Should I learn piano by grades?

[dancook]

I'm 32, I started with my piano learning about 6 months ago, I have a lesson once a fortnight.

I don't practice scales or arpeggios (or even know how to spell that without Google).  My teacher would like me to, she hasn't forced the issue, I lack the motivation to do them.

The desire to try and play a specific piece of music is what motivates me to practice, each time trying to introduce some new challenge.

I've played a lot of different 'easy piano' music and my sight reading has come along quite well. I have also memorised an emotive song by Enya - which is something I try and play at least once whenever I'm on the piano. I've been trying some Coldplay lately, some of it has been difficult to match up the rhythm with the melody and get my hands work independently - some songs more successful than others.

I started to wonder whether I should continue as I am, or whether I should consider grading.

[mjames]

I don't think you have to practice aperggios and scales ALL the time but I think you should if you're a beginner. Helps you get accustomed to the piano. I think grades are important in the very beginning. After a few months you can branch of a little bit, but not too much! Learn one or two pieces that are the same or below your level and one piece that is above your level. Enough to challenge yourself, not to make yourself go crazy! Learn your limits. But don't take a piece that's WAY too hard. Like say....you're learning an invention......

and you decide to learn a ballade

No don't do that. Youll just ruin your progress.


But for now, i think you should just play according to your skill level. As you get better you'll begin to understand yourself and your own limits, and by that you'll be able to judge which pieces you'll be capable of playing...

For now, leave it to your teacher. AND LEARN YOUR SCALES AND APPERGISISSOOSOSOSO! Get comfortable with them, and after that you can focus on other daily exercises. That's my advice.

[cwjalex]

I believe there is no single 'best method' and that different approaches work differently from person to person.  If it is any consolation, the first 6 months of playing the piano I did the same thing you are doing and I progressed quickly and was learning grade 8 pieces after a few months.  I didn't learn any theory, play any scales, arpeggios, or exercises but just picked different pieces that I loved and wanted to play.  For me, finally being able to play pieces gave me a lot of motivation to keep playing and I am not sure I would have practiced as much if I were playing scales and exercises.  Perhaps I would have progressed faster if I had learned scales and arpeggios but I did well with the method you are doing.  After a while it is definitely beneficial to learn them but at the very beginning the most important thing is daily, consistent practice.  Practicing half an hour a day is more productive than practicing once a week for 5 hours.

I think it is important to not be afraid of difficult material and work on a couple pieces that are well beyond your ability.  It is these pieces that pushed me to improve the most and it also functions as a barometer of your progress.  You will slowly be able to play this once unplayable piece and the satisfaction you gain when you finally are able to play the piece will be tremendous.  You will have to learn it at a snails pace tempo but it is something you can constantly work on to improve.

[sarahyinlo]

It depends on you and your teacher on grades,and I agree with not trying things that are way out of reach. I like to set I higher goal and work up to it, play some things that are a difficult enough to be a challenge, but not ridiculously difficult.

Opinions also differ on finger exercises, but I think scales and arpeggios are really important in terms of playing skill and being familiar with the keys.
You can still play your music, but throw in 10 mins of scales and arps every day. It really helps. In a bad day when I only have 10 mins to practice, I'd do scales and arps.

[outin]

I don't think you have to practice aperggios and scales ALL the time but I think you should if you're a beginner.

My experience was quite the opposite. Scales and arpeggios only became useful and started to make sense after a couple of years (and after some theory study) even when working with a teacher. So whatever time I spent with them before that was mostly wasted. One should familiarize with scales as one learns music, but PRACTICING things like this is definitely not necessary in the beginning unless one wants to do exams. When one learns music, at one point it should become clear what one needs to practice.

But if someone finds it enjoyable to practice such things for no special reason, then why not

[hfmadopter]

 

[j_menz]

Ballades are the marathon

At, what, 8-12 minutes each, they seem a little short for a marathon.

[hfmadopter]

At, what, 8-12 minutes each, they seem a little short for a marathon.

Oh well.

[compline]

If you are thinking about taking grades, and enter exams,  you will be required to peform  scales, arpeggios for two octaves,  chromatic and probably contrary-motion scales, for two octaves.   Sight reading,  and a lot of other techical stuff according to the level of grade  you are taking.


I don't know how far advanced  you are already.  

[mjames]

But if someone finds it enjoyable to practice such things for no special reason, then why not

For me scales and arpeggios helped me a sh*t-tons with touch and improvising...
I also feel much more comfortable when I touch a piano.

It may not have been useful to you but it helped me a lot.

P.S. SHOUT-OUT TO AWESOME'S AWESOME FORMULA PATTERN ADVICE! It does wonders...

[outin]

For me scales and arpeggios helped me a sh*t-tons with touch and improvising...
I also feel much more comfortable when I touch a piano.

It may not have been useful to you but it helped me a lot.

I don't doubt it, since people and their needs vary so much.

[dancook]

Thanks all for comments,

I don't know how far advanced  you are already.  

I recorded myself playing Enya just now to demonstrate, if it's of any demonstrable value I certainly haven't perfected it, and can be guilty of rushing sometimes..

I spoke to my teach about grades, and I decided that the very idea of preparing for an exam was stressful to me. I decided that as a compromise it was time I add a more structured approach when practicing, I will start with scales.

She also said that I'd not have a problem with sight reading grade I.

[slane]

You don't have to sit exams to "study by grades". Just follow the syllabus as if its a method. But it seems that you don't like classical music, and AFAIK, any examination system is predominately classical

[pianoplunker]

Thanks all for comments,

I recorded myself playing Enya just now to demonstrate, if it's of any demonstrable value I certainly haven't perfected it, and can be guilty of rushing sometimes..

I spoke to my teach about grades, and I decided that the very idea of preparing for an exam was stressful to me. I decided that as a compromise it was time I add a more structured approach when practicing, I will start with scales.

She also said that I'd not have a problem with sight reading grade I.

Maybe start with the scale that belongs to Enya before you play it. But you must understand how the scale builds the music, otherwise you might be just be learning notes of scales and not really adding value to your music. That is something your teacher can help with. It is a good idea to keep Enya as a short piece you can always play. It sounds very nice.