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Music grades: what's your average (pass, merit, distinction)

10

Violin
Grade 1: distinction
Grade 2: distinction
Grade 3: distinction
Grade 4: merit
Grade 5: merit

So my average is distinction (although perhaps not for long). Not going to lie, I was dissapointed with my merit even though I knew I performed pretty badly in the exam. I'll just have to make up fot it with distinctions in grades 6-8 :tongue:

Also, do you prefer ABRSM or Trinity, and have you found any differences in diffulty level?

Reply 1

Pedro-the-dude

3

Original post

by Chaofan88

I'll just have to make up fot it with distinctions in grades 6-8 :tongue:

I wouldn't be expecting anything special in 6-8 just because of your previous results,
I had a similar run as you but in my grade 8 I got my all time lowest score... (Though I did it on the same day, same examiner and same instrument as my friend who's going to music college and he only beat me by two marks, so it can't be that bad :P)

Grade 8 is a beast of an exam and you shouldn't go into it half heartedly.

(All my exams were done with ABRSM)

Reply 2

Leigh303

7

I've always done ABRSM although people are recommending trinity for me now...

violin
grade 1 - distinction
grade 2 - distinction
grade 3 - distinction (139/150!)
grade 4 - merit
grade 5 - distinction (139 again)
grade 6 - merit
grade 7 - on course for distinction hopefully...

Descant recorder
(with no lessons/teaching)
grade 5 - distinction (139 again... I WILL HIT 140 one day!!)
unfortunately g5 is highest you can go :frown:

Treble recorder
(completely self taught, went straight in at grade 6)
grade 6 - distinction
grade 7/grade 8 to be taken soon... havent decided which to do yet, idk whether its worth doing 7. such are the joys of having no teacher!

Might do some piano exams as well, probably should haha

Reply 3

Seble

11

My Average for all my instruments together is a merit. I have received a distinction twice on the flute grade 4&5

Reply 4

SteveCrain

It was distinction till about grade 4 or 5, when my grade was relegated by my singing skills

Reply 5

Lintu93

18

I think I'm averaging a merit (albeit a low one). I had really high merits on all my lower and middle grades, but low merits on all my higher grades (6 and 7), except for my grade 8 - horrendously low pass. 100/150. :eek:

There seems to be a correlation on all my instruments that I'm gradually doing worse in exams.

Oh well, at least most non-musical people don't know about the pass/merit/distinction boundaries so I can impress them with "I've done grade 8". (It does get slightly awkward when musical people reply with "oooh, did you get a decent mark?" :nothing:

)

(edited 14 years ago)

Reply 6

jaheen22

12

I'm pretty sure I average out on a merit, quite a high one possibly. I can remember getting at least two distinctions, and quite a number of merits too. This is piano btw.

Reply 7

Chaofan88

OP

10

Original post

by Pedro-the-dude

I wouldn't be expecting anything special in 6-8 just because of your previous results,
I had a similar run as you but in my grade 8 I got my all time lowest score... (Though I did it on the same day, same examiner and same instrument as my friend who's going to music college and he only beat me by two marks, so it can't be that bad :P)

Grade 8 is a beast of an exam and you shouldn't go into it half heartedly.

(All my exams were done with ABRSM)

I was (mostly) joking there. The problem is I didn't really prepare that much for grade 5 and my voice completely screwed up on the day (14/18 for aural- I usually get 17-18 :frown:

) I'm capable of getting distinction, but I didn't practice properly and let my nerves get the better of me which is why I'm a little disappointed. I think simply passing grade 8 is a massive achievement :smile:

Reply 8

Lintu93

18

Original post

by Gemma :)!

..I have this obsession with learning new instruments, but I got bored before I get to a hugely good standard. Cornet is the main one I am keeping up. Can't decide what to learn next; I want G1 in as many instruments as possible. I know, I lead a sad, sad life.

Same! One of my lifetime ambitions is to do grade 8 in as many instruments as possible. :colondollar:

No one understands me when I tell them that.

(I think I might have just out-sadded you...?)

Reply 9

userna-me*

17

Grade B: Music GCSE. I'd say that's pass?

Reply 10

xoxAngel_Kxox

21

Original post

by Lintu93

Same! One of my lifetime ambitions is to do grade 8 in as many instruments as possible. :colondollar:

No one understands me when I tell them that.

(I think I might have just out-sadded you...?)

Not out-sadded, you just have more staying power :biggrin:

I get bored of new instruments once I know what they can do, and it just makes me want to move onto something else :')

Reply 11

UnashamedLiberal

Grade 3 Piano: Merit
Grade 4 Piano: Distinction
Grade 5 Piano: Merit
Grade 5 Theory: Distinction (Full marks, OH YEAH! :biggrin:

)
Grade 6 Piano: Distinction
Grade 7 Piano: Distinction (by one mark :L)

Reply 12

caiitlinz

13

Well, I passed my Grade 2 Piano :cool:

And got a merit for Grade 6 singing.

I'm really not very musical :tongue:

Reply 13

Billy Pilgrim

10

Not a fan of music exams. Music shouldn't be about scoring points.

Reply 14

username196545

19

Merit.

Reply 15

PianoKeys4

8

Original post

by Billy Pilgrim

Not a fan of music exams. Music shouldn't be about scoring points.

This.

Reply 16

Gemzaar

2

Piano
1- merit
2- Distinction
3- Distinction
4- Merit
5- Merit

Violin
1-Merit
2-Pass
3-Merit
4-Merit
5-Merit

I usually get merit which I'm pleased with. But i did get a distinction in my Grade 5 theory last year which I was surprised about
I have usually always done ABRSM, however for the Grade 7 in Violin I am doing in the summer term I am doing it on Trinity. Whereas I am doing the same grade in Piano on ABRSM. I would say Trinity is easier as you don't have to do scales ( extracts from tricky orchestral pieces instead) and the aurals are a bit different. I prefer the pieces in ABRSM, or maybe its just the piano that I prefer :smile:

Reply 17

Lintu93

18

Original post

by Gemzaar

I have usually always done ABRSM, however for the Grade 7 in Violin I am doing in the summer term I am doing it on Trinity. Whereas I am doing the same grade in Piano on ABRSM. I would say Trinity is easier as you don't have to do scales (extracts from tricky orchestral pieces instead) and the aurals are a bit different. I prefer the pieces in ABRSM, or maybe its just the piano that I prefer :smile:

Yes, I'd say that Trinity is easier too (well, for the clarinet at least). No scales - and I thought that the orchestral extracts (the ones I did for grade 7) were easier than scales could ever be, slightly because they were nice tunes that were so much more fun than scales. Personally I think the pieces for grade 7 clarinet on Trinity were easier than the respective ABRSM music too.

Plus there's no singing in the aural! :awesome:

Reply 18

cantstop-x

13

I got distinctions at lower grades, then it dropped to merits/passes when the grades got harder and I practised less. Probably averaged a low merit/high pass overall I'd say.

Reply 19

Googleplex66

Original post

by Billy Pilgrim

Not a fan of music exams. Music shouldn't be about scoring points.

I agree with you here mate. I can't stand musicians who hold themselves above you if you have a lower grade/markin a particular grade, especially in genres or styles where grades aren't really applicable i.e. Jazz or rock music. How does a slightly higher mark in grade 8 violin give you the right to call yourself a better jazz musician/Improviser ON A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT INSTRUMENT!? Ok rant over.

That said, here are my grades:

Theory:

5 Distinction

Trombone:

1 Distinction
2 Distinction
3 Distinction
4 Merit ( :mad:

)
5 Distinction
6 Skipped
7 Distinction
8 Distinction

Piano:

1 Pass
2 Merit
3 Merit
4 Merit
5 Pass
6 Distinction
7 Distinction

Music grades: what's your average (pass, merit, distinction)

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