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You Can Teach Old Dogs...

Young Col

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Just heard that I passed Grade 5 theory with distinction at 94%. Quite chuffed about that and many thanks to my teacher. Not looking for congratulations, but I post this as it proves what we often say on here that you're never too old to do something new. At 61 the last time I did a formal exam was over 30 years ago and that was Open University electronics. What next I wonder?
YC
 
Well done Col
You may not be looking for a pat on the back. Here's one anyway.
Andrew
 
Hi Col,

That's great, well done!

Would you say that it has helped your playing? or your appreciation of how music works? I've not looked at the grade 5 theory, the thought of it makes my heart sink but saying that, I feel I need to bolster my theory a bit.

You were asking what next, Well I just noticed a 2 year online correspondence course in nuclear physics, which comes with table top reactor and supporting material. It says no prior experience needed but one of the conditions is that you need to be at least 500 miles from supplying organization! Shall I sign you up?

Best wishes,

Chris
 
Well done Colin - as you say, there's hope for us all!!!
 
Well done Colin!

Have you found that it has helped with your theory and what knock on effect has it had on your playing?

It was nice to meet you at the Karen Sharp workshop, I have recordings of all the groups and some of Karen playing. If you would like a copy PM me & I can send you one.

Regards
Emma
 
Am really pleased for you, but as you don't want congrats (you ungrateful so and so), there are none from me.

Keep going, it's this can do willingness to learn that makes retirement a pleasure. And I'm learning from people like you and my father. Only another 12 years or so for me...
 
The Ways and Means Committee of The Croydon and Sarf Lundun Massive have unanimously voted you as recipient of the 2010 CaSLM Trophy in celebration of your Theoretical Success.

Just stop at Joe's Troffies Stall in Surrey Street Market, right next to where we sold converted Zimmer frame parts as 'Stan Getz Tenor Crooks', choose what you like, tell him what you want engraved and pay.

Otherwise, well done matey.
 
No congratulations as requested, but it is a good achievement anyway. Why don't you look next at something to do with the teory of composition? It needn't be electronic music now that your on your way with genuine wind music.
 
It would be ungracious of me not to accept the kind words. Thank you! Perhaps I should have relied on Bird's old request that "polite applause will suffice"!

As to helping with playing, some of it has helped hugely - note lengths, rests, time signatures and key signatures (you have to know all 12 majors plus minors in melodic and harmonic form). Knowledge of intervals and basic triad chord structures and their use on I, II, IV and V and transposition at octave, 2nd 3rd, 5th. It is more classical based though than jazz, so at that level there is nothing about blues, modal or pentatonic scales, or 7th or further extended chords. There is also stuff on the capabilities of all the standard classical orchestral instruments, plus writing in bass clef .. oh and alto and tenor clefs! So it's not all imediately stuff you need if you're a single instrument player, but if you like to know the underlying theory of things, as I do, then it's good to do. But I can see not everyone would want to.

Re what's next, not sure about composition yet, and anyway that's where I dropped marks this time. Up for Chris' suggestion though. Anything for a bit of subatomic particle physics research that might lead to the Grand Unified Theory. Actually I've been toying with the idea of using the London Underground Circle Line as a particle accelerator, with the Olympia branch as a Hadron collider. Slight worry about whether any Higgs' Bosons would pass harmlessly through stray commuters or cause them to spontaneously combust, but we'll see.:shocked: Any one join me?
Colin
 
:)))

How will commuters spontaneously combust at temps approaching absolute zero?
 
many congrats even though you done't want any. I'm parcticing for grade 5 exam in july then have to grade 5 theory before 6,7 and 8. High ambitions i know but just feeling keen. Wife and I both finished first year essays for our Masters degrees, 17689 words, so feeling rather pleased with myself.
Anyway, play your fav tunes in celebration
Ben
 
Well done, that man!

Grade 5 is (as you probably know) the grade you need to have in order to progress beyond Grade 5 practical exams (6,7 & 8). (as just said above by Ben - apologies for not taking in your post)

For those who are interested in doing theory there are also "Popular Music Theory Grades 1 - 8" set by the London College of Music (Validated by Thames Valley University) and the equivalent standard.
These do cover Pentatonic, Blues and Natural Minor scales, and also chords etc. The exams also involve a knowledge of popular music, and various popular instruments - guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, trumpet, trombone and sax. I am doing Grade 5 in November 2010.

Once again, congratulations Young Col! :w00t::w00t:

Kind regards
Tom:cool:
 
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Ben, many thanks. Good on you with G5. Yes, you're right you need G5 theory before you can do Gs 6, 7 and 8 performance. I should have said as well that you only need to be able to count up to 15 so it's not so hard on the maths. Well done on stage one of the Masters, keep at it, both of you!

Kev, the Underground was never that cold!
Colin
 
Well done Colin!
Sounds interesting but how on earth do you remember it all??
Hope you've got that trophy by now - I expect to see it at the next AGM!
 
Tom, thanks. I should have explained that I did ABRSM. That and Trinity Guidlhall are more classically based. LCM is a more popular music based syllabus. Same sort of things and same sort of level but different emphasis.
Pauline my short term memory is awful. I have to use various strategies to commit to long term memory! You're not actually allowed to keep the trophy. Bill puts it in hock most of the year. Hope Randall is progressing with the whistle - I heard all about it!
Colin
 
Don't ever feel that you have to teach your Granny to suck eggs......! ;} I had no doubt that you had done the ABRSM ( I started on Grades 1 and 2, before finding out that only LCM offer an alternative to the Classical focus of the other two) Similarly only LCM do Jazz Grades 6-8 for trumpet and trombone in UK, though Trinity & LCM both do Jazz Grades 6-8 for Woodwind/Sax. My daughter (17) passed Grade 5 Theory (ABRSM) earlier in the year and is on to Grade 6 piano now.

It is the case that any of the Grades will provide learning for practicing musicians, and demystify the process of music. Well done, again for achieving what you have. With LCM you only need Grade 5 theory if you are doing Grade 8 on instruments.

Kind regards as always
Tom:cool:
 

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