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Aural Test Guide
Grade 6 ABRSM

Section A
Repeating the upper part of a two part phrase
Played twice
Key chord given
Starting note given
Two bars counted in
Tips
Sing along with the second playing so you get a physical feel for the vocal line
Sing in a loud clear voice so the examiner can hear you accurately
If you forget it, improvise! You may actually be right by guessing, and if youre not
you will at least get some right (maybe the rhythm, or the shape) if not 100%. By
stopping, you will get nothing for part that you didnt try
The examiner is not testing you on singing quality, only pitch & rhythm.
Section B
Sight Singing
Sight singing with accompaniment
Given 15 seconds to look through first
Key chord given and named
Starting note given and named
Speed indicated
After 15 seconds.. Key chord, starting note given again & examiner will count in
before starting together
Tips
Sing in a loud, clear voice so the examiner can hear you accurately
Identify all the points where the tonic returns, and maybe the starting note too.
Work through the music, aiming either towards or away from the tonic/starting
note.
Work out any leaps you are unsure of by singing the notes in between the actual
notes (ie. A C, sing A B C)
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Remember to count
When doing the actual test, remember the points you have identified the
tonic/starting notes
When doing the actual test, find awkward jumps by either singing/imagining the
scale, or if you know you already have the note wrong, re-adjust as quickly as
possible by looking for the next tonic/starting note and aiming towards or away from
it
Remember to count
Listen to the piano part stay with it, but dont sing along with it exclusively you
will be singing different notes to the pianist, so dont allow yourself to be drawn into
copying the piano
Remember the quieter you sing, the less able you are to hear your own voice, so
the more likely you are to follow the piano and lose your place in your own part
If you get completely lost, as a last resort, make it up! Follow the shape of the music
as best you can, aim to finish on a tonic, and follow the rhythm; youd be surprised
at how much you can get right just by doing this!

Section C
Identifying cadences
Identifying perfect or imperfect cadences only
Played twice
Key chord is given
Tips.
This is quite a simple test, so just remember to listen carefully
Perfect cadences sound finished, Imperfect cadences sound unfinished
If you are totally lost, you have a 50/50 chance to getting the right answer just by
guessing, so never say I dont know
Speak clearly and confidently, even if you dont feel that way!


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Section D
To answer questions about two features of a piece played by the examiner
Before playing, examiner will tell candidate which two features to listen for
First feature will be texture or structure
Second feature will be one of the following dynamics, articulation, tempo, tonality,
character, style & period, texture or structure
Tips
You are being tested on a combination of your critical listening skills, and your
technical knowledge, but critical listening skills are the biggest part of this test
Describe what you hear. If you also know the technical term for it, give that.
Remember, if you do not know the technical term, describe what you heard.
I have included technical and non-technical ideas below for every part of this test (where
this is relevant). Your first aim should be to describe what you hear (non-technical terms),
and then to back it up with a technical term if possible.
Remember some of what you will hear does not have a useful technical description,
so it is vital you get used to simply saying what you hear.

Texture
The physical feel of the music, and how the parts interact with each other



Non-Technical Description Technical Term
Melody & accompaniment None
Chordal accompaniment None
Repetitive bass line Ostinato bass accompaniment
All parts playing the same melody line, often
at different octaves
Unison
Chordal/Thick chords Homophonic
More than one melody happening at the
same time
Contrapuntal (or polyphonic)
Single line (not to be confused with unison,
where more than one part play the same
line, often at different octaves)
Monophonic
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Structure
How the piece is constructed, or built
In an exam, there is unlikely to be Rondo, or even ternary, as these are too long for
the extract time, you are more likely to be asked about lengths of phrases and how
they interact with each other
Non-Technical Description Technical Term
In 2 sections Binary (AB)
In 3 sections (1
st
is repeated after 2
nd
) Ternary (ABA)
Has the same section repeating throughout,
with different bits in between
Rondo (ABACADA)
Same phrase repeated x amount of times None
Regular 4 bar phrases None
Irregular phrases None

Dynamics
Think about dynamics within dynamics
For example,
The music was forte for the most part, but was dotted with subito pianos.
Opening chords were fortissimo, but remainder of piece gradually decreased in
loudness, until the final chord was played at pianissimo.
Each phrase started piano, rose up towards a mezzo forte, before falling towards a
piano again.




Articulation
Again, once you have stated the obvious, it can be useful to think of articulations
within articulations.

For example,
The piece was mostly detached but with some legato playing on the faster passages.
There was a mixture of legato and staccato in both hands.
It was mostly legato but with some bright staccato chords at unexpected moments.


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Tonality
Your main points here are major and minor, but as always, think of tonalities within
tonalities

For example,
Minor key with a few chromatic notes
Major key with jazz harmonies
Major key with chromatic notes.


Character
The question is usually phrased in 2 parts What in the music gives the piece its
character?
To give a full answer, try to answer in 2 parts

For example,
The staccato touch gives the music a light and lively feel.
The soft repetitive accompaniment gives the music a flowing feel.
The slow tempo gives the music a calm and thoughtful character.

Beyond this, try to list as many elements of the music as possible.
Remember you are talking about character, so highly technical terms are not always that
appropriate in the question.

Feel Tempo Articulation Tonality Dynamics Elements
Energetic Fast Staccato Minor Loud Scale passages
Exciting Slow Legato Major Quiet Arpeggio
passages
Calm Stately Detached Chromatic Sforzandos Syncopation
Majestic Use of rubato Subito pianos Contrasts
Jazzy Use of
accelerando
Use of bass
register
Sad Varying Use of treble
register
Cheerful Melodic
ornamentation
Elegant
Light
Heavy
Sombre
Elaborate
Colourful
Vivid
Dramatic

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Period
Remember the different musical periods, and how music grows as it progresses
through each one

Period Baroque Classical Romantic Modern & Jazz
ABRSM
Repertoire Lists
A B B C
Range on piano Small Bigger Even bigger Even bigger
Texture Counterpoint Less
counterpoint,
Thicker chords
Gets bigger &
thicker
Gets bigger &
thicker
Pedalling None Some Lots Lots
Ornaments Lots Less Even less Even less
Discords Very few Very few Some Lots


The period I have omitted is impressionism. This is characterised by some chromatic notes,
heavy pedalling, and a sound that looks like a Monet painting very smudged!