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Do i need to do initial grade before doing grade one piano?

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Reply 20
Original post by raiden95
by the way guys, which books should i get for grade 1 abrsm, the exams one? is that all i need


Well...Grade 1 pieces for year 20xx-20xx (12-13), for e.g.
Scales book for grade 1
Sight reading book for grade 1
Aural test book grade 1-5

All will be examined for ABRSM.

For the aural test, you might need someone else (who can play piano well) to test you.

You should research ABRSM requirements and actually practise/learn to read music before doing the exam. Failing the exam/ scraping a pass is a waste of everyone's time
Reply 21
Original post by yothi5
Well...Grade 1 pieces for year 20xx-20xx (12-13), for e.g.
Scales book for grade 1
Sight reading book for grade 1
Aural test book grade 1-5

All will be examined for ABRSM.

For the aural test, you might need someone else (who can play piano well) to test you.

You should research ABRSM requirements and actually practise/learn to read music before doing the exam. Failing the exam/ scraping a pass is a waste of everyone's time


Could you please tell me what an aural test is
Original post by raiden95
Im not doing music for uni, in fact not even for alevels, im doing it as a side to things and i thought it would look decent along with my CV, i was looking at the current syllabus, it says 2011-2012 if i learnt those pieces would it mean id have to do it before 2013? should i wait till the next syllabus before i start?


I know that ABRSM will usually let you do stuff from a syllabus that's just out of date, so the 2011-12 syllabus would last until the end of 2013 I think... might be wrong there though, and I don't know about Trinity's policy with that.

Don't listen to all the people saying ABRSM is so much better. I've only ever done ABRSM exams, but the other exams boards are just as good, so pick whichever one you want.
Original post by raiden95
Could you please tell me what an aural test is

The aural test is where the examiner plays you a piece of music, then you have to answer questions on it, for example saying that it's classical or baroque, in major or minor key ect. I think the horrible singing bit might be in the aural section too... it's awful (I can't sing to save my life - why in my flute exam do they want to hear me sing :eek: ). Not too sure if this is true for all music exams - I gave up piano before reaching grade 1, and skipped the first 3 grades of flute. Check on the ABRSM website - there's a list somewhere saying the requirements for each exam...
I would definitely recommend ABRSM over Trinity, it's much more respected, not too much harder, and the trinity exams have some slightly odd stuff in them - my friend had to do on the spot improvisation of a piece for one exam :s-smilie:
Good luck, what ever you chose to do!
Original post by raiden95
please explain why and what are the differences



Original post by yothi5
ABRSM is the more superior board in terms of technicality and skills. When I did my exams, to get on to Grade 6+, ABRSM requires Grade 5 theory, but Guildhall doesn't have such requirements.



Original post by Bubblyminty
Nope. You can skip to any grade without doing the previous. However you will need to do grade 5 theory (written part) if you want to progress over grade 5 practical.

And you should start learning to read the score. I started to learn piano myself a few years ago without any tuiton. Reading the music was quite challenging but after some practise you do not even need to think about it. I can play grade 5-6 pieces now :smile:. You should get a tutor or a couple of piano books to help you out.

The difference between Trinity and ABRSM is that ABRSM is much more highly respected. This is because it is more challenging than trinity. The trinity exams are terribly easy when you compare them to the pieces and exercises that ABRSM require you to do. If you want to study music at uni then go with ABRSM.


I'm guessing the negger does Trinity. Among the secondary school I went to where about a third of students played a musical instrument and among every music teacher I have had the general consensus is that ABRSM is more respected. I'm not asserting its superiority but it is more well respected; that's just a fact.
Reply 25
Original post by Evangelica
I'm guessing the negger does Trinity. Among the secondary school I went to where about a third of students played a musical instrument and among every music teacher I have had the general consensus is that ABRSM is more respected. I'm not asserting its superiority but it is more well respected; that's just a fact.


Actually, that's not a fact. Most musicians now acknowledge Trinity exams as being of a similar standard to ABRSM exams. I don't know what your teachers were like but it is common for older musicians still to be very attached to ABRSM, whereas younger ones appreciate the equality a bit more. Remember, 'everyone at my school' is not in any sense a valid sample.

Regardless of what anyone thinks now, it is undisputable that Trinity is increasing in stature, much more so than ABRSM. There is absolutely nothing wrong with doing Trinity - you will get just as much recognition for your efforts as for any other board. Regardless, if you tell people that you have grade 3, they rarely ask which board you were with anyway :wink:
Reply 26
Original post by Evangelica
I'm guessing the negger does Trinity. Among the secondary school I went to where about a third of students played a musical instrument and among every music teacher I have had the general consensus is that ABRSM is more respected. I'm not asserting its superiority but it is more well respected; that's just a fact.


I've done a mixture of ABRSM and Trinity grade exams for the trumpet (thanks to changing teachers) and I can say I don't remember there being any vast difference between them - I found all the exams/preparation for them hard!
Reply 27
Lots of hate for Trinity in here.

I did ABRSM for Grades 1-4 for piano, moved to Trinity for Grade 5 and 6 and am working towards Grade 7 in November. The main reason I wanted to change was because of the aural tests. I hate singing and for me it's completely irrelevant for a piano exam to require you to be able to sing in tune, etc.
If I was in your position, Id just learn to play by ear, and wow them at a audition, and get me a scholarship that way.
*By the way, I only read the title of the thread*

P.s - I play the piano by ear, and will be learning the guitar the same way :3

This was posted from The Student Room's Android App on my ST18i
Original post by Bobifier
Actually, that's not a fact. Most musicians now acknowledge Trinity exams as being of a similar standard to ABRSM exams. I don't know what your teachers were like but it is common for older musicians still to be very attached to ABRSM, whereas younger ones appreciate the equality a bit more. Remember, 'everyone at my school' is not in any sense a valid sample.

Regardless of what anyone thinks now, it is undisputable that Trinity is increasing in stature, much more so than ABRSM. There is absolutely nothing wrong with doing Trinity - you will get just as much recognition for your efforts as for any other board. Regardless, if you tell people that you have grade 3, they rarely ask which board you were with anyway :wink:


It isn't the best sample, I'll admit, but it does include doctors of music who got their doctorate at Oxbridge and children from other schools who joined at sixth form and earlier because of our strong music programme. I do absolutely understand your point, but even so the fact that Trinity is increasing in stature surely indicates that it had a lower stature to begin with.

Again, I'm not claiming that it is a less worthy exam board, simply that more people may perceive it that way. I do believe Trinity is a perfectly good exam board, however it is a fact that ABRSM is the world's leading examination body for music - I'm not making that up, I just Googled it. It's pretty difficult to rise in stature from there :lol:
Reply 30
Original post by Evangelica
It isn't the best sample, I'll admit, but it does include doctors of music who got their doctorate at Oxbridge and children from other schools who joined at sixth form and earlier because of our strong music programme. I do absolutely understand your point, but even so the fact that Trinity is increasing in stature surely indicates that it had a lower stature to begin with.

Again, I'm not claiming that it is a less worthy exam board, simply that more people may perceive it that way. I do believe Trinity is a perfectly good exam board, however it is a fact that ABRSM is the world's leading examination body for music - I'm not making that up, I just Googled it. It's pretty difficult to rise in stature from there :lol:


so ABRSM would look better on my cv?

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