How to Do Well on a Piano Exam

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Know what to expect.

   Ask your teacher what the exam contains.
   
   Most exams consist of playing pieces with or without music, playing scales and arpeggios, aural tests, general knowledge, and sight reading.
2. 2

   Step 2: Ask your teacher how the test will be administered

   ,,, Scales are a lot to memorize.
   
   Don't learn them in order; instead, mix them up a bit. ,, Ask your teacher to spend ten minutes at the end of each lesson practising this.
   
   You may be more worried about your pieces, but it is a good idea to start this as early as possible! Sight reading is easy once you get the hang of it.
   
   Remember the key signatures and the beats in the 30 seconds the examiner gives, try out the piece both handed.
   
   Aural is easy if you know your notes.
   
   They will ask you to say the notes, clap the rhythm, sing the piece and they will also ask you two features of a piece.
   
   To succeed in Aural, you need to learn the musical words. ,, Try to learn to play without looking at the keys. , Many examiners give you enough time to play the piece through, even if the time they set you is, for example, 30 seconds.
   
   To cheat a little, play the piece through twice without stopping.
   
   It is likely that they won't realise until you play it for the real time, and therefore you will have two rehearsals. , The examiner is looking for quality of your playing. , Firstly, look at the time signature and key signature.
   
   Then, get the beat in your head (count 1-and-2-and-3-and...).
   
   You can also tap with your foot if you want.
   
   Look over the lines and get a feel for what it might sound like.
   
   Then, slowly play the notes, perhaps saying the notes in your head as you play them.
   
   If you make a mistake, keep going. , Keep playing your pieces every day.
   
   When you're practicing, try playing the pieces twice through without stopping each time you play them. ,, Your teacher should give you the pieces well ahead of time and will give you plenty of time to prepare.
   
   Keep practicing the pieces until they're in your head.
   
   While at school or work, tap out the song with your fingers on a desk or table.
   
   If you can tap right through without stopping or hesitating, you are probably all set.
   
   If you stop or forget what comes next, it usually means you still need to practice it.
   
   Once you have the notes down, add dynamics.
   
   Dynamics are usually easier, because once you have the feeling of the song, you can infer the dynamics. ,, Most people like to start with a technically demanding piece and end with their favourite. , Chances are you will be given a list of scales for your exam beforehand, and the examiner will pick a couple at random for you to play. , One of the most important parts of playing a scale is to know which key your fourth finger goes on.
   
   If the fourth finger is on the correct key, everything else will fall into place.
   
   It can sometimes help to say the fingering in your head as you play, for example thinking "1-2-3-1-2-3-4-5".
   
   Concentrate on the hand that requires most work, and the other hand usually falls naturally into place.
   
   Fingering is also key for scales and arpeggios. , When clapping the beat, clap hard on a strong beat (the start of a bar), and more softly on a weak beat. , If you clapped "strong-weak-weak"
   
   it is in triple time. "Strong-weak" implies dual time, and "strong-weak-weak-weak" quadruple. , If there were usually three shorter notes in each beat (or a multiple of three), it is compound time.
   
   If there were usually two or a multiple of two, it is simple time. , These include 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 5/4 and 3/8.
   
   The lower number signifies what each beat is (2 means a minim; 4 a crotchet; 8 a quaver and so on).
   
   The higher number is how many are in a bar (eg: 3/8 is three quavers). , These include 6/8, 9/8, 12/8 and 12/16.
   
   Complex time signatures are mixtures of simple and compound time, such as 5/8 and 7/8.
   
   There are usually different ways to split up the beat.
   
   Complex time can also be fitted into more usual time signatures such as 4/4, for example by the main beats being two dotted crotchets, then a crotchet. , For example, in simple 3/8 there are three beats of three quavers in a bar.
   
   In compound 3/8 there is one beat in a bar, which can be subdivided into three quavers. , You might be asked a series of questions after the administrator plays a piece.
   
   Study the syllabus for your examination for details.
   
   Some questions might be, "was the piece played piano fortissimo at the beginning?"
   
   "was the middle section staccato or legato?"
   
   "was there a ritardando at the end?"
   
   "was there a decrescendo at the end?".
   
   Make sure you learn all the terminology for this.
3. 3

   Step 3: and take time to check the syllabus.

4. 4

   Step 4: Spend a lot of time in your lesson and on your own time preparing for the exam.

5. 5

   Step 5: Understand what you're playing and listening to.

6. 6

   Step 6: Practice scales.

7. 7

   Step 7: Do a practice exam beforehand with your teacher.

8. 8

   Step 8: Do not leave aural and sight reading practice for the last two weeks.

9. 9

   Step 9: Practice everything correctly

10. 10

    Step 10: because the way you practice it is the way you will play it.

11. 11

    Step 11: Memorize the ledger lines and spaces of each clef and the notes they represent.

12. 12

    Step 12: If you get time for a short practice run

13. 13

    Step 13: look quickly at the key signature and clefs

14. 14

    Step 14: and then play the piece without stopping if you make a mistake.

15. 15

    Step 15: Do not try to show off by playing it quickly if you cannot do it.

16. 16

    Step 16: You will most likely be given two lines to sight read.

17. 17

    Step 17: Practice!

18. 18

    Step 18: Spend time just looking at the music and hearing its sound in your head.

19. 19

    Step 19: If you're memorizing a piece

20. 20

    Step 20: practice hands separately until they are comfortable

21. 21

    Step 21: before playing with hands together.

22. 22

    Step 22: If you have the option in the exam

23. 23

    Step 23: most people like to play the scales and arpeggios before the pieces

24. 24

    Step 24: to limber their fingers up.

25. 25

    Step 25: If the option is given to you in the exam

26. 26

    Step 26: spend time deciding which order to play the pieces in.

27. 27

    Step 27: Quiz yourself on the key signatures of each scale.

28. 28

    Step 28: Practice the scales hands apart

29. 29

    Step 29: together

30. 30

    Step 30: with your eyes closed

31. 31

    Step 31: one hand staccato and one hand legato: mix it up so that you know the scales inside out.

32. 32

    Step 32: In lower grade exams

33. 33

    Step 33: you will probably be asked to clap to the beat

34. 34

    Step 34: name the time signature

35. 35

    Step 35: and distinguish differences between the same piece when played twice.

36. 36

    Step 36: If you are asked for the metre of the piece

37. 37

    Step 37: think where you clapped for the strong beat.

38. 38

    Step 38: To work out whether the metre is simple or compound

39. 39

    Step 39: think about each beat.

40. 40

    Step 40: Understand simple time signatures.

41. 41

    Step 41: Understand compound time signatures.

42. 42

    Step 42: Note that some time signatures can be used for either simple or compound time.

43. 43

    Step 43: Learn the terminology accurately.

Detailed Guide

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