abrsm or trinity for piano
Hi guys ,
ive started my piano journey but have come to a point to decide which exam board to use. I have done some research and found out that abrsm has a more traditional approach whereas trinity is more modern.
Does anyone have any advice on which exam board to choose?
ive started my piano journey but have come to a point to decide which exam board to use. I have done some research and found out that abrsm has a more traditional approach whereas trinity is more modern.
Does anyone have any advice on which exam board to choose?
Scroll to see replies
I can't comment on practical exams as I've only done performance ones, but I've done ABRSM Grade 5 piano performance and am now doing Trinity for the higher ones as I haven't done the theory required for ABRSM. In terms of pieces, I feel Trinity has a broader range of pieces and I've enjoyed learning them more than the ABRSM ones.
(Performance is where you play 4 pieces as one performance, without the scales and stuff so in some ways it's harder as you have to do well in fewer things to make up for lack of scales etc.)
Are you starting with Grade 1, and are you with a teacher?
(Performance is where you play 4 pieces as one performance, without the scales and stuff so in some ways it's harder as you have to do well in fewer things to make up for lack of scales etc.)
Are you starting with Grade 1, and are you with a teacher?
Yes im planning to do grade 1 but without a teacher
Do you want to go traditional and do practical exams? These include playing three pieces, scales, arpeggios and all the rest of it, and I'd say probably ABRSM for those.
If you want to do performance, you choose four pieces from the lists and record yourself playing them in a continuous take. For this I'd suggest looking at the pieces that both exam boards offer to see which ones you'd prefer to learn, as especially without a teacher you'll need lots of motivation, and learning pieces you want to play makes a big difference.
Ultimately it is your decision, and both exam boards are very highly respected, but ABRSM are more well known to everyone so if you're doing practical then I'd suggest them.
It is also worth looking at the theory, I use the ABRSM workbooks and would recommend those. Even if you don't do theory exams it's useful having some under your belt.
I believe ABRSM has some apps that help with scales and piece learning and theory, they're not free but that's something else to look into.
If you want to do performance, you choose four pieces from the lists and record yourself playing them in a continuous take. For this I'd suggest looking at the pieces that both exam boards offer to see which ones you'd prefer to learn, as especially without a teacher you'll need lots of motivation, and learning pieces you want to play makes a big difference.
Ultimately it is your decision, and both exam boards are very highly respected, but ABRSM are more well known to everyone so if you're doing practical then I'd suggest them.
It is also worth looking at the theory, I use the ABRSM workbooks and would recommend those. Even if you don't do theory exams it's useful having some under your belt.
I believe ABRSM has some apps that help with scales and piece learning and theory, they're not free but that's something else to look into.
Hi there!
From my experience doing ABRSM piano exams all the way to grade 8, I would say that had a slight lack in variety of choices and styles, whereas I think Trinity you have more options in that regard. However, if music is something you are really wanting to pursue then I would recommend ABRSM, as although doing the theory may feel like a pain to do now, it will help you so much more than you realise in your future training and career in music. Furthermore, ABRSM you’re forced to do scales, arpeggios, sight-reading and aural tests, which again although may feel like a pain they are so useful for your general musicianship and technique. But in contrast to that, because Trinity gives you the option to do 4 pieces instead of scales and arpeggios, that does make it more accessible if you really do struggle with the more “traditional” exercises and technique.
I hope this has helped. Have a good think about it, but I’m sure that whatever decision you make will be the right one for you!
Best wishes,
Rose Warburton (she/her)
Actor-Musician, 3rd year
From my experience doing ABRSM piano exams all the way to grade 8, I would say that had a slight lack in variety of choices and styles, whereas I think Trinity you have more options in that regard. However, if music is something you are really wanting to pursue then I would recommend ABRSM, as although doing the theory may feel like a pain to do now, it will help you so much more than you realise in your future training and career in music. Furthermore, ABRSM you’re forced to do scales, arpeggios, sight-reading and aural tests, which again although may feel like a pain they are so useful for your general musicianship and technique. But in contrast to that, because Trinity gives you the option to do 4 pieces instead of scales and arpeggios, that does make it more accessible if you really do struggle with the more “traditional” exercises and technique.
I hope this has helped. Have a good think about it, but I’m sure that whatever decision you make will be the right one for you!
Best wishes,
Rose Warburton (she/her)
Actor-Musician, 3rd year
Original post by University of Surrey Student Rep
Hi there!
From my experience doing ABRSM piano exams all the way to grade 8, I would say that had a slight lack in variety of choices and styles, whereas I think Trinity you have more options in that regard. However, if music is something you are really wanting to pursue then I would recommend ABRSM, as although doing the theory may feel like a pain to do now, it will help you so much more than you realise in your future training and career in music. Furthermore, ABRSM you’re forced to do scales, arpeggios, sight-reading and aural tests, which again although may feel like a pain they are so useful for your general musicianship and technique. But in contrast to that, because Trinity gives you the option to do 4 pieces instead of scales and arpeggios, that does make it more accessible if you really do struggle with the more “traditional” exercises and technique.
I hope this has helped. Have a good think about it, but I’m sure that whatever decision you make will be the right one for you!
Best wishes,
Rose Warburton (she/her)
Actor-Musician, 3rd year
From my experience doing ABRSM piano exams all the way to grade 8, I would say that had a slight lack in variety of choices and styles, whereas I think Trinity you have more options in that regard. However, if music is something you are really wanting to pursue then I would recommend ABRSM, as although doing the theory may feel like a pain to do now, it will help you so much more than you realise in your future training and career in music. Furthermore, ABRSM you’re forced to do scales, arpeggios, sight-reading and aural tests, which again although may feel like a pain they are so useful for your general musicianship and technique. But in contrast to that, because Trinity gives you the option to do 4 pieces instead of scales and arpeggios, that does make it more accessible if you really do struggle with the more “traditional” exercises and technique.
I hope this has helped. Have a good think about it, but I’m sure that whatever decision you make will be the right one for you!
Best wishes,
Rose Warburton (she/her)
Actor-Musician, 3rd year
You can do the four pieces with ABRSM too, without the other exercises, but yes there is less of a choice than Trinity.
thanks for the recommendations but would you say that trinity is more straightforward? Piano is more of a hobby to take of my mind off things especially with exams coming up.
Original post by unaveragestudent
thanks for the recommendations but would you say that trinity is more straightforward? Piano is more of a hobby to take of my mind off things especially with exams coming up.
Have a look at some of the pieces offered for both, and see which ones you would prefer to play. With Trinity you can buy the pdf of their available pieces (their website can be a bit annoying to navigate so make sure you buy the right thing) and then in the extended edition you get around 20 pieces (for grade 6 anyway, but I'd imagine there are a lot for 1 as well) so then you can learn a bunch of ability-appropriate pieces, not just three or four for the exams.
Honestly, exams aren't the be all and end all, as long as you're enjoying it then it's fine. I've played for almost a decade now and have only just started doing some exams and started with grade 5. I'm doing music GCSE and will take the A-level, and enjoyment of music is really the most important thing. Lack of grades has not hindered me at all and I have always just played what I wanted to.
If you don't enjoy just doing the grades then the exam selections of pieces are useful generally just to improve, and if you decide not to do grades right away then you'll be clearer on what sort of thing they're after if you do decide to do them.
To be honest though if you are without a teacher then grades are good in that they'll provide a clear structure for your piano journey, and you'll be able to see how much you improve.
Original post by Haruspe
Have a look at some of the pieces offered for both, and see which ones you would prefer to play. With Trinity you can buy the pdf of their available pieces (their website can be a bit annoying to navigate so make sure you buy the right thing) and then in the extended edition you get around 20 pieces (for grade 6 anyway, but I'd imagine there are a lot for 1 as well) so then you can learn a bunch of ability-appropriate pieces, not just three or four for the exams.
Honestly, exams aren't the be all and end all, as long as you're enjoying it then it's fine. I've played for almost a decade now and have only just started doing some exams and started with grade 5. I'm doing music GCSE and will take the A-level, and enjoyment of music is really the most important thing. Lack of grades has not hindered me at all and I have always just played what I wanted to.
If you don't enjoy just doing the grades then the exam selections of pieces are useful generally just to improve, and if you decide not to do grades right away then you'll be clearer on what sort of thing they're after if you do decide to do them.
To be honest though if you are without a teacher then grades are good in that they'll provide a clear structure for your piano journey, and you'll be able to see how much you improve.
Honestly, exams aren't the be all and end all, as long as you're enjoying it then it's fine. I've played for almost a decade now and have only just started doing some exams and started with grade 5. I'm doing music GCSE and will take the A-level, and enjoyment of music is really the most important thing. Lack of grades has not hindered me at all and I have always just played what I wanted to.
If you don't enjoy just doing the grades then the exam selections of pieces are useful generally just to improve, and if you decide not to do grades right away then you'll be clearer on what sort of thing they're after if you do decide to do them.
To be honest though if you are without a teacher then grades are good in that they'll provide a clear structure for your piano journey, and you'll be able to see how much you improve.
for trinity what resources do you need? i've seen that abrsm has a bunch of different books (arpeggios and scales ect)
Original post by unaveragestudent
for trinity what resources do you need? i've seen that abrsm has a bunch of different books (arpeggios and scales ect)
Yeah so it depends on what you do.
If you go down the practical route with ABRSM, you'd get a book with 9 pieces and you'd choose 3 (there are more pieces available that aren't in the book too), and you'd also get a separate scales book. The scales book also has the arpeggios and broken chords and stuff.
Then there's the aural book, and when I got that in 2017 for grade 1 (which I ended up not doing) it came with a disc to help, I'd imagine it's more online now? Not sure though, so I'd check that. That has listening practice and stuff.
There are also sight reading books. I'm not sure if you need all of them, I just bought what my first teacher told me to, so if you do that route then check with someone else what you need. It may be different to when I was studying for them.
When I did Grade 5 ABRSM it was the 4 piece performance, and so I just bought the book and also did one piece that wasn't in the book that I got a copy of. ABRSM has 3 lists, A B C, you choose 1 from each list and then a fourth piece of the same level. My fourth piece was an ABRSM Grade 5 piece from another year, so if you do ABRSM performance then it's easiest to take the fourth piece from one of their lists as then they can't dispute the difficulty level.
With Trinity, all I bought was one pdf from their website. You can get the normal version or the extended version. I wanted some pieces from the extended version so I bought that one. It has about 20 pieces in it so I've printed the 4 I'm playing. Trinity is divided into 2 lists, A and B, and you have to choose at least 1 from each. List A is more technical, it has more classical stuff, and List B is more sort of emotional? That's how I'd describe it. You can mix and match though like I'm doing 3 from B and 1 from A. Both lists have a wide variety though and even though I don't like a lot of the A pieces the one I've chosen is really jazzy and it's well cool. I am enjoying it more than the ABRSM one.
Basically, yeah you're right: practical exams you need a few books, performance exams you need one book/pdf and can print.
I would say though Trinity are very funny about buying their pdfs, and you can't just photocopy like I did with some ABRSM stuff. The pdfs have your order number on each page, and in the video that you'd submit for the exam I think you have to show the order number on camera to prove you've bought it legitimately.
Original post by Haruspe
I can't comment on practical exams as I've only done performance ones, but I've done ABRSM Grade 5 piano performance and am now doing Trinity for the higher ones as I haven't done the theory required for ABRSM. In terms of pieces, I feel Trinity has a broader range of pieces and I've enjoyed learning them more than the ABRSM ones.
(Performance is where you play 4 pieces as one performance, without the scales and stuff so in some ways it's harder as you have to do well in fewer things to make up for lack of scales etc.)
Are you starting with Grade 1, and are you with a teacher?
(Performance is where you play 4 pieces as one performance, without the scales and stuff so in some ways it's harder as you have to do well in fewer things to make up for lack of scales etc.)
Are you starting with Grade 1, and are you with a teacher?
Who told you you have to do theory for ABRSM? You can do jazz grade 5 instead.
Original post by Muttley79
Who told you you have to do theory for ABRSM? You can do jazz grade 5 instead.
For above Grade 5 performance you need Grade 5 theory.
(edited 2 months ago)
Original post by Haruspe
For above Grade 5 performance you need Grade 5 theory.
You don't - my son took ABRSM exams up and including to grade 8.
He did not do theory but took grade 5 jazz.
"If you are taking a Practical or Performance Grade 6, 7 or 8, you must pass Grade 5 or above in Music Theory before you book your exam. This is to ensure that you have the understanding you need to successfully interpret and perform music at these higher grades. We also accept Grade 5 in Practical Musicianship or a Jazz Practical Grade subject."
https://www.abrsm.org/en-gb/music-theory/about-music-theory
(edited 2 months ago)
Original post by Muttley79
You don't - my son took ABRSM exams up and including to grade 8.
He did not do theory but took grade 5 jazz.
"If you are taking a Practical or Performance Grade 6, 7 or 8, you must pass Grade 5 or above in Music Theory before you book your exam. This is to ensure that you have the understanding you need to successfully interpret and perform music at these higher grades. We also accept Grade 5 in Practical Musicianship or a Jazz Practical Grade subject."
https://www.abrsm.org/en-gb/music-theory/about-music-theory
He did not do theory but took grade 5 jazz.
"If you are taking a Practical or Performance Grade 6, 7 or 8, you must pass Grade 5 or above in Music Theory before you book your exam. This is to ensure that you have the understanding you need to successfully interpret and perform music at these higher grades. We also accept Grade 5 in Practical Musicianship or a Jazz Practical Grade subject."
https://www.abrsm.org/en-gb/music-theory/about-music-theory
Yes, and the Practical Musicianship and Jazz Practical Grades are different exams to the ones I was talking about. From what I can tell, the Practical Musicianship involves different skills than the performance or regular practical exams.
About the Practical Musicianship exams:
'Approximately one minute of preparation time is allowed for the following tests: • singing/playing at sight • improvising (from Grade 4) • transposing at sight • realizing a figured bass'
https://www.abrsm.org/sites/default/files/2023-09/praccomplete10.pdf
That is a completely different thing to the others, and whilst I understand the linked document is slightly older, it uses exactly the same phrasing as what you quoted, so it must be a very similar exam.
And also when you said 'You can do Jazz Grade 5 instead', again that is a separate thing. I'm not disputing what you're saying, and ok there are alternatives to doing the theory, but I am just talking about the regular Practical and Performance exams, which test the skills that most people learn right from the beginning- playing pieces and learning scales etc. Jazz, and things such as figured bass are not things that every pianist will learn right away, and as such are not the routes that people would expect to go down when taking exams, especially without a teacher.
I'm not trying to argue, and I didn't know there were alternatives so thank you for making me aware of that, however you have to admit that Jazz and the Practical Musicianship exams are not what most people would consider when they go to take a piano exam, especially just using them as a way to get from Grade 5 to Grade 6!
Seeing as how the op is currently at Grade 1 though, I think they have a few more years before needing to worry about Grade 6. 🙂
Original post by Haruspe
Yes, and the Practical Musicianship and Jazz Practical Grades are different exams to the ones I was talking about. From what I can tell, the Practical Musicianship involves different skills than the performance or regular practical exams.
About the Practical Musicianship exams:
'Approximately one minute of preparation time is allowed for the following tests: • singing/playing at sight • improvising (from Grade 4) • transposing at sight • realizing a figured bass'
https://www.abrsm.org/sites/default/files/2023-09/praccomplete10.pdf
That is a completely different thing to the others, and whilst I understand the linked document is slightly older, it uses exactly the same phrasing as what you quoted, so it must be a very similar exam.
And also when you said 'You can do Jazz Grade 5 instead', again that is a separate thing. I'm not disputing what you're saying, and ok there are alternatives to doing the theory, but I am just talking about the regular Practical and Performance exams, which test the skills that most people learn right from the beginning- playing pieces and learning scales etc. Jazz, and things such as figured bass are not things that every pianist will learn right away, and as such are not the routes that people would expect to go down when taking exams, especially without a teacher.
I'm not trying to argue, and I didn't know there were alternatives so thank you for making me aware of that, however you have to admit that Jazz and the Practical Musicianship exams are not what most people would consider when they go to take a piano exam, especially just using them as a way to get from Grade 5 to Grade 6!
Seeing as how the op is currently at Grade 1 though, I think they have a few more years before needing to worry about Grade 6. 🙂
About the Practical Musicianship exams:
'Approximately one minute of preparation time is allowed for the following tests: • singing/playing at sight • improvising (from Grade 4) • transposing at sight • realizing a figured bass'
https://www.abrsm.org/sites/default/files/2023-09/praccomplete10.pdf
That is a completely different thing to the others, and whilst I understand the linked document is slightly older, it uses exactly the same phrasing as what you quoted, so it must be a very similar exam.
And also when you said 'You can do Jazz Grade 5 instead', again that is a separate thing. I'm not disputing what you're saying, and ok there are alternatives to doing the theory, but I am just talking about the regular Practical and Performance exams, which test the skills that most people learn right from the beginning- playing pieces and learning scales etc. Jazz, and things such as figured bass are not things that every pianist will learn right away, and as such are not the routes that people would expect to go down when taking exams, especially without a teacher.
I'm not trying to argue, and I didn't know there were alternatives so thank you for making me aware of that, however you have to admit that Jazz and the Practical Musicianship exams are not what most people would consider when they go to take a piano exam, especially just using them as a way to get from Grade 5 to Grade 6!
Seeing as how the op is currently at Grade 1 though, I think they have a few more years before needing to worry about Grade 6. 🙂
Yes but you were wrong - my son had no lessons to do grade 5 jazz and used one of the pieces for his GCSE performance.
You don't have to take jazz in the same instrument btw.
Original post by Muttley79
Yes but you were wrong - my son had no lessons to do grade 5 jazz and used one of the pieces for his GCSE performance.
You don't have to take jazz in the same instrument btw.
You don't have to take jazz in the same instrument btw.
Yes I admit that I was unaware of that as an option, but I mean it's still a separate thing and a different exam. You can't just go straight from 5 to 6, and the Jazz exams also include scales etc, which aren't in the performance exams. If op chooses to go down the performance grade route, there is less of a focus on scales etc as these aren't assessed in those exams.
That's what I was talking about in my original posts- I went to Trinity for above Grade 5 because they don't require an extra assessment, regardless of what it is. If I wanted to do the scales and stuff I would have gone for the practical exams in the first place, but this is largely from the performance exam pov.
Original post by Haruspe
Yes I admit that I was unaware of that as an option, but I mean it's still a separate thing and a different exam. You can't just go straight from 5 to 6, and the Jazz exams also include scales etc, which aren't in the performance exams. If op chooses to go down the performance grade route, there is less of a focus on scales etc as these aren't assessed in those exams.
That's what I was talking about in my original posts- I went to Trinity for above Grade 5 because they don't require an extra assessment, regardless of what it is. If I wanted to do the scales and stuff I would have gone for the practical exams in the first place, but this is largely from the performance exam pov.
That's what I was talking about in my original posts- I went to Trinity for above Grade 5 because they don't require an extra assessment, regardless of what it is. If I wanted to do the scales and stuff I would have gone for the practical exams in the first place, but this is largely from the performance exam pov.
Theory is a different exam too.
Original post by Muttley79
Theory is a different exam too.
Exactly. That's what I meant by me going to Trinity because you need another exam (which I have only come across before as Grade 5 Theory) to do higher with ABRSM. I am talking performance grades as my personal experience, and also describing my experience to op (and even the practical ones need another exam- whether that be theory or, as you rightfully enlightened me to, jazz/practical musicianship grades).
Both of our points still stand- mine that you cannot go straight from 5 to 6 with ABRSM, and that you need to do another exam, and yours that yes, I was wrong in stating you 'need' theory as there are two other options, even if they do test different skills to the performance exams.
Original post by Haruspe
Exactly. That's what I meant by me going to Trinity because you need another exam (which I have only come across before as Grade 5 Theory) to do higher with ABRSM. I am talking performance grades as my personal experience, and also describing my experience to op (and even the practical ones need another exam- whether that be theory or, as you rightfully enlightened me to, jazz/practical musicianship grades).
Both of our points still stand- mine that you cannot go straight from 5 to 6 with ABRSM, and that you need to do another exam, and yours that yes, I was wrong in stating you 'need' theory as there are two other options, even if they do test different skills to the performance exams.
Both of our points still stand- mine that you cannot go straight from 5 to 6 with ABRSM, and that you need to do another exam, and yours that yes, I was wrong in stating you 'need' theory as there are two other options, even if they do test different skills to the performance exams.
Grade 5 jazz is a performance exam ...you play pieces just as you do for other grades.
Original post by Muttley79
Grade 5 jazz is a performance exam ...you play pieces just as you do for other grades.
Fine, you got me. When I first looked it just said practical. You win 🙂
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