i've been playing th piano now for one year, and a bit, and have changed teachers. I started in august 2003 and changed teacher in march 2004. My quiry is that my new teacher gives me grade 6 pieces that i can play, however i am uselss at sight reading. He thinks that i should go straight in for my first exam at grade 4, maybe 5. The problem is i don't know if this is to soon, but do you think that with enough dedication and practice i should be able to do the sight reading and get the grade? Any advice , i old be grateful


Sean

It really is quite difficult to say, without knowing a bit more background, like did you start from scratch, or could you already read music before you started piano ? that sort of thing.

However, a year is really quite short, and many students wouldn't even be thinking of taking an exam yet. It's important to make sure that all your grounding is in place, that your technique is established, and that aural and sight -reading skills are on a level with the grade you intend to take.

If you take grade 5, you have to be able to play scales in all keys, 3 octaves, fluently and with neat fingering. Are you working on these yet? Does your teacher work on aural training with you? And sight-reading needs to be attacked systematically - don't just leave it to chance.

Good luck. I wouldn't be in too much of a rush if I were you!

Maggie

i think maybe u should take grade 2/3 .coz there r lots of other important elements in the exam such as scales, arpeggios, aural test(this is quite easy), and the hardest one for begginers, the sight reading.these takes up lots of practice and hardwork, althogh u can get full marks for ur pieces , taht 90, but u may not be able to get other elements right.this is just my piece of advice

Ola sean!

i am in same situation as you

but i am taking grade 5 practical next year.

I am very opposite from you because my sight reading is okay but i haven't done aural before.

But as you said, with determination, you can do it!!!

I am a very ambitious person and i think you should be one too!
just make sure you practise

If you are really want to do Grade 5.....you must practice HARD!!!
I can't say much about sight-reading.I am not very good at it too. In Grade 5 if I am not mistaken....you have to sight-sing too.
Maggie is right - all keys for scales. It's actually quite tiring. Well...good luck anyway

Pieces are a misnomer and the one thing that you definitley should not judge the standard of your playing, in terms of exams, from. I know it sounds odd but it's true. It's possible to learn three pieces by rote quite easily (which is what you have to do if you're a really poor sightreader); especially if you've just started piano and can't listen to yourself and criticise your playing, there may be all sorts of things wrong with them that you can't hear (although your teacher will point them out to you). The place to start from in exams is the place where your abilities lie in the more necessarily skill based areas like sightreading and aurals.

You need to develop a lot of technique, which is best done on simple pieces; learn how to listen to your playing and why it isn't good (when it isn't, also why it's good when it is); learn to sightread well: this is more important than just for reading it is about being more adaptable when playing: if a wrong note is spotted you can change it without a massive amount of re-learning or you can bring out certain notes and adapt certain passages because you're playing consciously not just though programming of hands all of the time. The hard part of sightreading is not necessarily reading the notes but playing them once you've read them!

I'm sure that it's perfectly possible to do grade 5 like this; I know someone who did grade 8 in one year (although he had done grade 1 about 10 years before). However you won't be, as he isn't (although he does enjoy playing lots of pieces that by his admission are far too hard for him!), a good pianist for doing so. If however all you want is a piece of paper to show to your friends; or you need it for university you can do it, with lots of practice, just get working on those scales!

Finally, if you want to read a related thread about a similar suggestion, go here; this is people responding to the question of skipping out the easy things and going on to harder pieces.

Hi Sean

I started piano in March 2001 and took my Grade 5 in June 2003 and achieved a pass mark of 128, so it can be done. However, I would like to make the following points.

1. When I started the piano I had already spent a year learning the piano about ten years ago.

2. I'm a grade 8 flautist, and have been playing the flute for 30 years.

3. I have taken A level music.

4. I practice about 2 1/2 hours a day.

5. The scales where a huge learning curve, it took me a long time and many hours of practice to master them, so I agree with the replies above you need to get going on your scales asap.

6. I don't find aurals much of a problem, well not yet anyway, I may have a different view after grade 6.

My teacher admits that she pushed me on in the first couple of years of my playing although she gradually built up to grade 5 standard pieces. As she is a very experienced teacher she must have known what I was capable of, as I'm sure your teacher knows. Since taking my grade 5 I have spent the time learning lots of new repertoire to broaden my experience as a player. I will not be taking another exam until at least next July. I felt it was good experience to do my Grade 5 so quickly and I really learnt alot but I wouldn't want to rush through all the grades, also my teacher won't let me .

Go for it.

QUOTE (i like piano @ Sep 30 2004, 02:03 AM)

aural test(this is quite easy)

No it flipping well isn't! Have a look at grade 6-8 aural, I don't call THAT easy.

Oh yeah, and Sean, talk to your teacher about it, teachers generally know whats best for you.