I think the title was enough to explain all my problems.
So, I've wanted to learn piano forever (i know the basics, Not music theory or sight reading, But I've played songs) and now, I want to get in depth. I just downloaded this pdf. Idk what I'm supposed to do next. It seems to be a syllabus. I see lots of pieces mentioned in it. but i'm not nderstanding what to do with it or how.
I don't take any lessons. And can't rn. I am only looking to do self learning with this. Maybe, if i can i could be able to give the exams (or not), but at least I can finish off the books and grades by myself
This is for those who didn’t start playing until they were adults. For those who chose to get a teacher how long were you a student? How long have you been taught? What teaching style is your teacher using?
I usually hear about kid beginners being taught for 7+yrs I’m wondering how adult beginners compare to that.
I started piano a year ago and I think I’ve been with a teacher for half a year. First 3 months was more learning chords(Nashville style), next 3 months going thru a method book.
Hey everyone,
I've only recently learned about ABRSM and grade levels (adult re-starter/beginner here).
So my question is ... Who is that for? Students who want to get a degree in music?
I'm mostly playing as a fun hobby so that my partner (guitarist) and I can record songs together, just for fun.
But I do also low-key think it'd be super cool to play in a community orchestra if it's not too late for someone like me to do so (late 30s).
Would I need to ABRSM to play in a community orchestra? If so, what grade should I aim for?
I'm curious about what ABRSM grades you would give these 2 pieces so I can estimate how difficult the piece would be to play with respect to my skill level.
Piece 1: Metallica - The Unforgiven
Piece 2: The Curse of the Sad Mummy
Thanks!
A bit of context: I have been playing violin for 1 year and 4 months and I'm 15 years old.
(Sorry, english is not my first language D:)
I've picked up the piano again in lockdown having not played much since I did ABRSM Grade 6 my teens. Am toying with getting some lessons and have been working on this piece from the Grade 8 syllabus. What do you think? Up to Grade 8 standard? Of course all I can hear are the imperfections...
https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/5rXCT
Hi - I’m a 56M adult learner quite new. I did Piano Marvel for a few months but it got boring. Now with online teacher, and I decided to use the ABRSM exams as a way to guide my learning. I'm a few months in, it's slow going but I'm making progress. What’s your view on this approach? What might I be missing out on?
I’ve been playing the piano for a while now. I have played Chopins waltz in a minor and various other songs but I have never taken the abrsm exams so i’m not quite sure what level i am but i would say i’m at a 4-5 level. Do i need to go back and do levels 1-3 or is okay to skip to level 4?
Appreciate any suggestions. My biggest barrier to playing to more complex pieces is that I can't seem to play octaves consistently when not looking at my hands without hitting the wrong note. This is in two forms:
- When needing to cover an octave, ie. C major scale in left hand, little finger on C, thumb needs to hit the upper C.
- Little finger on C for C major scale, then need to jump to play the whole chord 1 octave up (C-E-G). So little finger has to move the entire distance.
My hand can't reach the entire octave for case 1 and I can't jump consistently in case 2.
I've been trying to get better at playing without looking at the keys, so I've playing around with this method:
having the five fingers on C-E-G, then moving my little finger up to G to take the place of the thumb, then realizing that the G to C interval is 4, so then I know in the new position to use my second finger to hit the C. This sort of works, but it's slow, and doesn't work for bigger jumps. Is this way of thinking useful or a waste of time? I sort of have to feel around the keys to do it but it does help me not look at my fingers.
Thanks for any tips! I don't have a teacher so just been trying to learn from Alfred's piano book.
Hi all, I'm wondering if anyone took any examinations for percussion. I'm learning percussion as an extracurricular, and I wonder if anyone has any experience with these.
My daughter just turned 15 yo last month, and taking her grade 8 exam next Spring. She wants to do the music performance diploma after that as she is kind of excited at the thought of putting together her own recital etc. And she likes a challenge - she's always liked music competitions as well and won a few. However, she is dyslexic and that affected her music theory abilities - she barely scraped passes in both ABRSM grade 5 and grade 6 theory. Her practical is better - she's been getting distinctions since ABRSM grade 1, and she's been learning the violin for 6 years. I wonder though if it's worth putting her through the music diploma if her theory is clearly not as good as her playing? How demanding is it?
Some background information: she can write and spell decently. Her dyslexia doesn't seem to affect writing and spelling too badly, but it mainly affects reading and to the point where she just never reads books for leisure. She memories music by heart as soon as she can because unlike some people who have to have the sheet music in front when they play, looking at the sheet music gives her more discomfort, plus she has a very good memory for music, so all these years she would at first learn the music through sheet music and hearing performers' recordings of playing the music, then she would ditch the sheet music entirely and play by memory. She's also good at playing by ear.
It's not cheap to get her a tutor for that and she would also appreciate forewarning if it's going to be very challenging for a dyslexic - she might not want to do it anymore if she knows it's very hard for a dyslexic person to pass... So I'd like to ask some people's opinions here, as hopefully you know more about this music malarkey than I do! Maybe some of you have already done either the Trinity or the ABRSM performance diploma and know what's expected. What does she want to do in future? She says she doesn't know, but she knows what she likes right now and that's Art and Music - she's also doing well in Art too.
Hi all, I’ve got my music theory exam during the weekend but I’m having some issues, since it’s online. I’m hoping someone on here knows :)
does anyone know how to do the pre test thing? And anyone know whether the RPNow system thing is the software necessary for the exam?
thx!!
Hello. What is the use of taking ABRSM exams? I have seen quite few posts here about people taking grade 1,2 etc. What is the benefit of it? If I want to take grade 1 exam, how prepared I have to be? I started learning Piano seriously in April.
I was just about to book my Grade 2 exam and, checking online, to my horror I see that a 4th piece ("of your own choosing") is now part of the syllabus! Just when I thought I was finally ready!
Can anyone recommend any good Grade 2 pieces that are interesting to play? Open to any suggestions but I already have 2 Baroque pieces so maybe something a bit more modern?
Hi All, I'm an Australian based Double Bassist who grew up on AMEB but I'm wanting to look into the ABRSM/Trinity systems for my students as I'm not a fan of the AMEB approach anymore (they changed it a few years back).
I'm asking for people, both students and teachers, to comment their favourite few pieces from either syllabus, Grades inital to 8, if you're willing? I'm just finding it's taking ages to dig through the syllabi, find recordings, it's expensive to just buy the music, and I'd love to know people's faves - Mummers Danse Grotesque is one of my early favourites from what I've seen so far!
I did ABRSM grade 8 years ago, then stopped playing due to lack of time.
I started up again a few years ago and I'm really motivated to improve, but I'm struggling to find a teacher. So many teachers say they only go up to grade 8 and even the ones that say they teach "any level" or "advanced", still only up to grade 8.
Recently, the 1st teacher I approached dumped me after the trial lesson because she said I was too good for her to help. The 2nd teacher said "I'm flattered you chose me", then dumped me after the trial lesson because he had a mini-breakdown due to overwork.
I know I'm not the great piano player that the previous paragraph suggests. My current level is grade 8 and a bit. Grade 8 seems like the pinnacle of excellence when you're at grade 1, but get to grade 8 and you realize the that journey is just beginning. (Dunning-Kruger anyone?)
I did an online less with Manuel (bottom_of_the_key) and it was enjoyable and helpful, but I would like a f2f teacher. I'm 30 years too old for college.
Any ideas?
Does anyone know an appropriate teacher somewhere around where Wiltshire, W Berkshire and Oxfordshire meet?
Thanks PJ
I'm looking to do my grade 3 but I notice that the books only contain 9 pieces. The syllabus has around 30 pieces and there are some I'd like to play for my exam that aren't in the book. Can someone explain this please?
I'm planning to do an audition to try and get a scholarship from my uni. The audition is in about 3 weeks and I'm struggling to decide which piece I want to perform. The three pieces I'm choosing from are Capricho Árabe, Tango en Skai and Clair de Lune arranged by James Bishop-Edwards.
I heard that to have a chance you should have a playing level equivalent to Grade 8 ABRSM. Does anyone know how these pieces would rate in terms of ABRSM grades? I know that Tango en Skai is grade 8 and I find it to be the most difficult. Which of these pieces would you choose?
Appreciate any suggestions. My biggest barrier to playing to more complex pieces is that I can't seem to play octaves consistently when not looking at my hands without hitting the wrong note. This is in two forms:
-
When needing to cover an octave, ie. C major scale in left hand, little finger on C, thumb needs to hit the upper C.
-
Little finger on C for C major scale, then need to jump to play the whole chord 1 octave up (C-E-G). So little finger has to move the entire distance.
My hand can't reach the entire octave for case 1 and I can't jump consistently in case 2.
I've been trying to get better at playing without looking at the keys, so I've playing around with this method:
having the five fingers on C-E-G, then moving my little finger up to G to take the place of the thumb, then realizing that the G to C interval is 4, so then I know in the new position to use my second finger to hit the C. This sort of works, but it's slow, and doesn't work for bigger jumps. Is this way of thinking useful or a waste of time? I sort of have to feel around the keys to do it but it does help me not look at my fingers.
Thanks for any tips! I don't have a teacher so just been trying to learn from Alfred's piano book.
