4 replies to this topic

[Gillybobs]

Hi folks, I have started taking lessons again after a 25+ year break - I got to grade 5 as a teenager and am trying to get myself back to that level before (hopefully one day) taking exams again - it would mean starting at grade 6.  Just wondered how realistic this is without having done grade 5 theory?  Have spent the last 2 weeks going through all the grade 5 scales and arpeggios again.  Feel I am getting there, but have much more difficulty remembering the scale patterns than I did in the early days.  It could be due to a lack of theory understanding?  Am beginning to think I relied on playing by ear much more than I realised...

 

Any advice much appreciated!

 

thanks :-) 

[Latin pianist]

If you're going to do Abrsm grade 6 you'll have to have done grade 5 theory. You could do another board that didn't require that, but I would suggest you did do it to help your understanding of keys etc. There are lots of resources these days if you don't want to do this with a teacher.

[BadStrad]

If I were you and thinking of doing exams, I would have started with grade one scales and pieces and worked up to grade five. If you don't have your old books of pieces then second hand syllabus material tends to be really cheap. You don't need to spend ages on this, but it might be a good "warm up" process.

[Gillybobs]

Thanks for this, I had a feeling grade 5 theory was required. I should maybe start at grade 3 for theory though. Have a feeling there are big gaps in my understanding although will look and see what resources are online. Practical is ok so far like you suggested Badstrad i have played around with easier stuff for about 6 months. Just thought it was time to really test myself and focus on it. Am enjoying learning piano in this digital world :-) all this info and online help is amazing. As well as the digital piano!! thanks again

[emmjay]

I started again after a 25-yr break as well. I was around Grade 8 when I stopped as a teenager, and started again as an adult at Grade 5 for exams. In hindsight I should have started at Grade 4, or even 3, because it took a while to get my scales and overall technique back.

I will say that as an adult, I really enjoyed studying for the theory exam. I would have hated it as a teen, but I was fascinated by it as an adult.