Ambitious plan, need help.

[pianofrenzy]

Hi,

A little background about myself..I've been playing piano for around 6 years, but I never played seriously. My level is around 5, but I never took the test yet so officially I'm still level 2.

Now, I'm in grade 11 and my slow progress is seriously...a shame. With the amount of time I had, I should've reached grade 10 by now.

So here's my plan. I have over 1 year till grade 12, and I my goal is to reach level 10 by that time. I want to spend the year fully concentrating on studying for the exam. I will skip all the levels in between...

Now please don't laugh at me, or say it's impossible, or flame me. I have determination, and if I have to, I WILL play 3-4 hours a day.

All I want is to pass that grade 10 exam, so that all these years of lessons and training isn't wasted.

I'm just wondering, what do I need to pass RCM Grade 10? What are the requirements? And what books do I need to buy?

Thanks,
Jim

[bellywelly]

 

a VERY ambitious plan...and, just stating my opinion (dont shoot me), i dont reckon you WILL get through 5 grades in a year with just 3-4 hrs a day, especially when the higher grades require more and more when they go up.

thinking MATHEMATICALLY for the normal rate people go through grades, you're trying to fit in 5 years worth of hard work into 1 year. And in that one year, people usually practise 1-2 hours, times that by 5, it's 5-10 hrs a day of piano practise, to go 5 times the speed of a grade a year.

but, that was just all maths. music is different i guess. if your mozart, you'll go through 5 grades in a minute. if your musically challenged, you'll go through 5 grades in 100000000 years.
so..it really depends on yourself. (but, if you're a normal person with some talent, you'll have to try extra hard to do that)

despite all my maths, BEST WISHES 

PS sorry, i dont know MUCH about the RCM syllabus. 

[guendola]

Good luck indeed! Some people get astonishing results in less time than anyone would guess, but they are the very exception to the rule. Better don't spend too much time on internet forums, you have more ímportant things to do for now
(3-4 hours a day sounds much, but you better have a real good plan for the details)

[quantum]

There is a huge difference between grade 5 and 10 RCM.  First thing I suggest you do is get a syllabus.  You will need it as Grade 10 is very lengthy and detailed in its requirements.  

Keep in mind in Gr 10 you are asked to know all technical elements in all keys. You don't need to do technique for Performers ARCT (the next level up).  You won't be asked to play all of it, only selections.  You will only find out the details during the exam, so you need to prepare all elements in all keys.  For example Major scale in B, Solid chords in G# min root position, broken chords A maj 2nd inversion, D major formula pattern, octave scales in F minor, 3rd scales in Bb major, 6th scales in E major, etc.  The marks weighting for this section of the exam is much less than the weighting for repertoire, so plan your practicing accordingly.

You could get by using the RCM books for grade 10, but they don't give everything in the syllabus.  Choose pieces you like, rather than use the convenience of the books.  By this stage of development students would be encouraged to be less dependent on the grade books for choosing repertoire and start searching on their own for music they like.  Thus my suggestion to get the syllabus.  I don't have it in front of me, but I believe it is 5 pieces and 2 studies.  

You will need to fill in a lot of gaps in knowledge, but you may wish to take a look at the repertoire first.  Baroque counterpoint may be new to you, as well as 20th century music.  Normally one would ease into Bach before attempting a WTC P&F.  

Why such a hurry to pass the exam?  Are you applying to music in university?  If it is only a personal challenge, why not wait a few years.  Just because you don't finish Grade 10 before you graduate high school doesn't mean you've wasted your music training.  

[rejoyce]

Nothing good ever comes from taking short cuts. They tend to catch up with you in the "rear" end. IMHO, It would be a waste of your muscial training to take this short cut. But that's just my opinion.

[nanabush]

I would suggest buying the syllabus.  There's a TON of cool stuff in there that isn't in the Grade books.  Look around, check youtube, imslp, and pick stuff that you really want to play.  IMO the Grade 6-8 books sucked in terms of repertoire (studies weren't so bad for Grade 7-8).

Start learning all of your keys, buy a theory book, understand the circle of fifths.  It's alot easier understanding the keys behind the technical stuff rather than memorizing the notes.  If you understand the key signature of G# minor for example, you'll find playing broken chords alot easier than if you had to memorize each note without knowing why.

I'd get some stuff between grade 5-7 for a few months.  Look at some Bach two part inventions (everything List A grade 9 and above has lots of finger work and hand independence, so you can't short change that).

So, start by buying a syllabus, it tells you EVERYTHING!  Then, start checking off the techniques that you know, and start looking at the newer ones.  Don't jump straight to grade 10, you'll have a hell of a time doing that.  Work on perfecting what you have so far, and add a few bit by bit.  In no time, you'll have doubled the stuff you do technique-wise.

Try playing 2 pieces from each list for Grade 5, and 3 studies.  Then grab some grade 6 studies, and play a few from each list.  If you are determined, then 3-4 hours practice a day should allow you to progress quite fast (if you use your time well).  Don't jump straight to grade 10, or you will end up going through note by note VERY slowly, like a Grade 1 student playing something from Grade 6.  Spend a few weeks playing lots of stuff at your current level.  Then maybe 4-6 weeks on grade 6 (choosing a few different pieces and studies).

Another good thing to do; once you've reached a Grade 6 level, and you feel comfortable, try sight reading a grade 5 piece.  If it takes you an hour to play 2 lines of it, then you definitely should not go up to grade 7.  Going back and playing stuff a level or two lower is a good gauge for your current level, and is great for sight reading (another pain in the a** for the upper grades).

Listen to lots of music, try picking out the harmonies, relate them to stuff you play, and your scales.  It's better for ear training than sitting at the piano playing the same chord over again yelling to yourself "this is major!" or "this is a minor 6th!".  There are a bunch of people I know who got to Grade 9 or 10, but get 3/10 or 4/10 on ear tests.

As people were saying, don't jump ahead.  You'll kill yourself; it's like starting a martial art and jumping to red or black belt.  You'll get destroyed if you haven't worked your way up to it.  It's not logical for a yellow belt guy to go straight to the black belt stuff - his technique will probably suck, he'll tire himself out, and he won't understand a thing.

Take your time.  People can pass a few grades in a year with 15-20 minutes of practice a day, so if you stay true to your word, 3 hours a day (an off day is ok) will take you somewhere.  Enjoy it, don't race to the top.

If you want suggestions for different pieces between grades 5-10, I've seen and heard every piece in those books a hundred times over, and I know the syllabus like the back of my hand.  I can suggest tons of stuff to keep you busy.