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Composition Walkthrough

Home » Composition (ABRSM Grade 8) » Composition Walkthrough
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Last Updated on 7 September 2023 by Victoria Williams

ABRSM8, Composition

Watch the video for a demonstration of how to tackle the ABRSM Grade 8 Composition question.

This video is taken from the MyMusicTheory Grade 8 Video Course: see https://mymusictheory.newzenler.com/courses/grade-8-music-theory-abrsm

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  • What Grade am I?
  • ABRSM
    • Grade 1
      • Pitch & the Treble Clef
      • The Bass Clef
      • The Grand Staff
      • Accidentals
      • Time Names of Notes
      • Time Names of Rests
      • Dotted Notes
      • Simple Time Signatures
      • Tied Notes
      • Beaming in Groups
      • Major Scales and Scale Degrees
      • Key Signatures
      • Interval Numbers
      • Tonic Triads
      • Dynamics
      • Musical Symbols
      • Musical Terms
      • Grade 1 Music Theory Test (ABRSM)
    • Grade 2
      • Ledger Lines
      • Bass/Treble Clef Transposition
      • Major Scales
      • Minor Scales Introduction
      • Degrees of the Scale
      • Key Signatures and Major Keys
      • Key Signatures and Minor Keys
      • Questions on Scales
      • Time Signatures
      • Adding Bar Lines
      • Working out the Time Signature
      • Rewriting in a New Time Signature
      • Adding Rests
      • Tonic Triads – Major and Minor
      • Intervals
      • Triplets
      • Musical Terms
      • Grade 2 Music Theory Test (ABRSM)
    • Grade 3
      • The Demisemiquaver (32nd Note)
      • Major Scales: E and A Flat
      • Melodic Minor Scales
      • Minor Scales (Grade 3)
      • Key Signatures and Key
      • Tonic Triads
      • Compound Time Signatures
      • Rests
      • Beaming and Grouping (Grade 3)
      • Interval Qualities
      • Transposition (Grade 3 ABRSM)
      • Rewriting Rhythms (Grade 3 ABRSM)
      • Spotting Errors
      • Musical Terms
      • Grade 3 Music Theory Test (ABRSM)
    • Grade 4
      • Breves (Double Whole Notes)
      • Double Dotted Notes
      • 2/8 and 4/8 Time
      • More Compound Time Signatures
      • Duplets
      • Rhythm Rewriting (ABRSM Grade 4)
      • Double Sharps/Flats and Enharmonics
      • Scales and Keys with 5 Sharps/Flats
      • Technical Names of Scale Degrees
      • Chromatic Scales
      • Intervals Between Any Two Notes
      • Triads and Chords
      • The Alto Clef
      • Standard Orchestral Instruments
      • Musical Terms Grade 4 (ABRSM)
      • Ornaments (Symbols)
      • Grade 4 Music Theory Test (ABRSM)
    • Grade 5
      • The Tenor Clef
      • Questions on Pitch
      • Time Signature Review
      • Easily Confused Time Signatures
      • Irregular Time Signatures
      • Grouping and Beaming
      • Irregular Tuplets
      • Working out the Time Signature
      • Rhythm Questions (ABRSM Grade 5)
      • Major Scales with 6 Sharps/Flats
      • Minor Scales with 6 Sharps/Flats
      • Scales in Any Clef
      • Identifying the Key
      • Key Signatures
      • Compound Intervals
      • Intervals – Can I Count Semitones?
      • Intervals in a Score
      • Transposing Instruments
      • Musical Instruments Quiz
      • Transposing by a 2nd or 3rd
      • Transposing by a 4th or 5th
      • Chord II – The Supertonic
      • Chord Inversions
      • Cadences (ABRSM Grade 5)
      • Musical Terms Grade 5 (ABRSM)
      • Grade 5 Music Theory Test (ABRSM)
    • Grade 6
      • Rhythm, Pitch and Keys
        • Syncopation
        • Note Names in Other Languages
        • Major Scales with 7 Sharps/Flats
        • Minor Scales with 7 Sharps/Flats
      • Chords
        • Chord V7 – The Dominant 7th
        • Chord VI – The Submediant
        • Chord III – The Mediant
        • Chord VII – The Leading Note
        • Chord II7 (Supertonic 7th)
        • Chord v (Minor Dominant)
        • Chord IV (Major Subdominant; Melodic Minor)
        • Tierce de Picardie
        • Chord Inversions in Music
      • Chord Progressions
        • Common Chord Progressions
        • The Cadential 6/4
        • Passing Chords
        • Other 6/4 Progressions
        • Interrupted Cadence
        • Progressions and Inversions
      • Decoration & Ornaments
        • Unaccented Passing Notes
        • Accented Passing Notes
        • Auxiliary Notes
        • Appoggiaturas
        • Anticipations
        • Changing Notes
        • Pedals
        • Chromatic Decoration
        • Writing Out Ornaments (ABRSM Grade 6)
      • Voice Leading
        • Conjunct and Disjunct Motion
        • Leading Notes and 7ths
        • Augmented and Diminished Intervals
        • Consecutive 5ths and Octaves
      • Q1a | Chords to Accompany a Melody
      • SATB Harmony
        • SATB Doubling, Omissions & Spacing
        • SATB Voice Leading
      • Figured Bass
        • Accidentals
        • Continuation Lines
        • 5/3, 6/3 and 6/4
      • Q1b | Adding a Bass and Figures
      • Q2 | Realising a Figured Bass
      • Modulation
        • Close Keys
        • Prevailing Key
        • Pivot Chords
      • Composition
        • Implied Harmony
        • Motifs, Sequences and Imitation
        • Instrument Ranges
      • Q3 | Composition
      • Style and Form
        • Texture
        • The Baroque Era
        • The Classical Era
        • The Romantic Era
        • The Modern Era
        • Identifying the Era
      • Orchestration
        • The Strings
        • The Woodwind
        • The Brass
        • The Percussion
      • General Knowledge
        • Transposition (ABRSM Grade 6)
        • Intervals in an Orchestral Score
        • Chords and Key in a Score
        • Grade 6 Musical Terms Quiz
      • Grade 6 Music Theory Test (ABRSM)
    • Grade 7
      • Scales, Keys and Chords
        • Identifying the Home Key
        • Chord vii°7 (Diminished 7th)
        • Secondary 7ths
        • The Neapolitan 6th
        • Direct Modulation
        • The Whole Tone Scale
      • Decoration
        • Using Decoration Notes
        • Suspensions
        • Simultaneous Decoration
        • Decoration Mistakes to Avoid
        • Analysing Harmony with Decoration Notes
      • Chord Progressions
        • Arpeggio 6/4 (Alberti Bass)
        • Harmonic Sequence
        • Harmonic Sequence with Suspensions
      • Figured Bass
        • Figured Bass Review
        • Figured Bass (ABRSM Grade 7)
        • Added 7th Chords
        • Suspensions (Figured Bass)
        • Figure 4
        • Added 9th Chords
        • Q1 | Figuring a Bass Line
        • Q1 | Problem Areas
        • Q1 | Getting Top Marks
      • Harmony Reconstruction
        • Q2 | Chorale Reconstruction
        • Lutheran Chorales
        • Q2 | Method (Chorales)
        • Q2 | Keyboard Reconstruction
        • Q2 | Keyboard Openings
        • Q2 | Keyboard Voice Leading
        • Q2 | Keyboard Decoration
        • Q2 | Keyboard Accompaniment Styles
      • Composition
        • Introduction
        • Q3a | Composing a Solo Part
        • Q3b | Composing a Solo Melody
      • General Knowledge
        • Enharmonic Transposition
        • Crossing Parts
        • Identifying Chords
        • Instruments
        • The Woodwind Section
      • Grade 7 Music Theory Test
    • Grade 8
      • Chords and Keys
        • Introduction
        • Extended Dominant Chords
        • Chromatic Chords
        • Borrowed Chords and Parallel Keys
        • Augmented 6th Chords
        • Secondary Dominants
        • Other Chromatic Chords
        • Distant Modulation
        • Identifying Prevailing Key
      • Figured Bass
        • Review
        • Suspensions (Figured Bass, 3-Part)
        • Figure 5/4
        • Figure 5
        • Figured Decoration
      • Voice Leading
        • False (Cross) Relations
        • 3-Part Voice Leading
        • Voice Leading in Minor Keys
      • Harmony and Decoration
        • Inverted Cadences
        • Harmonic Rhythm
        • Harmonic Analysis
      • Trio Sonatas
        • Trio Sonatas – Introduction
        • Step 1: Dissonances
        • Step 2: Leading Notes
        • Step 3: Roots, 3rds and 5ths
        • Step 4: Patterns
        • Step 5: Momentum
        • Trio Sonata Walkthrough
      • Keyboard Reconstruction
        • Introduction
        • Working with the Harmony
        • Using 2nd Inversions
        • Texture and Part-Writing
        • Voice Leading and Consecutives
        • Notation
        • Phrase, Patterns and Sequences
        • Writing Alberti Bass
      • Composition
        • Introduction
        • Analysing the Given Opening
        • Creating a Structure
        • Adapting a Melodic Idea
        • Modulation
        • Idiomatic Writing
        • Composition Walkthrough
      • Grade 8 Music Theory Test
  • Trinity
    • Grade 1
      • Pitch & the Treble Clef
      • The Bass Clef
      • The Grand Staff
      • Accidentals
      • Time Names of Notes
      • Time Names of Rests
      • Simple Time Signatures
      • Major Scales and Scale Degrees
      • Key Signatures
      • Interval Numbers
      • Tonic Triads
      • Composing an Answering Rhythm
      • Ostinato
      • Dynamics
      • Musical Symbols
      • Musical Terms
      • Handwriting Music
    • Grade 2
      • Ledger Lines
      • Semiquavers/16ths
      • Dotted Notes
      • Beaming in Groups
      • Tied Notes
      • Minor Scales Introduction
      • Degrees of the Scale
      • Key Signatures and Minor Keys
      • Questions on Scales
      • Transposing at the Octave
      • Time Signatures
      • Adding Bar Lines
      • Working out the Time Signature
      • Adding Rests
      • Tonic Triads – Major and Minor
      • Interval Qualities
      • Composing a Melody
      • Musical Devices
      • Syncopation
      • Musical Terms
    • Grade 3
      • Triplets
      • Major Scales: D and B Flat
      • Melodic Minor Scales
      • Minor Scales: Gm and Bm
      • Key Signatures and Key
      • Chords and Cadences
      • Chord Progressions
      • Compound Time Signatures
      • Rests
      • Beaming and Grouping (Grade 3)
      • Spotting Errors
      • Composition (Trinity Grade 3)
      • Musical Terms
    • Grade 4
      • Double Sharps/Flats and Enharmonics
      • Irregular Time Signatures
      • Chromatic Scales
      • Intervals Between Any Two Notes
      • Compound Intervals
      • The Alto Clef
      • Intervals in the Alto Clef
      • Transposing by a 4th or 5th
      • Chord V7 – The Dominant 7th
      • Chords I, IV and V
      • Chord v (Minor Dominant)
      • Chord IV (Major Subdominant; Melodic Minor)
      • Chord Inversions
      • Unaccented Passing Notes
      • Harmonic Rhythm
      • Voice Leading
        • What is Voice Leading?
        • Conjunct and Disjunct Motion
        • Augmented and Diminished Intervals
        • Leading Notes and 7ths
        • Consecutive 5ths and Octaves
      • Setting Words to a Rhythm
    • Grade 5
      • The Demisemiquaver (32nd Note)
      • Breves (Double Whole Notes)
      • Grouping and Beaming
      • The Tenor Clef
      • Major Scales: E and A Flat
      • Scales and Keys with 5 Sharps/Flats
      • Key Signatures
      • Identifying the Key
      • The Circle of 5ths
      • Intervals – Can I Count Semitones?
      • Intervals in a Score
      • Chord II – The Supertonic
      • Accented Passing Notes
      • Modulation
      • Ornaments (Symbols)
    • Grade 6
      • Double Dotted Notes
      • Duplets
      • Major Scales with 6 Sharps/Flats
      • Minor Scales with 6 Sharps/Flats
      • Major Scales with 7 Sharps/Flats
      • Minor Scales with 7 Sharps/Flats
      • Chord VI – The Submediant
      • Chord III – The Mediant
      • Chord VII – The Leading Note
      • Chord vii°7 (Diminished 7th)
      • Chord II7 (Supertonic 7th)
      • Chord Inversions in Music
      • Common Chord Progressions
      • Interrupted Cadence
      • Progressions and Inversions
      • Pedals
      • SATB Close v. Open Scores
      • Lutheran Chorales
      • SATB Voice Leading
      • Figured Bass
        • Figured Bass Intro
        • 5/3, 6/3 and 6/4
        • Accidentals
      • Close Keys
      • Harmonic Sequence
      • Texture
      • The Baroque Era
    • Grade 7
      • 2/8 and 4/8 Time
      • Irregular Tuplets
      • Tierce de Picardie
      • The Cadential 6/4
      • Secondary 7ths
      • Inverted Cadences
      • Pivot Chords
      • Prevailing Key
      • Direct Modulation
      • The Whole Tone Scale
      • Using Decoration Notes
      • Suspensions
      • Analysing Harmony with Decoration Notes
      • Arpeggio 6/4 (Alberti Bass)
      • Harmonic Sequence with Suspensions
      • The Classical Era
    • Grade 8
      • Note Names in Other Languages
      • Passing Chords
      • Chromatic Chords
      • Extended Dominant Chords
      • The Neapolitan 6th
      • Borrowed Chords and Parallel Keys
      • Secondary Dominants
      • Other Chromatic Chords
      • Augmented 6th Chords
      • Distant Modulation
      • Identifying Prevailing Key
      • Harmonic Analysis
      • Serial (12-Tone) Composition
      • The Romantic Era
      • Identifying the Era
  • Diplomas
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    • LmusTCL
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