back for an audition was 47/60.
IHOP
Posts: 26
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2013 11:23 pm

Re: Tutors for music test

Post by IHOP »

My daughter sat the musical aptitude test this year, scoring high enough to move through to the auditions. I mainly relied on the basic musicality she has but felt a bit of practice would not go amiss.

For the pitch part of the test (1/3 of the marks), we had a few goes of this just in the couple of months leading up to the test: http://tonometric.com/adaptivepitch/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; IMO, this will MORE than prepare your child as my daughter said most of the pitches were much wider, apart from the last few. I have a higher degree in music and scored nowhere near 100%; don't be put off!

Assuming you have access to a piano, you could practise some of the texture questions (again, another 1/3 of the marks) by playing any combination of 2, 3 or 4 notes. I have NO idea how challenging the questions were on the day(some chords are easier to work out than others) but this would certainly give a helping hand. My daughter was getting about half right when we did them together. Quite tricky!

Good music lessons will prepare your child for the melody and rhythm parts so, although this hasn't answered your question about tutors, I hope it provides some ideas as to how you could have a little go at home, nearer the time.

All the best :D

(My first post after lurking for some (nail-biting) months)
Musicgirl
Posts: 16
Joined: Mon Sep 09, 2013 4:51 pm

Re: Tutors for music test

Post by Musicgirl »

My dd also sat the musical aptitude test, and went through to the audition. She did some practice on http://www.hofnote.co.uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; to get an idea of what to expect. They have a musical aptitude section, with the four categories covered in the test. Although she has a very good ear, she found the texture section very frustrating. It was worth the frustration though, as we knew if she could get past the aptitude test, she'd do well on the audition.

My daughter and another girl from her school were the only ones to practice on Hofnote out of maybe ten children who took the musical aptitude test. Hofnote isn't guaranteed to get a child through to the audition, but my dd and the other girl were the only ones to make it through. My dd is studying grade 5 ABRSM, and the other girl just passed grade 1. I know there were at least two other children from the school that were grade 3 or so for ABRSM, but didn't get through to the audition.
IHOP
Posts: 26
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2013 11:23 pm

Re: Tutors for music test

Post by IHOP »

Musicgirl, that is a gem of a website. I wish I'd found that last July. Brilliant!
Hera
Posts: 856
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2010 3:50 pm

Re: Tutors for music test

Post by Hera »

I wish I had found these last year. I can use them for my current year 5 though. If anyone else has any good websites for the music aptitude test please post the links.
piggys
Posts: 1636
Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2011 9:29 am

Re: Tutors for music test

Post by piggys »

Hofnote is good....but

http://www.e-musicmaestro.com/auraltests" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

is better :D

Good luck!
onzeplus
Posts: 30
Joined: Fri Oct 25, 2013 3:32 pm

Re: Tutors for music test

Post by onzeplus »

Thanks IHOP, musicgirl and piggys. Those websites look great for preparing for the test. I'm hoping that DD has enough ability to get through the tests - these websites will just give her a taste of what to expect so that she can go in with some confidence.

Another few questions about the music test:
Is the test sat in a hall with all the other candidates at the same time with the test being played from a recording or does someone play live?
Is the answer sheet multiple choice e.g. tick box a,b,c,d for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th note etc or do you have to write the answer?
How long do you have to answer a question before the next question is posed?
Are the sequence of notes repeated for each question or do you get just one shot; I guess you can't check your work as such?
Cutting42
Posts: 186
Joined: Thu Nov 17, 2011 10:06 pm

Re: Tutors for music test

Post by Cutting42 »

onzeplus wrote: Another few questions about the music test:
Is the test sat in a hall with all the other candidates at the same time with the test being played from a recording or does someone play live?
Is the answer sheet multiple choice e.g. tick box a,b,c,d for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th note etc or do you have to write the answer?
How long do you have to answer a question before the next question is posed?
Are the sequence of notes repeated for each question or do you get just one shot; I guess you can't check your work as such?
The test is held in a hall or room with many other DC
The answers are on a tick box chart so no writing as such.
Questions are between 10 and 15 seconds apart but are well explained as to the technique
There are no repeats.

HTH
3b1g
Posts: 403
Joined: Sun Oct 14, 2012 3:11 pm

Re: Tutors for music test

Post by 3b1g »

It's a pre-recorded audio track.
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