WHat level are you guys on piano??? I am only on 5. I am such a sucker

Lets not forget, different regions of the world have different grading systems. I just started, so don't feel too bad.

I never took exams XD

I don't take exams either- i cant play properly when i know someone's sitting there just waiting for you to make a mistake :(

um grade 10 (highest grade except for Diploma) but it's in the Royal Conservatory of Music standard so it's a bit lower than those in Hong Kong or some europe countries

I'm actually getting my ARCT diploma from the RCM later this month ^^ . . I can't believe they're making such a big deal out of convocation, but meh. And I think my skill level has now dropped to grade 9 or 10? :think:

good job :lol:
i'm aiming for ARCT too, but *SIGH* school and economic issues, and my teacher said she can't teach me anymore because i'm grade 10....just great :/

I took my piano performance diploma ABRSM the other week ~ Won't know the results of it for a while though. Hope I passed. :mellow:

i dunno what level i would have, in your system, nor what is required to reach a given level. anyway, id apreciate if someone could give me a link to such info.

but i can tell you what i am able to play, and that that may give you an indication on how 'advanced' i am.

perhaps the most difficult piece i have completed is Beethoven's moonlight sonata, 3rd movement (heavy!). at that time i had played piano for maybe 3-4 years. i tried lizst's version of la campanella, but had to give up. it was too hard, would take me ages to learn.

Well, I'm at grade eight and approaching grade nine. But I'm too young to take one of those really accurate diploma exams to see for sure.

i just stated learning the keys but i can play some songs :heh:

well i pretty much went as far as i could go with my piano teacher. she left and moved so i wasn&#39;t able to learn how to compose. :crybaby: <_<

Wow, there are a lot of "who plays piano threads" around.

Neways, I don&#39;t have a certain level because I&#39;ve never taken an exam. Jan. 24 marks the the tenth year I&#39;ve played piano. I&#39;d say I&#39;m pretty advanced.

Good luck on the diplomas Spoony and Al :sorc:
Received my Grade 10 RCM certificate a couple years ago (2nd from highest Canadian music level I believe), though I&#39;m pretty much ARCT now heh :heh:

I could go for it, really have no intensions of getting it atm ^^;

Zero so good at piano :P
don&#39;t think i&#39;m anywhere close to ARCT T_T

took my grade8 on ABRSM...passed the first time....failed the second time....

wah~ cant compare to a lot of you guys here&#33; :( o well....theres always a people than me....hehe

How does that work? If you passed the first time, why take it a second time? Are there two parts to the test? o.0

i passed by 6 marks the first time....but i really want to get a merit...so i took the exam again....but failed instead....

@_@ you guys are like whoa&#33;&#33;&#33; im only.....level iono =]

i think sumwer in 6-7 iono.. =[ and i suck =P

dont you guys hate it when people say your goot when your not? <_< :angry:
then it makes you go :bleh: :cold: =_= :mellow: then after you play the song with bunches of mistakes ur like :o :whistle: :boo: :sick: or if you play it the way ur supposed to play it your like B) :rolleyes: :D
well yea haha.....atleast your parents dosent make you play at church ^_^ :P :D <_< =_= :yawn:

arrte peeps PAYCE YOU MANGS&#33;

they did make me play at church....which now i enjoy it very much....coz it builds up my confidence as well as other religous reasons&#33;&#33;&#33;

mistakes tends to make me just :crybaby: but when i played it well....people goes.... :huh: "you call that played well?" so i also go :crybaby:...:lol:

I&#39;m quite content whenever I make mistakes . . proves to everybody who assumes I&#39;m great that I&#39;m really not. But I love their reaction afterwards after my screwed-up performance, because they still say I played very well, but their face is scrunched up, so you can tell they&#39;re lying =)

Hmm, now that I&#39;m getting my diploma this weekend, I guess I should start practicing again, to get my skill up to the level where it&#39;s supposed to be at :think:

wah~~ diploma....was going to do that after my first attempt of the grade8...but since i know im going to screw that miserably and that the teacher that i have isnt too good for that kinda stuff...put me off.....though if i still had my other teacher who decided to move to central london....id probably be doing better...... =_=

i&#39;m at grade seven piano. However, i skipped grade 2 and 3 and went straight to 4 because my piano teacher told me I was way too advanced at the time to be bored for two years straight and that the challenge would be healthy.

Currently I&#39;m learning flute in a speacial music/composing program called R.A.P (regional arts program). I liked it in the begginning but not anymore.

Anyways, I still find "The Name of Life" from Spirited Away challenging, even now a year after I attempted learning it&#33;&#33;

I&#39;m grade 8 at piano (ABRSM) but considering that I&#39;ve only got 1 merit so far and that I only just passed my last few exams... er... heh... I suck... >.< :blink:

you suck? hell no&#33; Grade 8 piano is great&#33;

what you talking about... :lol:

Originally posted by Aeila@Jan 22 2005, 05:01 AM
you suck? hell no&#33; Grade 8 piano is great&#33;

what you talking about... :lol:
I passed grade 7 by 3 points ^^

At least you passed.

A bad pianist is someone who cannot tkae in the music and make it their own. At Grade 7, that clearly is not you. ^_^

I wonder, since I&#39;m not familiar with the grades at all, if you can tell me some typical pieces for grade 4-9.. -_- I&#39;m currently playing Ravels "Le Tombeau de Couperin" so I&#39;m a bit curious . I&#39;ve only taken private lessons and studied theory at schools.

:shifty:

PS: I saw a picture of tsukasa.. damn, that was supposed to be my avatar&#33; :crybaby:

grade 9 pieces...a bit easier or maybe around the same level as moonlight sonata in my opinion

We don&#39;t have levels or exams. What&#39;s the highest level?

depends on which music academy is providing the exam in your country. it&#39;s not in school...it&#39;s like an extracurriculum thing where you have a choice of taking it or not.

ours the highest is ARCT, but most ppl just get grade 10 :P

hmmm i dont really know what kevel im at..............im self taught and doin really well so i dont know how to grade myself and not really bothered really. i can read and play complex and beautiful songs so im happy

Hey, some of you are about 9 or 10. I&#39;m only grade 4. :( But I&#39;m really young. Still a long time to reach grade 8. How pity. But, I like to play the pieces which I want to play more than the pieces my teacher taught me. :sweatdrop:

Heyo&#33; Um yer I&#39;m like at grade 8 for some associated board thing but its before diploma in england anyway. But I don&#39;t think grades or achievements actually matter to prove how good you are. I&#39;ve seen people a lot better than me who dont have grades so don&#39;t worry all you people who dont have much. Bet one of you can whip Al at the piano anyway&#33;

Originally posted by Al@Jan 8 2005, 08:44 AM
And I think my skill level has now dropped to grade 9 or 10? :think:
._. make that 7 or 8 . . I could barely handle the octaves to Maple Leaf Rag yesterday ;__;

Well I'm not sure what grade exactly, but i've practiced for two years so far but passed my 6th level test. Does that mean i'm in level 7?

I'm currently playing Ravels "Le Tombeau de Couperin" so I'm a bit curious

"Le Tombeau de Couperin" is actually among one of Ravel's more advanced works, depending on the movement you're learning it's around grade 7- diploma level. Of the movements i've looked at, I know the Menuet is about grade 8, "Forlane" and "Rigaudon" are above grade 8, and i've heard even the best of pianists have trouble with the Toccata so that's probably high diploma level.

4ish, but i always play things WAY above my skill level (or at least try)

I dont play piano(sorry, I know I shouldnt be here) but curious about something. What does it mean by 'not having exam'?

not having exam= not playing the piano for examination purposes i.e grades

I never took a piano exam myself, but since can play most of the "FANTASY REBORN" pieces that I bothered to try really well with little or no mistakes, I would say that I would be pretty advanced. I am self taught and have been playing for about 4 years now.

Where and how do you get these piano exams?

From British standards, I'm grade 6. I would say that's a comfortable grade to be on at my age so I'm happy. I'm currently playing Debussy's Children's Corner and about to learn his Claire de Lune.

I teach myself, so I wouldn't know...

The best I can play is To Zanarand and Moonlight Sonata...

Anyways, I still find "The Name of Life" from Spirited Away challenging, even now a year after I attempted learning it!!

Hey, I'm playing that right now. I think it's a great piece, and my mom really likes it. I don't know what level I am either, I have never taken an exam and I've been playing for... three years? I dunno. Something like that.

Ive been playing for almost 7 years now, and mostly self tought, so the only level ive gotten past was one...

My level Isnt so high. I dont play seriously [unless I feel like it], but for fun, just do calm my self down. Im very talented [thats what my teacher says[chior teacher]] but I think im okay. Im not so good at reading notes, because ive gotten to reconised with the keyboard LCD screen as a youngster, so im struggling to read notes and play the same time.

I dont think I will pass anything over a level one because I redo songs to my likings to much, even songs concidered to be some of the greatest music till now.

I was studying gr 6, but ive never done the exams. >.< I don't like exams.

People listed me as ARCT of this year's annual local festival..
so.. it looks like I'm ARCT.

I really should go ahead and finish the ARCT exams and get the diploma -- :vampire: -- only a few steps away from getting something useful may or may not ever come in use. I have heard, though, jobs (music) paying at $50 CAN an hour isn't tough to find -- equivalent to entry level pharmacist pay in this city.

Part-time music occupation? Zero, ARCT. Ain't a bad title to carry around. ^_^

I only took 1 exam, and that wuz when i wuz like 8 years old. I'm like 15 now and im still playing. My parents hired a piano teacher to come to my house once a week. But every since I finally started playing on my on (which was after 6 months of piano teachings), I stopped the lessons and have been teaching myself new, harder, and more challenging pieces. Rite now i dont really now wut grade i am...


Grade don't really matter, as long as you like and feel satisfide with what your playing :)

agreed, and does anyone like exams?

i don't like practicaly exams, because i tend to screw up because of nervousness
written u don't get nervous and screw up somehow lol at least for me i don't

Yea I agree. I am taking grade 6(ABRSM) practical in august. I stink, all my other classmates who take piano are in grade 7 or 8...

i think im at 7?

As for me, I've been playing the piano since I was 4 and for about 14 years already. Already graduated from the conservatory and just finished my graduation recital just this march... :heh: Thank God that is over. Anyway, I've never had any levels or anything but I only felt the pressure of passing a piano exam was when I went to college. My mentor was already a proff in the university that I studied to so she really prepared me for the crappy entrance exam at that university... So yeah, thank God that's over. What I need to do now is find a suitable job for this carreer... XD

my piano teacher don't like that i allways play only anime songs ^^ he tried to give me some other notes but i don't want to play them.. but nowadays she likes them.. i only have played for 6 years piano but i can play very good( if i can believe my teacher xD)

I'm on grade 10 according to my own measuring system.





:think:

im in grade 9 piano, but didnt do so well in the grade 8 exam :heh: owellz, better luck next time

I'm on grade 10 according to my own measuring system.





:think:

XD lol, I wish I could say that board of members at the uni... The'yd probably kick my @ss if I said that...

me: I'm on grade 10 according to my own measuring system.
board people : No you're not... you're still taking the test...
me: can I at least play only the first movement...
board people: no... <_<

my piano teacher don't like that i allways play only anime songs ^^ he tried to give me some other notes but i don't want to play them.. but nowadays she likes them.. i only have played for 6 years piano but i can play very good( if i can believe my teacher xD)

Oh god, that is so true. My mentor was like, stop playing the theme of titanic for goodnes sakes and start practicing on that concierto...

I was like murmuring to myself, can a guy have some fun...

I don't know with them, but they really dislike modern music.. :heh: <_<

well, my teacher tells me i should take the grade 8 test sometime but i haven't taken any tests before that. so i guess i'm grade 0? ^^; [by paperwork anyway]

what do they make you do? @.@;;

I'm Grade 8 at da piano but i always play reli bad in exams coz of the whole 'nervous thing' but surprisingly I got an A in my 7th grade exam...i think i fluked it :P

doin my AmusA diploma from AMEB dats da australian music board so dats like da 2nd highest grade but aparently AMEB standards r higher den other countries so dun really know wts dat equvalent 2 in ur counries

People who plays the piano what level are u ?
That is a gramatically incorrect sentence, it made me laugh.

How do these grade levels work, anyways?

Lets say you've played the piano for 4 years, what would your grade be? (avarage, ofcourse)
Because I really wouldn't have a clue..

Lets say you've played the piano for 4 years, what would your grade be? (avarage, ofcourse)
Because I really wouldn't have a clue..

as an average, probably grade 3/4ish.... they say most people tend to manage a grade a year... so grade 4... but if you count 1st year as not doing a grade, just getting a basic idea of music, then grade 3

but obviously there are lots of exceptions.. this is just as an average

Ummm...How can I find out what grade I'm on?:heh:

I recently started taking lessons but was previously self-taught. (Kind of...It's a long story. :P ) I really don't know how to figure out what grade I am currently on, so if somebody would be so kind as to enlighten me...

Ummm...How can I find out what grade I'm on?:heh:

I recently started taking lessons but was previously self-taught. (Kind of...It's a long story. :P ) I really don't know how to figure out what grade I am currently on, so if somebody would be so kind as to enlighten me...

well.. how long have you been playing for and what kind of stuff can you play?

I've fooled around playing since I was very young but was self-taught. Officially though, (Meaning the time I began to get a little more serious) about a year or two I think.

I can play To Zanarkand and Moonlight Sonanata, as well as a bunch of other songs that I really doubt you've heard of before. Oh, I can play Theme of Love from FFIV, and I'm attempting to learn some of the easier FF Reborn pieces...

Im level 3 in the OMA (Oregons little music thing...). Im so far behind but at least im in the advance course : |

Tell me one thing, how do you figure out your piano skill level in the first place. Ive been playing the piano for 5 years now and as far as skill level goes im intermediate. And also we don't take exams. Its just that when you finish a book, then you go onto the next one. And the books are color coordinated too.

Levels go like this at our school.1. Silver
2. Orange
3. yellow
4. pink
5. blue
6. brown
And after that im guessing your finished. Currently i'm on the yellow books, which is considered level 3 for us. I'm about halfway through, so can anyone help out here????!!! Because i'd like to know which actual level im on as far as your standards go.

i'm not sure as to what level i am in piano and i don't even know about those exam stuff 'cause we also don't take any exams...i've played the piano for 4 years but i stopped when i stepped into high school :\ ...

I'm on grade 10 according to my own measuring system.





:think:
XD

I think I'm on level 7 or 8. . . *shrugs*

I play the piano for fun. According to people at my school, I'm really good. I'm not graded and I will not be graded and I wished that I didn't play the piano at all.

I'm a grade 4, though I have only been playing for one year :) But i of course have almost no music theory knowledge at all past what all the key signatures are and such.

I'm not familiar with this grade notation... In France, in the "conservatoire", they have some weird system , different from the normal music schools.
In the conservatoire, there are 4 cycles for the piano (as long as I remember) and several phases in each cycles (not the same number per cycle :s) and each phase is minimum 2 years.
I went in this conservatoire in Cycle 2 Phase 1 and I spent 3 years in the same level because I redoubled the class once (failed the exam) and was fired (failed again the exam)
When I was fired, I was at my 5 years of piano. After I learned the piano by myself by playing what I like, reading&playing lots of sheet music. So now, I'm at my 12 years of practising the piano.

About my grade I think that by telling the hardest piece I can play without a lot of mistakes I can give an order of idea. For example I can play Liszt - Love Dream N°3 (with mistakes in the hard parts :sweat: )

For me, playing with feeling is most important than playing very well technically only :P

How can I know what level am I?

haha im guessing that alot of these people are self taught and dont have a clue as to what grade they are.

that pretty much sums me up as well although here's a list of things I can play.

Final Fantasy 6 decisive battle
final fantasy 6 searching friends
ff 7 forgotten city
ff 7 spastic music (i dont know what its called its the 1 where clouds in a wheel chair crying like a bitch)
ff7 jenova absolute
AC those who fight
ff8 boss theme
ffx to zanarkand (pointless mentioning that its piss easy)
ffx-2 1000 words
naruto sadness and sorrow
hack sign - echoes
tsubasa chronicles - you are my love
tsubasa chronicles - through fire and storm
suzumiya harui - hare hare yukai

in fact i'll stop there coz otherwise im just going to make a really long list

Good luck on the diplomas Spoony and Al :sorc:
Received my Grade 10 RCM certificate a couple years ago (2nd from highest Canadian music level I believe), though I'm pretty much ARCT now heh :heh:

I could go for it, really have no intensions of getting it atm ^^;

may i ask waht is ARCT?

by the way i think im about 7-9 somewhere in there... i forget...
my teacher didnt want me to take the earlier exams since they were meaningless ....

that one passion (the original version song...) im working on it... the speed and the fingering is probably the only obstacle ... (the main things anyway...) it might take me a LOOONG time... (a few months...)

ABRSM - the end for the kiddies - grade 8. LOL
It did'nt occured to me to further a diploma coz I only wanted to play not teach.. so.....

I don't know it on the main grading scale.

All I know if I got a score of 5 (Perfect/Highest Score) on WSMA's this past March. Played: Fur Elise

Hehe...maybe what we should do is take a cross section of songs on Ichigo's and attach levels to them...the Official Ichigo's Piano Grade Level XD

post that in suggestions because i think thats a really good idea

O hey... Does anyone know where I can take the test to find out? I live in Illinois Chicago specifically... And I wanna no... >.<

I posted, but no one replied :(

Because it seemed like a good idea?

Dub silence was your answer. You f00b.

I'm level 7 almost 8

i just took my ARCT Teacher's/11/ last week. i've been playing for 7 years so i guess that's pretty good for my age:sweat:

as for what i can play...
just about anything...i can play fantasie impromptu...:heh: but took me a llooooonnnggg time to finish@_@

I dont really Know..... :\ What level is that you help the teacher?...:think:

i had no idea there was a grading system, beyond what books state as beginner/intermediate/advanced/ and then putting children or adult next to it. i've never had a concert or anything like that, and when i did take piano lessons it wasn't in school. i don't know... i think i'd consider myself intermediate to advanced, i would generally say advanced compared to most people... but on a music forum where i think most of you are probably much much better, i'd classify myself as intermediate. i'd be interested in evaluating myself if that's possible!

We really should get a system of grading in here, just so people can informally watch their progress over the months. Me? I'm probably at level 1, having just started seriously playing for the first time in years. (Bad me.) There is something I'm curious about, though. I was on another forum, and they said that to be successful/professional at music, you have to start doing it when you're a child. They said that anyone else just doesn't have a chance. Thoughts?

thats not true anyone can be successful if they work hard enough

Sephiroth you are so flippin good. My keyboard aint big enough for those who fight and now im bored of it from trying too long. GO JENOVA ABSOLUTE!!:lol:

Oh, im self taught too. Hardest piece i know is Via Purifico (Path of repentace) FFX

I haven't taken any tests but I've been playing piano in New York sinse I was 6. I can play all of the pieces on this site if I practice them enough

im in grade 8 for the Australian standard [AMEB] :)

We really should get a system of grading in here, just so people can informally watch their progress over the months. Me? I'm probably at level 1, having just started seriously playing for the first time in years. (Bad me.) There is something I'm curious about, though. I was on another forum, and they said that to be successful/professional at music, you have to start doing it when you're a child. They said that anyone else just doesn't have a chance. Thoughts?

it might be true... i notice that most people who've started before 7 are amazing players. i started around 9, and although i really wanted to play piano, i never took it seriously. because i was not a good player and didn't like to practice, and because my parents pushed me to play classical and jazz when i wanted to play pop, i usually didn't even practice once a week. then i'd be carted off to a half hr lesson on saturday mornings, and i eventually gave those up around age 15 or 16 (i think 16). i've started to take it more seriously now (i'm 20- i started taking it seriously when i got the final fantasy 10 sheet music book shortly after 16-, because i desperately wanted to play and play well~) the point is, since i slacked off when i was younger and quit instruction, which wasn't even very formal, i'm not half as good as i should or would be. i don't know when you started, but as long as you put your heart in it and focus your mind on doing well, and study what you learn, you should be able to do well. that pretty much goes for anything! best of luck to you in advancing your skill!

We really should get a system of grading in here, just so people can informally watch their progress over the months. Me? I'm probably at level 1, having just started seriously playing for the first time in years. (Bad me.) There is something I'm curious about, though. I was on another forum, and they said that to be successful/professional at music, you have to start doing it when you're a child. They said that anyone else just doesn't have a chance. Thoughts?

What idiots. You don't need to start as a 'child' but maybe 'young' would help.

I just started to get into music about 2 years ago (when I was 12 1/2) and I am progressing perfectly.

Wish I knew my 'level' though. Played [playing*] the Pathetique only after a year and 3/8s of playing. :\

They mean you can't really start at like 40...you'll suck and probably will never get as good as people who started younger

Because as a kid it's easier to get used to it...and you have the time to practice as well

thats still not very true just that older people have less time to practise

Starting young have two effects. If the child manages to hold on to their interest in playing, then surely, they would thrive in it. But a problem with starting young is that it can inturn, destroy a child's interest in music once he/she realise how much practice is required.
I graduated from Piano playing already and just playing for fun while studying Music as a minor at my university now. I never formally started learning piano until I was 13years old. (currently 18) It's more so the person's love toward their interactions with music that I think is really what allows that individual to succeed.

also, benefit of starting young is that a person's hands can sort of mold to the piano... my hands and fingers are smaller, so it's really hard to play some things. i think if i had kept my practice up instead of slacking, my fingers would have stretched easier as i grew older. i'd imagine hands that are on piano at a young age gets used to them quickly and stretches each year better than someone who is already grown into adult hands.

Yea, since I started playing Piano when I hit puberty (x_x ) my hands have gotten more 'flexible' and are stretching a lot farther (9/10 keys is my longest). Also, I am NOW noticing that my fingers are getting more 'linky' but not 'dinky' :heh: Anyway, it's true how it easier for a child to learn since their hands can develop. Also, with adults they tend to have a lesser Eye-Hand cordination. (Reading Music)

it might be true... i notice that most people who've started before 7 are amazing players. i started around 9, and although i really wanted to play piano, i never took it seriously. because i was not a good player and didn't like to practice, and because my parents pushed me to play classical and jazz when i wanted to play pop, i usually didn't even practice once a week. then i'd be carted off to a half hr lesson on saturday mornings, and i eventually gave those up around age 15 or 16 (i think 16). i've started to take it more seriously now (i'm 20- i started taking it seriously when i got the final fantasy 10 sheet music book shortly after 16-, because i desperately wanted to play and play well~) the point is, since i slacked off when i was younger and quit instruction, which wasn't even very formal, i'm not half as good as i should or would be. i don't know when you started, but as long as you put your heart in it and focus your mind on doing well, and study what you learn, you should be able to do well. that pretty much goes for anything! best of luck to you in advancing your skill!


yeah i slacked off for about 1 year or two .... so ive been playing about 4-5 years....

I started when i was like 7 and i got up to Grade 1, but I had a really scary man for the exam and it put me off really badly and i couldn't find the time to practise so i quit. But when i found Ichigos, i printed off loads of song sheets and I teaching myself to play. and i can play my sister's Grade 3-5 books so I'm not that bad at self teaching!! XD

Actually, if you had a teacher who gave you a strong basics to piano playing, you're mostly self teaching. After Grade6 piano, it's pretty much just practising to get better anyways.

Let's see... I've never had any formal teaching. Everything I know, I've found online or taught myself. I'm 21 now, and I've just recently decided that I'm going to be a professional musician/composer. So, you can see why looking around and finding people saying things like, "Unless you start young, you have no chance of developing a professional career," can be disheartening. What about those people who had particularly evil families growing up (myself included)? Are our hopes and dreams dashed to pieces because we didn't get as fast of a jump on it as others, or is it something that can be made up for with a little heart, dedication, and practice?

I, personally, think that I can make up the difference, but I'd like to know your thoughts.

I'm mostly self taught. My mom gave me a few pointers every now and then... :lol:

Let's see... I've never had any formal teaching. Everything I know, I've found online or taught myself. I'm 21 now, and I've just recently decided that I'm going to be a professional musician/composer. So, you can see why looking around and finding people saying things like, "Unless you start young, you have no chance of developing a professional career," can be disheartening. What about those people who had particularly evil families growing up (myself included)? Are our hopes and dreams dashed to pieces because we didn't get as fast of a jump on it as others, or is it something that can be made up for with a little heart, dedication, and practice?

I, personally, think that I can make up the difference, but I'd like to know your thoughts.

I think you will do great if you work hard. people who say "Unless you start young, you have no chance of developing a professional career," are stupid

Grade 9 now.

Actually, if you had a teacher who gave you a strong basics to piano playing, you're mostly self teaching. After Grade6 piano, it's pretty much just practising to get better anyways.

actually there's more techniques you can learn after grade 6 that you can't teach your self how to do. A friend who's good at it woudl probably be sufficient enough to teach you though.

It doesn't really matter what age you atsrt as. You can be as good as anyone else over time to an extent. There is a plateau though, and without some natural ability or talent, you can't get any better. The advantage of starting later is that your hands are bigger. The advantage of starting younger is that your hands are more flexible and supple. But also being young gives you an age advantage. If you're 11 and doing high level stuff, it seems more amazing than if you're older.

Grade 3 Royal Conservatory :)

Level 4, been playing for half an year,14 year old azn, wish i started earlier :/ like when i was 10 or something

Well, I guess I'm a level 10; So I'm feelin' pretty happy. :) --2 1/2 Yrs of piano

So this will probably be weird since this is my first post here and all, nevertheless, here it goes!

I did my grade 9 RCM exam two years ago and stopped taking lessons after around 14-ish years of doing so. I find I've enjoyed playing the piano more now than when I was only playing to prepare for exams. I also feel like there's more to know about piano now than there was the day I first laid my fingers on the keys. So do lessons matter? Sure, but... I've never wanted to know more about piano than I do now that I've had some fun with it playing what I like!!

(And to contradict myself, lessons aren't everything, I have a few friends who have taught themselves and they certainly know what they're doing. One such friend in particular cares about piano as much as anybody I've ever known!)

grade 2 only sad still kinda newbie xD

Hm, I'm thinking that American Grades must be different to ours.. I believe ours goes Level 8, then Diploma, then... I have no idea if there's anything higher than that XD

I THINK I did Grade 1 exams a long long time ago ( I think i was about 7...) And then basically gave up on piano because my parents couldn't afford the lessons anymore and I wasn't interested enough to keep it up on my own! *huggles her clarinet* But yes, I never was much good XD

Yeah, I'm just having the estimate that I'm a level 10, since my new teacher says I'm that [at] or beyond the best for all those diploma examanations.

Hm, I'm thinking that American Grades must be different to ours.. I believe ours goes Level 8, then Diploma, then... I have no idea if there's anything higher than that XD


ours is like that- apart from we have 3 diplomas after grade 8- the 1st is equivalent to first year undergrad level performance, the 2nd equivalent to undergrad final recital level and the 3rd is like postgrad level performance.

i would probably average myself out at 2nd diploma standard, because ive just taken the 1st diploma, but then i play things like Gaspard de la Nuit which are on the 3rd- and the 2nd diploma has stuff like the Chopin and Liszt Etudes and Debussy Preludes which make up most of my repertoire.

I'm 12...i think i started at 11....if only i didn't stop playing when i was 9 *s0b*
I'm playing some grade 3 stuffs..but i'm not that good yet...
i agree with leonheart...people who says those stuff are stupid and that stuff is stupid too...

I've been playing for a while, but on and off sometimes and able to play a few songs...I guess I'm grade 2. How do you know exactly what grade you are? Is there a standard?

I've been playing for 5 years, rounding on the 6th. No idea what level, but I love classical~.

Well... guess that will be 12, maybe 14 years since I first layed fingers on that hellish nigtmare called piano. I´m not really sure of improvement in last few years. Level 7-8 maybe, seems to me that still long way to go.

Love ragtimes of all kind and of course those deeply melodic, sad and intense nocturne type pieces mostly by Chopin/Schubert/Schumann...

I finished Grade 7, started Grade 8 but quit cos I don't think there's any more reason for me to continue in my piano studies if I don't want to become a proffesional piano player...

i'm not really very good only grade 6...stopped lessons now i just teach myself songs and do a bit of composing
i would like to reach grade 8...but yeah don't know if that will happen :heh:

Although my teacher considers me Grade 10+, could anyone give me information on all these levels?. . .a link would be great; I'm just curious. =) Thanks in advance.

I've never really bothered with the American standard level thingy, I just try to improve with every new song I set in front of me.

Although my teacher considers me Grade 10+, could anyone give me information on all these levels?. . .a link would be great; I'm just curious. =) Thanks in advance.

well i dunno about anywhere else but i can give you a link to the levels over here. you'd easily be diploma level over here:

http://www.abrsm.org/resources/perfDip05Complete.pdf

obv we have many exam boards but that is the syllabus of the "main" one (piano starts at page 38)

I'd really like to take a test. Im dying to know where im at. I've been playing piano for 3 years, and I just started Cello lessons, and im teaching myself Organ.

Right now im finishing a piece called " The Girl with the Flaxen hair". Which is pretty hard to play it perfactly. And im also working on a Polonaise(Opus 40. No. 1), by Chopin. And Beethoven first sonata. Most of my practice it with a keyboard, not a piano, - my parents have yet to buy me one - Which can make it difficault some times.

Can anyone tell me About what level I might be at? I mean, I can play harder stuff, but my teacher wants me to learn a few things before entering more challenging music.

the girl with the flaxen hair is around grade 7.
never played a Chopin Polonaise but guessing its like grade 8+?
Beethoven is that F minor Op 2 Nr 1? that's also grade 8+

if i were you i'd take the grade 7 exam rather than go straight in at grade 8.

i can sympathise with the whole keyboard thing; especially when playing Chopin- awful noise =P

well i dunno about anywhere else but i can give you a link to the levels over here. you'd easily be diploma level over here:

http://www.abrsm.org/resources/perfDip05Complete.pdf

obv we have many exam boards but that is the syllabus of the "main" one (piano starts at page 38)

Looking over the repitoire; I can give an educated guess that the FRSM is the highest, correct?

I wish the American diplomas & musical grading system was this involved. The hardest pieces in the North American is something with a few Chopin Etudes. :\ Oh well, we have some good competitions to make up for it. Heh.

im at grade 8 now but they wont give me my final results until i pass the music theory grade 5 exams @-@ for me at least grade 8 is last one besides the other things after. I think the exams i take are the londen institute of music exams so i guess thats okay

i did dipABRSM but really cant be bothered with the other two

the grades are all very well for establishing a universal standard, but when you get onto diploma it becomes really subjective. like there's stuff on the FRSM list that ive played in concert before, then you get things on the DipABRSM list that i couldnt play to save my life. and its costly too- the first diploma was like £150 and the last is around £600; which the way i see it is like paying someone to listen to and criticise your recital.

take the Debussy Images on LRSM for example. im playing 3-6 of them to a hall full of people in December; i always have people come up to me after a recital and comment and i get plenty of criticism from my teacher- i dont need to pay £330 for the exam to be able to perform.

I've played about 13 years already, so I'm not really on the "level" scale anymore. I play mostly for personal reasons now, no more lessons or mandatory "examinations."

i have no idea but i'm pretty up there except for stacatto music

I just started playing the keyboard January of 2007 and 2 months later I decided to look for a teacher (its because of that Damn Tatakau Monotachi Piano version that made me play the piano seriously). Then I started learning from the Pro in June or July now its December so 4 or 5 months learning from my teacher. It's gonna take me a year or two to actually play the music I wanted to play.

of course I bought Yamaha Clavinova right after a couple weeks of lessons. man that Digital Piano is awsome not better than the Grand concert Piano though hehe.

Yay! A thread that applies to me!

I was put in lessons when I was three years old since my babysitter was also a piano teacher. I guess she gave my parents a deal or something... I dunno. Anyway. I was in lessons up until I was about fourteen. I think I made it to level six. Can't remember if I graduated or not. I stopped lessons then because my teacher retired and her "replacement" wasn't very good. Since then I've been playing whatever strikes my fancy. Usually video game or movie songs. I don't think I really have a "level" anymore. I can play some level 10 songs perfectly while still having trouble with level 6 songs. But it's all in fun so I really don't care. :P

I really have no idea of how the music standards work in each country but I have learnt the piano for hmmm......9 years and started when i was 6 years old. I'm doing grade 8 and I can pretty much sight read and play most music pieces.
I guess I really don't think the grades or the standards you're up to really matter because you play the piano for your own likings and interest and to successfully approach these grades you would have to first enjoy playing the piano.

hmm sight read I don't know how to do that yet since I just started. is it like scanning through your music? Because I can't do that yet. heehe In my list a very hard piece I want to really learn is Moonlight Sonata Mvt 3. How long would it take for a starter like me to learn just that piece... I know it will take me a while

Sight reading is like reading a book with out having to think much on the words... You just do it. I find what helped my sight reading is to play a whole bunch of songs that are a couple levels below what you level is.

I reckon to be able to sight read it sort of takes time because the only reason that i can sight read is because I'm used to the notes and the keys on the piano.....if you can sight read then the notes should just come to you and you'll be able to play it :D

OMG!! All of you guys are SO GOOD!!!

I started about 2 years ago and im only on grade 5!
I passed the 4th grade test with an "A" :lol: which isn't impressive since im only
on 4th grade!

Im only 12 but will continue to learn the piano till i'm 99 :heh:

I envy all of you!!:bleh: :bleh::bleh::bleh::bleh::bleh::bleh:

if I were to get a level,
it'd be 0
even though I try like uber hard on my crappy keyboard.
and it's not fair!:crybaby:
I STILL suck...super bad.
*runs off*
yeah so I try
and practice and practice
but ehh I try.:(

if I were to get a level,
it'd be 0
even though I try like uber hard on my crappy keyboard.
and it's not fair!:crybaby:
I STILL suck...super bad.
*runs off*
yeah so I try
and practice and practice
but ehh I try.:(

OMG lol, dnt give up... when i just started it...i thought i was so good because i could finally play "hot cross buns" but now...im like..OMG i suck...but just keep trying and dnt give up ^^

im not sure what's mine but im able to play stuff w/o sheet music... ive been playing so "alone be sorrow" by just listening to it, i dint get exact keys but, it turned out very nicely :]. i've got music sheet now, but it looks harder then i thought >.<. f.t.w i dont play by sheet musics xP

I can't play too much by ear...it takes forever!

But I can play with my eyes closed :D

I've been playing for almost 3.5 years, but my teacher doesn't do level testing. Does anyone know what level these songs would be at?

-Hungarian by Edward MacDowell
-"Tristesse" Etude Op. 10 No. 3 by Chopin
-Sonatina Op. 36 No. 2 by Muzio Clementi

Thanks.

I've never taken any grade tests, but I've been taking lessons for three years and am working on Chopin's Nocturne Op.9 #1. What level is that? It was registered as Class A in the OMEA list...

I've never taken an exam, but my piano teacher says that I'm grade 3 (bear in mind that the system over here goes only as far as grade 8, so thats not too bad). I need to get to grade 4 by May of next year...

well i dont know much about the system but i take my exams with the University of Mcgill, and last year i took the secondary 3 exam. next year im taking secondary 5^^ Ithink its some thing called 'Schulich school of music' (its a departement in the university)...i dont really know much about the different systems. One of my pieces for next year is Mozart sonata in C....but im quite sure the 4 other pieces will much more complexe...so much work!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Associated_Board_of_the_Royal_Schools_of_Music

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Conservatory_of_Music


Are there any other large grades of music? These are the two I know. Because right now, I am thoroughly confused by what you guys are talking about.

i consider my-self a pretty advanced piano player even though i dont play all that morzart stuff........i can play exremly hard stuff though

That is a gramatically incorrect sentence, it made me laugh.

How do these grade levels work, anyways?
Your grammar ain't so hawtt there either, chicky.

@OP: Anyway, if I were to take a test, I'd probably be level three. Then again, I have no idea what you're talking about so I haven't a clue as to how I should judge myself.

i consider my-self a pretty advanced piano player even though i dont play all that morzart stuff........i can play exremly hard stuff though

Same here, though I'm starting to play Sonate K545 from Mozart :P

mmmm... I learned piano not even for 1 year and then I moved and teachers is China are different than teachers in Australia (China are more strict) so I have teached myself and trying to learn the electric organ (which has been in my room for 2 years)

I'm mostly self taught, but just to cite a reference, it takes me one month to master a Bach piece. Grade 5, I suppose? :heh: