The Student Room Group

Instrument Grades?

Hi,
Is there a recommended instrument grade for taking Music as a GSCE? Of course you've got to be able to do basic things but what grade do you recommend you should be at to take music as a GSCE?
I honestly think it doesn’t matter because you will recieve instrumental lessons from the beginning. Even if you have had no previous experience but you put the effort in, you are capable of reaching a grade 3 or even 4. I began GCSE music having played piano for a few months in primary and after that just teaching myself a few songs and now i’m working at a grade 4. Performance is only 30% i believe so you should really be fine if you put in the effort to improve on listening and composition. If you have any questions i’ll gladly help :smile:
Original post by _bella_
Hi,
Is there a recommended instrument grade for taking Music as a GSCE? Of course you've got to be able to do basic things but what grade do you recommend you should be at to take music as a GSCE?

My school suggests that a grade 4 would enable you to aim for full marks on the practical.
It doesn’t matter but most schools recommend that you have or are working on grade 3.
dont think it really matters for gcse since they teach you from the beginning, even if ur school didnt do music before year 9 you wont be at a disadvantage..
if u want a reccomended grade, id say even a 2 is alright to start gcse at.
Reply 5
Thanks for the replies!
Sorry, but from what I have experienced, a grade 4 is necessary to get a decent grade. Also, grade 5 theory would really help with the listening paper. My teacher said that the highest grade required in ABRSM is a grade 5, which is more or less equivalent to full marks in the performance section.
(edited 4 years ago)
In my school they say grade 5 at least but looking at the people who did really well at it, (in my school at least) it was people working on/who had already done grade 8s in something and have grade 5 music theory

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