(Bows low to all the wonderful pianists in this forum!)

Hi all,

On the spur of the moment I've entered myself in for grade 2 piano...EEEK!!!! Not sure if I've done the right thing as i've never really had a piano lesson in my life! (however I have picked the brains of my Saxophone teacher on occasion, he's also a fantastic pianist).

The pieces i'm doing are;

Balleto,
Grandmothers tales (not sure if i've named this right, my brain had closed down for the night!)
Close to danger (I LOVE this one!)

I've also just found out that the scales have to be able to be played hands together! Oh joy!

I thought i'd see how i'm doing being self taught and off my own steam as it were! And being a teacher, it's good to put myself in the vulnerable learners seat occasionally!

I'm also entered in for Grade 8 flute this time as i've never got round to it so far (hangs head in shame) but busy life being a mum/wife/peri etc!

Any encouragement highly welcome!

Yes go for it.

When I entered myself for Gr 5 jazz piano last session, I could only play one piece and a few scales. It's surprising what a deadline helps you to do. I did it at the Burton Centre - not too far from you probably. Close to Danger - an interesting choice. Too many people do Garage Sale IMHO.

Thats because garage sale is incredibly easy, i dont have a choice but to do it, i hate it.

Im doing
Garage Sale
Balleto
Little Song
scales are ok, i cant wait till scatto ones, i can do them!

OOoo, Go you, good luck, i agree with Johns a deadline does wonders for spuring you on. let us know how it goes.

Good move - agree re comment about spurring you on. I've also just entered myself for Grade 8 piano so can empathise with EEK ! I see it as a trial run as not sat a music exam since around 1979 and want to find out how I cope with the pressure. I'm seeing it as a learning curve - if I pass then that will be an added bonus, but is not my main aim. Good luck & just go for it.

Good luck. I'm sure you'll be fine

Wow!!!

Thanks guys for such lovely encouragement! I did think i'd be in for quite negative remarks, so thanks so much. I'm actually quite looking forward to doing it, and doing grade 2 aural tests should be a nice change from the recent ones i've done! Off to practice my E major sclaes...hands together...arghhhh!

Happy tinkling!

Try E major in contrary motion first - easy-peasy - and then similar motion. Might just help...

Yes - I agree.

And it's a nice memorable pattern - E, two black, two white, two black, E.

I'd like to add my voice to the others that have offered encouragement. But I would try to get a couple of lessons from a top-class teacher to establish some technical fundamentals before continuing to develop on your own. Or at least watch some videos of the recognised greats and try to copy them.

Nice to see you've come around to a serious instrument!

Don't forget to practise some simple sightreading pieces as well

Good Luck, you'll be fine!

Thanks all, I've now got my date; 5th July, so still quite a bit of time to practice. I certainly will try to go and hear some pro's and am also going to grab any chance I can to play on a real piano, mine is digital, and although the keys are supposedly weighted, I find a real piano feels really different!

Serious instrument?! I quite agree, although I don't think the piano will ever overtake my pure love of Classical saxophone!

Deadlines are pains!
Especially when they are in the middle of exams! ):
haha.
I'm doing my Grd 3 (:

When i did my grd 2 i did Garage Sale. ;D haha.
I also did one about a bee, and something else which sounded nice (:

Good luck you to gal!
But may i advise you get some lessons with someone who plays piano to a high standard?
Just to see if they can cover up some cracks (;

but well done to you! (:
I take my hat off.


I know someone who hasn't had a single lesson in his life, and he is up to about Grd 8 standard piano :/
Seriously.
"i practice for 3 hours a day"
as if.
He's naturally talented.
But he's big headed about it.


G.O.O.D L.U.C.K x

Good luck - your exam's the day after my Grade 4 - and my son's grade 2 - he's playing Bouree, the bee one and Garage Sale (which he loves!). I don't think the piano will overtake his love of the saxophone either - but perhaps not the classical bit

We have a digital piano too, but I had the chance to play on the exam centre piano on Monday, which was really worthwhile. I found that it has a really heavy action and you have to press the keys down hard to get fortissimo. It's quite hard to differentiate between loud and quiet on it.

YEY!!!

I did the exam, made lots of slips (I felt!) got shaky fingers, and had to play on a GRAND piano ....aaaarghhhh! a bit different from my digital!

but....by some divine intervention I've just found out I've got a distinction!! yey!!!

Thanks guys for all your encouragement, my confidence has had a little boost now and I may consider doing other grades, and learning lots of different repertoire, and getting some lessons to learn good technique!

Thanks again!!

Congratulations, thats a wonderful result.

ET