Grade 3 Piano Exam - my first

[Tinkerbell]

I havent sat any music exams yet - I taught myself so far, then have had lessons for 2 or 3 months now.  I'm entering for my Grade 3 piano in March and I'm so panicking already.  I'm just starting everyday to practise scales/arpeggios etc.  and I am doing good on my A and B pieces, but I can't do the C one really at all (Tango(Argentine))......

I'm already worrynig because they ask you about beats and you have to do aural recognition and stuff in the exam don't you?  Can someone tell me what kind of stuff that is?

Also, hw hard will the sight reading pieces be???  Can i still pass if i botch up the aural and beat sections?  I@m a perfectionist and can't stand to fail anything, it really gets my self-confidece down.

Lau x

[ylling]

why rush into exam when you are not ready for it ?

[bernhard]

ylling is right.

The present syllabus is good up to the end of 2004. You can always do the exam in November.

Aural tests: get Ronald Smith's "Aural Training in Practice" Book I (grades 1 - 3), published by the ABRSM. It is essential that you get the CD that complements this book - it is sold separately. Work through the book and listen to the CD many times (do 5 - 10 minutes everyday) ins a systematic and consistent manner, and you should have no problems. Ask your teacher to help you.

In order to pass your exam you need a minimum of 100 points [20 points (maximum: 30) on each piece, 14 points (maximum: 21) on scales and arpeggios, 14 points (maximum 21) on sight reading, 12 points (maximum: 18 ) on aural tests].

However only the total amount of points is considered (even though they will not tell you this clearly). So it is theoretically possible to play your scales and pieces perfectly, get a total of 111 (90+21) points, completely flunk the sight-reading, and the aural, and still get a comfortable pass. I would not recommend such a strategy though. I would recommend that you make sure that your scales and pieces are as perfect as possible simply because these are the areas of the exam that are completely under your control. Sight reading and aural tests are always a surprise and you cannot guarantee the result as much as you can with the pieces and scales.

You can get more information about all this on Clara Taylor's booklet "These Music Exams" which is distributed for free by the ABRSM, just ask for a copy in any good music shop. Or you can read it online (plus a lot more material) on the ABRSM website:

https://www.abrsm.org/

Good luck!
Bernhard

[Tinkerbell]

I never think I am prepared for any exams, at school/college etc.  I was the same with this, I was unwilling to consider doing grade one or two at first!! I said yes to grade 3 because my teacher thinks i am currently capable of grade 4.  my only prob is I panic and hence trying to sort myself out now.  (easier as I have just bought a brand new Kawai k18!)  and i love piano so much that i practise/play in any free time I have.    I guess in that sense I've got plenty of time so I should be fine.  I just don't like the sounds of all these hidden surprises in the exam!!!!   LIke the aural and sight-reading......  also my method for timing is somewhat dubious.  complete instinct, which has worked on all but one piece!!  When I find i need to count for a piece,,,,,,kinda turns out I cant so thats got me in a bit of a fluster too.   I am sure I survive, and if I fail I will start again!    

......for my GCSE's i wanted them to be put back a year cos I was so panicy, i'm going to just chill now me thinks .....

[newsgroupeuan]

I'm already worrynig because they ask you about beats and you have to do aural recognition and stuff in the exam don't you?  Can someone tell me what kind of stuff that is?

It's not as difficult as it sounds.  

Beats - The examiner will ask you to say how many in beats in a bar for a short passage and tap the beats.

He will ask you -
describe the dynamics (forte, legato,  accelerando)

also you will have to sing back a two bar passage that he plays

Also, hw hard will the sight reading pieces be  Can i still pass if i botch up the aural and beat sections?  

They're not hard.  Most people screw the sight reading up anyway.  They don't expect miracles to happen.

sight reading will not present any difficulty - it's only grade 3!!! Your teacher estimates you at grade 4.

listen to bernhard's advice: it's very helpful

[eddie92099]

It is unlike you to be incorrect Bernhard, but...

So it is theoretically possible to play your scales and pieces perfectly, get a total of 111 (90+21) points, completely flunk the sight-reading, and the aural, and still get a comfortable pass.

In fact, there is also a minimum mark they can give of a third (6 for aural, 7 for sight-reading ). Therefore, even if you just go to the exam and don't play a note you will still get 50/150. Again, this is not a strategy to attempt,
Ed

[Tinkerbell]

So.....if i do really well in the pieces, and do my scales etc fine, if i don't do great on the aural it wont screw it all up?

My friends who all sat piano exams yeaaaaaaaaars ago when they were only wee, said they did crap in the aurals too cos they can't hold a note, and they all passed.  

I would love to do fantasically but i really just want to pass, would really boost my confidence!   I have Seen the example sight reading pieces in the music shop, they dnt look too bad.........!?
And i have gotten the free syllabus book thing they give out for the stringed isntruments......but it had nothing under the aural requirements?  Does anyone have anything like a syllabus for the Grade 3 piano that actualyl states what u must be able to do for that?

[bernhard]

but it had nothing under the aural requirements?  Does anyone have anything like a syllabus for the Grade 3 piano that actualyl states what u must be able to do for that?

You can get this information from the website I gave you before:

ABRSM website:

https://www.abrsm.org/

And the book I suggested:

Ronald Smith' "Aural Training in Practice" Book I (grades 1 - 3)

actually prepares you for the exam. It consists in fact of a series of mock exams, exactly like the one you will be doing. So get it, get the CD and work through it!

And Ed is right (he always is! ). I just could not be bothered to give all that detail. So relax because it is almost impossible to fail. (Although it happens - but I wonder how bad you would have to be!) The examiners are (in my experience) very nice and try to put you at ease. The philosophy behind the exams is not to penalise you for mistakes, but to give you extra points for anything right you do. So rather than entering the room with 150 points that will be eroded by tiny mistakes, you enter the room with 50 points, and anything right you do adds to it.  Ain't the ABRSm nice?

Good luck in your exam (and if you really want to do well, do it in November!)

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[bernhard]

I can't do the C one really at all (Tango(Argentine))......

What's the problem?

[Tinkerbell]

Ed, you say the Grade3 is easy but heyyyyy of course is it for u when you've already way past it!   For us mere mortals just starting its still difficult :-/
hmm actually ok not really difficult so much, as .....a new thing

Thanks for the replies, Bernhard.

Yes sorry I just skim read your earlier post as I was in a rush, whoops, I see now thankyou.  I shall have to see what my budget allows! (I am a student, have pity for poor students.....(violin plays softly in bkground!!!)

Well my teacher said today that i am basically prepared for the exam now, I could pass both my first pieces, just got to "perfect" them she said now.  The third, she said I am well on with and I guess its just needing practise, but.......i didn't like any of the C pieces, but out of the three this one was the nicest sounding and most interesting too play, not techinically difficult.....

It is odd because all of the stuff my teacher said to learn before, i could learn in the week before the next lesson.  That I guess is why I don't like this, cos i can't do it in a week or less!  I am a perfectionist.....  so I get really irritated with it and practice practice practice til its right (obviously, as I know everyone else will with piano pieces too)

Today for the first time my C piece sort of clicked... hope it continues.   My main prob in most of them is, my teacher said I learn things quite quickly (most of the time)  and I#'ll accidentally memorise a piece if its short enough, like the exam pieces.  then, half way through looking at the exam paper and playing the piece i sort of go GOD I'm not actually reading this music, get flustered, look for where i'm up to on the page to feel reassured, and then flub around on the piano !!    Thats my main nit-grit-anger at myself in general!    

[eddie92099]

Ed, you say the Grade3 is easy but heyyyyy of course is it for u when you've already way past it!   For us mere mortals just starting its still difficult :-/
hmm actually ok not really difficult so much, as .....a new thing

We were all there once ,
Ed

[Tinkerbell]

Well yes I supposek so!  Only I think I would have taken it more in my stride 10 years ago or so.  And it would have let me use it as a stress-relief for all the stress I go through and before I had nothing as a relief, but now i sit and tinker.   My Section C Piece made sense for the first time today, I played it through at speed with no mistakes!  I guess I may just survive.